Burden of Gold

GUMAOS, Philippines - For as long as Aiza can remember, her day began earlier than most as she, her sister, and their mother worked to eke out a meagre living at the gold mines in Cumaos. Aiza learned the practice from her mother, and now her six year-old sister is learning from her. When her mother fell ill last year, Aiza had to quit school and work full time to support the family and pay for her mother's medical bills. She is just one of almost 18,000 children who work in the small-scale mining and quarrying sector in the Philippines.

Silver winner at the 2007 New York Film Festival as best stories from the field, Burden of Gold called attention to the problem and mobilized an international effort to end the practice for good.

Burden of Gold was directed by Joseph Fortin, executive produced by Gerard Carreon and field produced by Baby Ruth Villarama in collaboration with ILO-IPEC and UNICEF.
http://www.ilo.org/wow/Articles/lang--en/WCMS_081364/index.htm

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• child labor
• Philippines

[eyed75]

heartbreaking! situations like this should make us rethink the kind of society that we have and do something for our children -- not only the 'next generation' but the suffering real children of today..

[cliffcartagena]

I promised my mom, that someday, when my personal obligations to my own kids have been fulfilled ... I will return to help in our dear humble little town of Tawig. I wish to send many kids to school... like what my mom (Mrs. Pastora Gerio - Cartagema "Nana Pas") did. She and my Dad Antonio "Tony" Cartagena have sent countless children to school.

[cliffcartagena]

I saw the perils of gold by looking at other families. Many other families have been reliant on gold panning. That if they do not do this, they will not be able to eat. We proud ourselves then by saying that, even if they have not been to school, non of them starve because they can get gold. Literally, even right at their doorsteps (soil everywhere is filled with gold dusts).

[cliffcartagena]

I remember earning money out of gold mining as young as 9 years old (1979). But mine was different. It was a pleasant experience of playing for about 3 to 5 hours in the river. Once in a while I will do some gold panning (kabod or pagkakabod as we call it in Paracale Camarines Norte. Whatever I earn is mine. I would have $20 to $30 pesos where back then, the soda (Coke or Pepsi) was at 25 cents a bottle (12 oz).

[bonkersblock]

These is what a chinese led government does for its service to the people!!! these is what happened when you let a bunch of greedy chinese businessmen seep into philippine politics,and decide the policies of the nation!!!

[lhin03011964]

?????Alam ko na hinde ito ang pinapangarap nilang buhay..pero kung minsan wala silang choice..para mabuhay, ang iducation sakana...una nilang pangangailangan pagkain,tirahan,trabaho para sa mga magulang,yan ang una nilang pangangailangan,at bago ang idukasyon....mahirap din ako nuon kaya alam kung paano kumulo ang tyan na walang makain dahil walang pag-kain..hinde iyan nararamdaman nang mga may kaya sa buhay, dahil d nila naranasan.mga bata d natin sila masisi dahil mahirap nang buhay nila..

[jaysonlmontecillo]

sana nga maipatupad ng wasto ang batas ng child labor,