Dominga Aguilar works late in the afternoon to collect seaweeds from the shorelines of Barrio Proper in Malapascua Island. | Doris C. Bongcac
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Dominga Aguilar has a different kind of job.
She is tasked to collect and dispose the seaweeds that are washed into the shorelines of Barrio Proper in Malapascua Island where the port is located.
Dominga, 54, gathers the seaweeds with the use of a rake.
Fernando Aguilar digs a hole to bury seaweeds. | Doris C. Bongcac
Her husband, Fernando, 54, helps her by digging a hole on the sand so they could bury the seaweeds. The other garbage are collected for proper disposal.
Dominga said the seaweeds start to decompose in a week’s time.
The couple does the routine every day, shortly after sunrise in the morning and before sunset in the afternoon or at around 5 p.m.
Dominga, a job order worker assigned at the Daanbantayan Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), has been doing this kind of work for over five years now.
Aguilar uses a rake to collect the seaweeds. | Doris C. Bongcac
In addition, she also functions as an eco-police tasked to ensure the cleanliness of the port area that is the first sight that the tourist would have of the island barangay of Logon upon their arrival.
While she only earns a meager amount for the task that she does, Dominga said she enjoys doing her job.
The couple takes a quick break as Fernando places a towel on Dominga’s back. | Doris C. Bongcac
Her work is also a form of exercise for her and Fernando, who suffered stroke a few years back.
“Maayo ra pud ni namo kay og dili mi makatrabaho, kapoy man pud. Exercise na pud ni nano,” she said.
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