Probinsiya

San Miguel, Bulacan, Philippines 2021
Premium 260gsm Photo Paper Luster Finish - 20"x28"

The Tagalog word for "province."
In the Philippines, the province means a rural area, or a hometown. 

In 2020, I visited the Philippines for the first time as an adult. COVID-19 hit in March, and I was stranded there. I spent a large portion of my time in the province—this basketball court is right across the street from our house.

The province is different. I imagine there are similarities in the West with their countryside. Everything moves slower, and everyone comes much closer. What do I mean?

In the province, life is chill. Sitting around watching the day go by, watering the plants, feeding the dogs and the chickens, walking to the store, chatting with neighbours, standing by the corner, and before you know it... it's nighttime. Everyone knows each other and says hi when they're walking by. They'll spontaneously drop in just to talk. They share food; they'll drink and share the same cup. They share all their cigarettes and buy a new pack for everyone when it's done. They sit right next to you, close enough for your legs to touch. They put their arm around your shoulder when you're walking down the street. They talk louder and laugh harder. They don't need an aux cable because they have a guitar. I imagine there's a negative side to this as well: things get done slowly, people are always late, and everyone knows your business. 

If you ever meet someone who's always late, it might be because they—or their family—come from a place where time doesn't matter, where everything moves slowly, where things don't have to be done right now because they'll be done eventually, and where simply arriving is the same as arriving on time. It's not because they're being inconsiderate or ungrateful; it's because everyone does it, and it's not an issue. 

This court reminds me of the province because that's where everything happens. When you need to send money to relatives, buy a pack of smokes, or get a Coca-Cola with a bag of ice, there's a sari-sari store (the local equivalent to a convenience store) and a remittance place right beside the court. When there's a fiesta, that's where the games are situated. When there's a basketball tournament, everyone is there watching. And most importantly, when I was bored during lockdown, that was where I went to shoot hoops.

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