by Nathanielle Punay | November 28, 2021
“Panunuluyan” is the traditional reenactment of Mary and Joseph searching for a place in Bethlehem to give birth to the baby Jesus.
Just like Mary and Joseph, all parents hope for their children to be born safely and healthy. However, the COVID-19 pandemic made this harder to achieve, especially for those in the urban poor communities.
In this 17-minute documentary under the UPWARD-UP project last December 2020, it features four urban poor women and their stories of giving birth in the middle of the pandemic.
The marginalized sector was hit the hardest as the pandemic threatened their livelihood and sustainability. The lack of adequate housing is also a big issue, especially in a country that experiences over 20 typhoons a year.
By showing how they push through their daily struggles, they wish to inspire the viewers with the same hope and joy as signified in the Nativity Story of Joseph, Mary and Jesus in Roman-occupied Judah in 1 CE.
Their stories were also featured in Rappler and in the Urban Poor Associates’ Facebook page.
View the documentary here:
UPWARD UP is spearheaded by academics from the Ateneo de Manila University, De la Salle University, and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven for the Alliance of People’s Organizations along the Manggahan Floodways. (english version)
