Cadapdapan Rice Terraces, Candijay, Bohol, Philippines, 2022

One of my many dreams for the Philippines is for our farmers to be recognized and receive the proper care and salary that they deserve. Today, they are still part of what we call laylayan who are most in need; their sentiments, requests, and demands are mostly never heard and neglected. Yet a lot of people would tell them to stop complaining and just work harder. I’ve heard this being said so many times that it just irks me how privileged, entitled, and selfish most people can be. How can you say this to our farmers who spends every day of their lives planting and harvesting crops ⁠— not even taking holidays and weekends off, but still remain part of the laylayan?

Alas, it might take more years or decades even, for this dream to come into fruition. But these photos give me the kind of hope that one day, someday, maybe, our farmers will be heard and taken care of. I think that if we just take the time to stop and listen to their cries of help, the country would be more united as a nation and the people from our laylayan would never feel ignored.