Bridging Hunger in the Philippines
Ash, Avery, Madison, Mary
Reading:
Lasco, Gideon, and Jhaki Mendoza. 2024. “Deciphering a Non-meal: Pantawid-Gutom and the Everyday Negotiation of Hunger in the Philippines.” Cultural Anthropology 39, no. 2: 194–215. https://doi.org/10.14506/ca39.2.02.
What is the purpose and main arguments of the article?
The article examines the idea of bridging hunger (the term “pantawid-gutom”). The ethnography takes place in the Philippines, and the main thesis is that this pantawid-gutom is the middle ground between a full meal, and nothing. The article uses foods like coffee, sodas, crackers, and even cigarettes and drugs as examples of this pantawid-gutom. Lasco argues that one’s definition of food is completely defined by their cultural context, and how one’s poverty level can change the meaning of hunger into something more survival focused (versus nutritional).
How does the article highlight or explore the course themes?
This article takes place in the urban Philippines and explores how poverty is directly correlated to the structural violence that is a direct result of the economy. The author explains how food insecurity and limited job access, especially a liveable wage, are structural systems that put these individuals in impoverished situations. So by this logic, the pantawid-gutom is not something people are choosing to live by, but have to in order to survive their economic and social situations. The author cites this interview response, “Of course, there are times when you have to make do with whatever is available, like tuyo [dried fish]. But I will do everything because I need to be able to provide three meals a day [to my family].” The people discussed in this article have to use the food that is available to them in order to feed their families, reflecting the inaccessibility of real, healthy food.
How would you describe the “vibe” of the text?
The vibe of this text is somber, but hopeful. Filipinos entrenched in deep poverty struggle to afford basic meals or snacks. The text gives an example of a man named Jerome who has resorted to using Methamphetamines to remove the feeling of hunger while working. Poor structural economic conditions have led people to find many “non-meal” means just to work through the day and survive. However, the end of the text replaces the somber tone with a more hopeful one. The text mentions actions that have been taken and need to be taken through organization action. There are many organizations within the Philippines dedicated simply to providing meals.
How does this playlist complement the vibes of the text (somatically, sonically, taste, tempo, genre)?
Many of these songs reflect the text's somber tone. The songs may be slightly sad with the overarching themes of poverty, hard work, and hunger. Some songs are more upbeat to match the “go go go” energy of impoverished communities where people must work long hours, and live strenuous non-stop lives to make a living. To complement Filipino culture, as well as their own opinions on this issue, we included Filipino music that references poverty and hunger. Those songs critique the Government and other sociocultural impacts on the issue with a more hopeful tone similar to the end of the text.
How did each of you go about finding songs to include in the playlist?
Each group member focused on finding songs to reflect the overall exhausting, but “let’s keep trudging on” vibe that the text gave off. While some songs literally talk about the idea of hunger, others reflect the meaning of the text through the rhythm, sound, and overall feeling created by the music.
Which song(s) reflect your critiques of the text?
The article only discusses the effects poverty has on the people of the Philippines, such as using pantawid-gutom to satisfy their hunger to make ends meet. However, the article doesn’t address why they have to work long hours and use pantawid-gutom. The song Tatsulok by Bamboo is about a violent conflict that causes poverty. He references the New People’s Army (NPA), an armed communist party in the Philippines, singing “Yellow and red aren't real enemies, Your color and brand shouldn't be why you fight.” The colors represent different sides in the conflict, using them to emphasize how they have contributed to poverty.
How did you decide on the order and transitions between each song, including how to begin and how to end?
The playlist starts with Sa Laylayan, which is a Filipino song that was created to protest poverty and hunger. It is important to start with this song to fully understand the issue at hand. The vibe of the song encapsulates the anger and hope that many Filipinos feel around extreme poverty and hunger. The rest of the playlist transitions to various songs about working extremely hard to barely make ends meet. Additionally, there are songs that critique structural violence and the wealthy communities lack of aid to impoverished areas.
Were there ethical concerns or debates that came up while creating this playlist?
I think the only concern when creating this playlist was that we wanted to make sure that we were being culturally sensitive to its themes. Since the course is about cultural relativism, we wanted to not pick any music that came off as judgmental, or criticizing the culture in the article. I think we were able to come up with a good list of songs that accurately reflects the vibe of the article, while still being sensitive to the topic at hand.