Typical Fieldwork Assignment

I shall be again roaming the very cold and sometimes damp surroundings of Baguio and Benguet. I've been here many times, doing field works in the Cordillera Region of our country. But what differs my field work now compared to previous ones is that I'll be ALONE (but with Kuya By, our trusted and responsible driver), hopping from one community to another in various municipalities in Benguet Province. Below is the map of the sites where I'll be going. Excluded in this photo is Buguias Municipality, located two hours from La Trinidad. It's farther up north hence it cannot be seen in this screen shot anymore.

All in a day's work. Hello Benuget, my love!

But thank goodness I'll just be alone for three days because Jun, my colleague and also my boss, will follow on the 24th. Winding mountaintop roads, clean and crisp air, and thick clothing will again be part of my itinerary for eight days; not to mention multiple handshaking, rehearsed lines for introducing myself and explaining the project, and plenty of facial muscle smiling to accompany my courtesy calls.

It can be tiring sometimes, yes, but when I think that I am here at the grassroots level, representing the government agency I work for and addressing people's concerns real-time, it makes all my effort and hard work worth it. It's not that bad to work for the government, it's actually fulfilling. Yes, working for the government is fulfilling, if it weren't for those F*CKED UP AND UNSCRUPULOUS PUBLIC OFFICIALS THAT HAVE BETRAYED THE TRUST OF THE FILIPINOS. Because of them, we have become disillusioned; the people who have sworn to serve and protect the interests of the Filipinos have become the forerunners on corruption, betrayal, and dishonesty. Disgusting;