Mandauehanons resilience amid the pandemic shown in photos

Rhea Mae, a child candle vendor, shows the hard work and perseverance of the Mandauehanons as she continues to sell candles amid the pandemic and poverty and hardships she faces. | Cristel Ann Cabahug

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — A photo of a young girl selling candles in front of the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City bagged the first prize of the photo contest about celebrating the resilience of Mandauehanons in this time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“This picture is a proof of Mandauehanons undying faith to overcome hurdles in life. And Rhea Mae, this innocent child, represents the numerous Mandauehanons out there who are working every piece of themselves, staying lig-on (resilient) in these trying times,” said Cristel Ann Cabahug, who took a photo of Rhea Mae, the candle vendor, as she passed by the church one afternoon.

The photo contest dubbed “Lig-on ang Mandauehanon” has been organized by Mandaue City Councilor Marie Immaline Cortes-Zafra.

Zafra said that prizes for the photo contest would come from her own pocket. 

The first prize winner, Cabahug recounted how Rhea Mae caught her eye as she passed by the front gate of the church.

“She (Rhea Mae) was chasing people passing by the church and offered them candles,” said Cabahug.

She said Rhea Mae showed no disappointment on her face when many people rejected the candles that she offered and even some showed their annoyance at her for disturbing them.

And she just persevered and continued to offer the candles to passersby so that she could go home and study.

That was what touched Cabahug. The story behind Rhea Mae, the girl in the photo, that she learned later.

Rhea Mae has to work hard to sell candles and help her family. She has to sell them all so that she can go home and study and answer her learning modules.

“I realized many things. We must be thankful and contented of the things that we have right now. May it be small or big. We should not give up nor lose hope easily even when life tries to mess with us. We must put in mind that in every dark nights, there is a morning waiting for us, reminding us that we must always fight,” said Cabahug on the message she learned about the photo and Rhea Mae that she wanted to share with the Mandauehanons.

Here are the other winners of the photo contest:

A child shows her persistence and perseverance in answering her learning modules as her mother and brother watch intently. | Merly Gleen

The second placer is a photo of a child helped by her mom in answering her learning modules with her brother intently watching her sister.

“Bisan pa man sa pandemya nga atong giatubang karon, nagpabiling lig on ang Mandauehanon, alang sa maanindot nga kaugmaon. Way makapugong sa batang nangandoy nga magmalamposon sa kinabuhi. Bisan pa man sa kawad on ug kalisod, andam gihapon nga mopahiangay sa mga kabag ohan nga gipatuman para sa iyahang mga pangandoy,” said Merly Gleen on her winning photo.

(Even if we are faced with the pandemic today, the Mandauehanons remain strong for a better future. Nobody can stop a child, who dreams of success in life. Even through poverty and hardships, we are ready to adjust to changes that can help us achieve our dreams.)

The two bridges connecting Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities describe the strength of a Mandauehanon fisherman amid the COVID-19 crisis. | Jasper Tan

The third prize went to Jasper Tan’s shot of a fisherman going out to sea with the Marcelo Fernan bridge and the first Mandaue-Mactan bridge as a backdrop amid a golden hues left behind by the fading sunset.

“In the midst of a Covid-19 pandemic let our strengths define us on how we can survive. We may feel like world is slipping out of our grasp and begin to notice that the core of our conceived blueprint is escaping. Let’s accept this challenge, only then, a point of resilience will reveal itself and we shall get out of the weeds and clear our minds as we figure out “what truly matters” in our lives,” Tan said of his photo.

“Such specimen can be linked to the life of a fisherman. He who fish doesn’t know whether he goes home with a basket full or empty handed, but with his family in mind, he fishes with hope and love. Just like the two bridges It stands strong through multiple calamities represent being resilient to all Mandauehanons,” he said.

The photos that won consolation prizes are Maroo’s photo of a worker surveying a supply of materials, Pryle Shane Fontanar’s photo of a BPO worker, Franz Fortney Tan’s photo about what Mandauehanons think about connectivity, and his photo of a water vendor braving the streets amid the pandemic to earn and feed his family.

A worker inspecting a supply of materials shows how Mandauehanons work hard amid this health crisis. | Maroo

A business process outsourcing worker in Mandaue describes the contribution of the industry to Mandaue and the resilience of Mandauehanons as they adapt to the new technology and skills. |Pryle Shane Fontanar

This should be the faces of Mandauehanons when we think of connectivity — happy faces, running fast toward a better future. | Franz Fortney Tan

A vendor’s perseverance to continue to sell bottled water in Mandaue’s streets shows this trait of a Mandauehanon to never give up to earn for one’s family. | Franz Fortney Tan

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