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f fc cr- y l qqqk5ffiiipiwsuni m r- rf sjt ci t lo n i v s v s t v7rs- jefrreyarriola of jstielizabeth catholic highschool is surrounded by youngsters on a i cultural exchange to the philippines yti v mf thornmu students see asdifferent world on ehangej i i s 11 vi c by gianni colavecchia staff writer lianne aliermo will likely never forget feeling the clinging arms and looking into the vacanteyes of the destitute child 7- f at the very least beverly 7 a nineyearold whoseparents eke- a sweater that would ordinarily cost out a meagre living in the markets 30 of the philippines is someone the s mcated in the southwest pacific thofnhill resident wont forget any- tome j r peoplethe timesoon tv phihppines is largely an agricultural kind of stuck with meafterwards when one of my girlfriends wouid come to me she would send them away beverlys parents try to earn a liv- ing by happy aliermo saidwmake 2 for aliermo a v 12 student at st elizabeth catholic high school is one of 26 area residents who recently embarked on an exchange trip to the philippines each one of us had- 10 children hanging off ourarms the trip organized by school officials and likely the first of its kind for york region gave participants a handson exploration into the life of ordinary filipinos the meals they typically eat the smells they typical- tysmell -v- jthetouristssaw the most opu lent sites thesoutheast asian coun try has to offer including a presi dential residence and military -academy- society it boasts considerable natural resources and a growing industrial sector the average monthly income ranges from about 215 to 350 enough to earn most filipinos a decent life but with inflation and unem ployment- officially j hovering around 10 perceht and real growth rates stagnating the economy of the country is unsettled just like its political history which is filled with guerilla warfare and civil unrest v v removed from their countrys centurieslong colonial past- chil dren do various- things to occupy the time in naga about 250 kilome tres south of manila the capital some play basketballothers stay with the missionaries of the poor a catholicorganization dedi cated to helping the underprivi- leged get off the streets observers say the missionaries ones happiness doesnt depend onwhatonehasoneofthe students learned from the youngsters she encountered on a cultural exchange bui aliermo will find it hard to shake the sight of beverly among do theest they can but need more dozens vf neley jdoinagja city help from the goyemment l oneof the third world nations many filipinos live m shanty poorest centres 1 f r towns next to garbage dumps one each one of ushad 10 children such area rnmahilacreated-inter- hanging off our armsthe 16-year- national headlines wkehvitcol- old aliermo recalled beverly just lapsed during die july trip killing more than 100 squatters most shanty towns are 15- minute car rides away from affluent places sucri as baguio city provid- ing a stark contrast between rich and poor the visitors spent most of their time in thetcity about 250 km north of manila they discovered life is indeed different in baguios relative- ly wealthy neighbourhoods though few of them have garages large houses there line res- identiat roads residents many of whom areprofessionals7 enjoy most basicnecessities ii bbseryers say vaughan iscthe cahadianvurban area mostresem- bling baguio city 7 in 1997 officials with both cities signed afriendship agreement erlindainsigne helped organize the trip approached school board and vaughan officials they eventually agreed filipino stu dents at st elizabeth should explore the culture and education system of their homeland insignewho is president of the filipinocanadian association of vaughan said the trip achieved its goals v our students didnt have a clue about the philippines education system she hotea students she added saw backward the country isthe chil dren use books more than 30 years old and fewhayeaccess tocompiit- ers the average school has 3000 tudehtsand jthe student ratio is 40 to one at the secondary level 7 s 7 v 1 st elizabeth- principal lary cosentino who also went onthe trip echoed insignes comments manyof the students we wanted to see more they wanted to spend more time in the mission- ary she said i- organizers believe no school group from york region had ever visited the philippines l car trips between cities there are 1 very long and cosentino said no one could find a company that offers school trips to the country participants had to shell out nearly 2000 each and raise tens of thou sands more to pay for the trip they say it was well worth the effort r jf one of the benefits was the joy of handing giantcontainers filledwith school supplies and other goods to jhe poor for aliermo and other local students the things theytook from the trip were equally impor tant she learned pones happiness does not depend on what one has aliermo said she was struck by how spirituallyrfulfilled many filipinos are despite their poverty when they say their responses at masstheysay them so loud and mean it overhereeyeryone just mumbles the answers she said i ijacalt residents hope to raise money- to bring baguio city stu dents to vaughan next may 1 vf j v vv i ftr