9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Everything around you is alive. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We live in a world [br]where the palette 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is overwhelmingly gray on blue. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If you're lucky, you get [br]a sporadic smudge of green. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here you can see [br]the world breathe. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Highways are replaced by streams, [br]cars by canoes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Your eyes think that [br]you're surrounded by land, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but it's a trick. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Underneath the growth, [br]more water, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a quiet resistance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You follow one path today, [br]and by tomorrow it's gone. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There is no place [br]in the Philippines 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that carries more mystery[br]than the Agusan Marsh. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Some people see these wetlands [br]merely as ecosystems 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and important biodiverse areas. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Others see them [br]as big bags of cash, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 land to be turned [br]into highly efficient farms, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but a few people see them [br]as a home. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And this is their story. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary [br]stretches across 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 40,000 plus hectares [br]of wetlands, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 roughly the size of Manila. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's one of the biggest [br]in Southeast Asia 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and one of the most vital [br]in the Philippines. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A Ramsar Site, globally recognized [br]but barely talked about. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's all interconnected by lakes, [br]rivers, marshes and ponds. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It acts like a giant sponge [br]during typhoon season, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 absorbing flood waters [br]for the entire Agusan River Basin. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Without it, who knows [br]what would happen 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to neighbor towns like Butuan? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's home to rare birds, [br]floating villages, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and indigenous communities [br]who've learned to live 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with the rise [br]and fall of the water. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But it's under threat. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Pollution and climate change [br]are slowly choking it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Life cannot simply exist [br]without the Agusan Marsh. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The marsh protects everything here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When you talk [br]of the Agusan Marsh, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you got to take into account [br]the bigger picture 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the Agusan River Basin. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Technically, that's the third [br]largest river system 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the Philippines, [br]encompassing Regions XI and XIII— 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that's Davao and Caraga. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What you have here in our town, [br]your catch basin. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And come to think of it, [br]everything revolves 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 around this catch basin. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They say that life begins here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There can never ever be [br]an Agusan del Sur 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 without the Agusan Marsh. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - What's that, Datu? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Walking stick. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Datu Artemio was selected [br]as one of the leaders 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 due to his Lumad lineage. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The Lumad are some [br]of the first wave of people 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to settle in the Philippines, [br]specifically around Mindanao. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Their ancestral land [br]is often highly sought-after, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 making them one [br]of the most vulnerable 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ethnic groups in the country. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They are also one of the few groups[br]that have held on 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to their pre-colonial culture. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 As in most areas [br]in the Philippines, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 where there is [br]a strong indigenous ancestry, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 most people with roles to play [br]in the community also happen 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to have official [br]government positions. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Datu was previously [br]an LGU official and now his son 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is barangay captain. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They both lead the people [br]in Caimpugan and its peatland, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 one of the many parts [br]of the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The relationship [br]between indigenous religions 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the Catholic Church [br]is complex, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 marked by both historical tensions [br]and reconciliation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Indigenous religions, [br]often rooted in animism 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and oral traditions, [br]are distinct from the church's 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 codified beliefs and practices. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Just like when we were colonized, [br]one culture doesn't 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 usually completely erase [br]the other, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 parts of it are indigenized. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So you'll find people praying [br]to the Catholic God 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 alongside other entities. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Where people live with the land, [br]these are still 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a common practice. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Most of the people here [br]are Catholic, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but their own Lumad culture [br]is still very strong, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as it should be. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 These rituals are carried out [br]to ensure safe passage 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and acceptance [br]into the community. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - What we have here within [br]the Augustan Marsh Wildlife Santuary 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is the Caimpugan peatland. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The peatland, it covers just 3% [br]of the Earth's surface. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But according to the ICUN, [br]they believe that peatland 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 conserves 30% [br]of the world's carbon, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that is twice as much [br]carbon sequestered 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as compared to all [br]the rainforests combined. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The conservation of wetlands [br]is crucial because it mitigates 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the impacts of climate change. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If it is damaged, [br]it releases tons of CO2 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 far greater than anything [br]in order to uplift 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and protect our wetlands. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ***- Ang tao rito sa amin sa ngayon nakokontrol pag nandito na kami nakabantay. Di katulad palagi noon na tao labas pasok. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - In order to uplift[br]and protect our wetlands, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The Society for the Conservation [br]of Philippine Wetlands 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 mobilizes advocates [br]across the Philippines 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the world [br]to facilitate conservations 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and pioneer technical assistance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Together with them [br]is the Protected Area 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Management Office, or PAMO, [br]which manages 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the overall conservation [br]of the Agusan Marsh. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 One of their efforts [br]includes marshaling volunteers 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 across all communities [br]to guard the marsh, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 birthing the fearless group[br]called Bantay Danao. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - When we were kids, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on days when we didn't have classes[br]in elementary school, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we would come here and play. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We would pick fruits from the trees—[br]kandiis (a sour fruit)— 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and eat them. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We'd see monkeys here. [br]Also wild pigs, and deer. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Because back then, [br]this whole place 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was still flat and untouched. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But now, it's different.[br]Because of the heat. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The weather isn't the same anymore. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And there are people[br]abusing the land. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - People never mind talking [br]of climate change 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in its first inception [br]before that Kyoto Protocol 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 way back 2005. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But people began realizing [br]the true value of its protection 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because we had a number [br]of extreme river flooding 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like never before. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We had an extreme [br]river flooding in 2014, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 followed by an extreme [br]river flooding in 2017 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and just recently in 2024, [br]February 6th last year. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 By having seen it [br]and experienced it firsthand, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this Agusan Marsh serves [br]as nature's kind of dam, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 protecting the adjacent localities 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on all those places downstream, [br]more so Butuan City. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Believe me, [br]without the Agusan Marsh, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 there wouldn't be any place [br]called Butuan City at all. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 People realize that we get [br]to change something 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for the better. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 For if not there would be far [br]more extreme river flooding. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 within Agusan del Sur. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Our peatland area is so vast [br]that even with regular patrols, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we can't cover the entire place[br]in just a month. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There's a huge difference [br]between before and now. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Different types of grasses[br]are growing now. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's not like before where even[br]from far away, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you could already see clearly. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Because the floods brought seeds[br]from over there 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and carried them here,[br]and now they're growing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It used to be much cooler[br]than now. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's why now our peatland [br]has problems— 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because it catches fire. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Before, the weather was cooler.[br]Now it's different. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There are about 4 to 5 months here[br]that are very hot. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Even a small problem here [br]in the forest 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 can easily spark a fire 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because of the heat. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is what burns— 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when a small piece of wood cracks,[br]it sparks and catches fire. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There's not much we can do. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 By the time we get here,[br]the fire is already big. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We just take pictures [br]and call the local government for help. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Because the firemen[br]can't get inside here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Sometimes we bring tools to try [br]to beat the fire down. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Like here, if it burns here,[br]we hit it to try to stop it— 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but when the fire surrounds you,[br]it's impossible. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 All you can really do is pray. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Experience is the greatest [br]teacher of us all. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Come to think of it, [br]the Agusan Marsh is overseen 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 by six localities as well. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When you talk [br]of the Augustan Marsh 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Wildlife Sanctuary, [br]Talacogon is not alone. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The LGUs of San Francisco, [br]Rosario, Bunawan, Loreto, La Paz, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 engages in the protection [br]and the preservation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the peatland. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It is just a common thing [br]that everybody is obliged 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to do their part [br]because this is their way of life, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this is our way of life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The Panlabuhan floating village [br]is home to the Manobo tribe, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 families who've lived here [br]for generations, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 moving with the rhythm [br]of the water. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Their homes rise and fall[br]with the marsh, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 tethered but never fixed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You've probably heard [br]of floating villages before. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You're picturing houses on stilts [br]where the home 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is elevated enough [br]that the water rarely touches 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the bottom. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They are made to never meet— 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 not here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The houses are built on anchored [br]floating bamboo platforms. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When a typhoon hits [br]and the water volume increases, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the houses and everything [br]around them simply swell with it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The water level can vary [br]as much as 10 meters 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and is highly unpredictable[br]as the flooding season 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 has become erratic. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - The Agusan Marsh is everything to me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm going to speak honestly,[br]no holding back— 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was born here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Without the marsh, [br]I wouldn't even be married. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 No woman would've agreed [br]to be with me, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because we had no wealth[br]to show. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What I proudly offered my wife[br]was the marsh— 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this is our treasure. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's the gold I can present[br]to my family and my child. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ***- Ito ang lugar na tinatawag na wala kang boss, ikaw lang ang boss dito. Mag-ano ka ng pangingisda tapos pagkabukas, meron ka ng huling isda. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Fishing is life here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They set their fish cages [br]in the morning, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 leave them for the day, [br]and return at dusk, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 hoping that the river [br]has provided. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Once caught, these are dried [br]for consumption 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and to be sold. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They've also dealt [br]with an increase 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of an invasive [br]water hyacinth species 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that clogs their passageways [br]into the marsh 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and harms their livelihood. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Daily, they fight [br]for their way of life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Marites Babanto, [br]the local tour guide, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 remembers a time [br]when the marsh felt endless. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But now it's getting smaller, [br]drying up, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the storms [br]are getting stronger. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ***- Nung nagkamalay ako, mga six or five years, pinakamalawak pa talaga tong parang dagat. Tapos ang pinakamemory ko yung nakikita ko talaga yung parang virgin area pa talaga, wala pang nasisira, yung tubig malinis pa, mainom pa, tapos marami pang isda. Kasi nung time na yun nandiyan pa yung ninuno namin. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - The Agusan Marsh [br]started making headlines 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when Lolong, the world's [br]largest crocodile in captivity, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was caught here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 At 6.17 meters, he broke records 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then, just over a year later, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 died in a cage too small [br]for his legend. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But long before Lolong, [br]this place was already home. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Datu recalls that his grandparents [br]fled here to hide 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from the Japanese soldiers [br]in World War II 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 seeking refuge in the swamps. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Marites says her grandfather, [br]Lolo Pidong, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 eventually decided [br]to settle here, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who came with their families, [br]attracted by the peace 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and bountiful fishing [br]the marsh provided. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Their ancestors used to live [br]in tree houses, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but no matter how high [br]the houses were, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 their dwellings always [br]got swamped during floods 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and typhoons. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's when they had [br]the thought of building 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a house on rafts. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Three generations later, [br]their descendants are still here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The times have changed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Their ways need to adapt [br]to commercial interests, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 erratic weather [br]and outside influences, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but this is still their home. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - For me, as an IP [br](Indigenous Person), 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they say IPs don't reach school—[br]but if that's true, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's only because of how hard[br]it is for us to get an education 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and finish school. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 All I wish—for myself[br]and for our children— 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is that they get to reach [br]at least elementary, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 even just high school. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What's important is [br]that they learn how to read. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Because even for me, [br]I won't hide it—it's hard. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I struggle to read English,[br]I struggle to speak Tagalog. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What we do is just offer kindness[br]from the heart. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What matters most is that[br]you live honestly and do good 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in this world, so that life [br]won't be as hard on you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 From what I've observed,[br]this Catholic chapel 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 has truly been a blessing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm deeply grateful [br]to all those who offered help 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and donated materials. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Because our livelihood really depends[br]on the seasons. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ***- Yung nakasira yung soil erosion, climate change, inaabuso ng ib ang tao. Pagkabaha, pag tumataas ang tubig, ang madadamage itong Agusan Marsh. Ang ibang leak 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ***- Humanap kami ng paraan na paano kami makikita rito, pano malalaman ang mga problem dito. Yun nagsimula, naorient kami ng Tuklas Katutubo Balik-Tribo na dapat ipaglaban niyo ang tribo niyo. Yung sabi na walang sinumang makatulong sa inyo kundi mismo kami. Kaya simula noon, narinig na nila, nakita na nila kung ano yung mga problema namin.