cebu | Binitay Documentary

August 27, 2013August 29, 2013

In the Province: Island of Cebu, my Home.

For the entire duration of my trip to Cebu, I was without internet access for the entire time. I apologize for that.

Cebu is located in Bisayas which is the central region of the Philippines. Here, the languages are known as the umbrella term of Bisayan/Visayan which is the major language group and have several language variations within it. On Cebu, the major language spoken is known as Cebuano.

During the trip I spent a large chunk of my time with one of my foster sisters, Heszeil. During the Global Consultation on Child Welfare Conference that was held at the Manila Hotel, I met a few nuns who work at Asilo which is an orphanage located in Cebu City. It was just coincidence that my foster sister Heszeil also works at Asilo. What a small world!

A lot has happened while on this journey. My definition for family has been redefined. I found a lot of things about my history and our history, everyone who I’ve crossed paths with or have been in care of. I’ve found belonging in many facets that I didn’t think there will be or imagined.

Foster Family care: A short term solution until a permanent placement can be made.

Biological family: family and it’s members who are related by blood

Sitting on our haunches. My foster family relatives. My feet hurt like this.

As for my biological relatives, I continue to unravel the ball of yarn and find out more about us. Yes it’s confirmed, we, the DSWD staff, foster relatives, and me were able to find them. This redefinition of family has opened boundaries. I have quite a large biological family from my municipality. My mother is a sister of 8 total. I also have a sister. As to who the father is, there are two possible allegations. Although my biological mother has passed away not knowing that I’ve been looking for her and I forgive her, she is still very much alive in my heart and mind and knowing that she did not forget about me and made sure other family members knew of me.

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I invite you to join me on the rest of this journey to reach back as I move forward.

–> Visit my Kickstarter campaign at http://kck.st/filipinoadoptee

–> Join our Facebook community at http://www.facebook.com/binitaydocumentary

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July 10, 2013July 10, 2013

Umbilical Cord

[2 hours left for my Kickstarter Campaign]

“To find the umbilical cord, one must first go back into the womb.” p. 84 BABAYLAN, (Mendoza-Strobel)

When I was found, my umbilical cord was infected. Despite the infected umbilical cord, I was in good health condition. A trained “hilot” named Aleja, was called to the necessary cutting of the umbilical cord.

Although my umbilical cord has been infected and cut, it doesn’t sever my ties back to where I came from. This will be my journey going “back into darkness into intervals of pain and joy, denial, discovery, and reconciliation.” (Angel Velasco Shaw)

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I invite you to join me on the rest of this journey to reach back as I move forward.

–> Visit my Kickstarter campaign at http://kck.st/filipinoadoptee

–> Join our Facebook community at http://www.facebook.com/binitaydocumentary

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July 9, 2013

Makibaka

[22 hours left for my Kickstarter Campaign]

Kadtong dili molingi sa gigikanan, dili makaabot sa gipadulongan. (Cebuano Version)
“He who does not look back from where he came will never reach his destination.” -Jose Rizal

Here is my interpretation of looking back at where I came from. I edited in and faded my passport picture. This is the earliest picture of me before my adoption. Although adoption may not be perfect, “Binitay: Journey of a Filipino Adoptee” will be taking the darkness and shedding light on it.

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I invite you to join me on the rest of this journey to reach back as I move forward.

–> Visit my Kickstarter campaign at http://kck.st/filipinoadoptee

–> Join our Facebook community at http://www.facebook.com/binitaydocumentary

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July 3, 2013

Connecting the dots.

[7 Days left for my Kickstarter Campaign]

The earliest photo of me. This is the first photo my parents had received upon my adoption and finally knowing who their son looks like and will be.

The cover sheet to my adoption papers has documented the darkest part of my story. I had never seen my adoption papers. When I turned eighteen, I found out about these, and because I was unsure if I had to be a legal adult, I asked for these documents as a birthday present when I turned eighteen.

Things did not match up being that I was an orphan. I never knew the story of how I made it to the orphanage, until my birthday.

_________

I invite you to join me on the rest of this journey to reach back as I move forward.

–> Visit my Kickstarter campaign at http://kck.st/filipinoadoptee

–> Join our Facebook community at http://www.facebook.com/binitaydocumentary

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July 2, 2013

Racism and Racial Microaggressions

[8 days left for my Kickstarter Campaign] Please don’t dismiss by experiences by saying “Well I think everyone deals with racism and microaggressions…blah, blah, blah…”, but please simply listen to my experience and try to understand my experience. I hope that instead of getting angry, that we think of ways to find solutions to these occurrences, because this could be your child as well facing these same struggles. I encourage creating dialogue to help find solutions. I’m not here to silence others. I’m here to voice mine. In my own poetic way, I’m not outspoken. I speak out.

I’ll list every name in the book that I know as growing up as both ‘colored’ and an adoptee:

Yellow, brown, poop and shit (because of my brown skin), beaner, wetback, chink, gook, alien, terrorist, faggot, unwanted child, your parents didn’t love you, problem child

Honestly, I did internalize a lot of these labels. I hated my own skin. I hated standing out. I did not tell anybody, especially parents and family. It was not until I learned how to communicate certain issues properly to them. When I finally had done so with my adoptive mom, my mom, it was a release in so much animosity and anger. The end result was me crying my eyes out. This was only a few months ago.

_________

I invite you to join me on the rest of this journey to reach back as I move forward.

–> Visit my Kickstarter campaign at http://kck.st/filipinoadoptee

–> Join our Facebook community at http://www.facebook.com/binitaydocumentary

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