i-Witness airs “Batak: Ang naglalahong Tribo”

CEBU, Philippines - In the outskirts of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan lives a tribe called Batak an ancient group of people believed to be the oldest inhabitants of the Philippines. But today, the Batak are fading fast.  They are now the smallest tribe in Palawan with a population estimated at around 300.

Inside one of the Batak villages, bare-breasted women in colorful costumes greet foreign and local visitors alike. Eager to play their music, they happily beat sticks on hollowed-out tree trunks, still dancing to the rhythm that has entertained them for centuries. Their happy faces belie their long battle against extinction.

The Batak tribe are a nomadic group of people, relying on hunting and gathering for food. But with environmental resources slowly depleting, the Batak people are being pushed farther into the jungle, often suffering from malnutrition and lack of access to medical facilities.  Ricky Dela Cruz, a Christian pastor, recounts that children tie their stomachs with rope to deaden their hunger pangs. The average Batak woman bears eight children, but only two would survive. 

In another Batak village, a cemented basketball court welcomes visitors.  Basketball is a favorite pastime for Batak boys. Although no one dons their traditional costumes anymore, the men still go on hunting trips for wild boar and flying squirrels. They say this diet has fed their ancestors for centuries, and they believe it could sustain them too.

Mariz Umali joins the Batak tribe on a hunting trip in the jungle and gets up close and personal with the vanishing tribe of Palawan. “Batak: Ang Naglalahong Tribo” airs tonight, July 8, after Saksi on GMA-7. (FREEMAN)