The Philippines was under Spanish and American colonial rule for hundreds of years. Thus, it has adopted Western ideals. This is unfortunate for the Aetas who are among the country’s first settlers. They are maligned and looked down on because they epitomise the Filipino’s insecurities. They are shorter, curlier-haired and darker-skinned than the average Filipino. They lack education and employment opportunities. And they still wear tribal clothing, which some might see as “primitive”. The Aetas who leave their mountain homes to try to make a living in the city end up as beggars and fall victim to unjust treatment and discrimination. Mainstream society sees them as dirty, poor and irrelevant.

Definition of cultural term: Pabaon - Any action a parent takes to ensure their child is protected when they are not around. It could be anything from a lunchbox or lessons that will protect them from life’s adversities.

A young man in tribal garb walks towards a university building with his head held high. On the way, he encounters various forms of discrimination. These insults remind him of how his mother’s words of wisdom became his protection for life (pabaon sa buhay) - protecting him from blows to his indigenous identity. Ultimately, his mom’s “pabaons” gives him the strength of character he needs to become the first ever Aeta graduate of the Philippines’ premier state university.