I-Witness' "Mga Lola ng Gapo"

Olongapo's Grannies

Last Monday, I-Witness (GMA7) featured a few women who used to offer "extra personal services" to the American servicemen who spent long nights at the pre-Subic-base Olongapo's red district. These women, now in their 80's, now work either as sidewalk vendors or beggars. These women recalled how happy their lives were living the American dream with their apple-of-the-eye American soldiers. Unfortunately for them, a law had to close (in the late 80's) the Subic Base and send the American soldiers back to USA leaving these women and their Fil-Am children with foiled American dream. The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo then must have agreed with this law. The red district turned into ash-gray ghost town, drying a river, and burying a few towns. Today, that district has risen from its ashes into a family-oriented chain of fastfoods and restaurants.

I can't help but feel sad for these elderly women. Not because of their chosen lifestyle in the 1940's to 1980's, but because of the frustrations they had felt in reaching for their dreams and building a family.

[I-Witness episode by Kara David, 30 July 2007, GMA-7.]

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