They say that the two greatest milestones in college are graduation and thesis writing. I couldn’t agree more.

In February 2024, our team, Agos Production, began exploring thesis topics. At first, all we wanted was to pass the subject. We looked into a range of issues affecting marginalized sectors — PWD rights, animal cruelty, LGBTQIA+ advocacy and digital literacy for seniors. But life, time and purpose eventually led us to the coastal communities of Malolos where people quietly face the decline of their traditional livelihood.

And so, our mission changed.

When the tide says no, the current leads you elsewhere

By May, our first proposal was rejected. We were shaken, having doubts about the topic and our abilities. But our shared purpose — to speak for the unheard — kept us going.

Then came the spark. What if we focused on what makes these communities strong?

Visiting the coastal areas changed everything. What began as a school requirement became a personal journey shaped by simplicity, hardship, joy and compassion.

‘Bagong Katig’

Bagong Katig became our metaphor. A katig is the outrigger that keeps a boat steady. For these communities, their alternative livelihoods are their new katig, helping them stay afloat in life.

On defense day, I opened with these words: “Bagong Katig serves as a metaphor for the alternative livelihoods that now support the day-to-day survival of coastal communities. Just like a katig stabilizes a boat to keep it from sinking, these new sources of income are lifelines for the people.”

Their stories became our own katig.

From Isla Pamarawan’s e-trikes, Masile’s boat taxis and atsarang dampali, to Namayan’s women weavers and Calero’s lumlom (fermented milkfish), each story held grit, grace and the spirit of reinvention.

From one heart to another

Our four-episode documentary series included:

•Pamarawan’s E-trike: Gulong sa Daungan

•Masile’s Taxi: Taksing de Elesi

•Namayan’s Women Weavers: Sinulid sa Laot

•Calero’s Lumlom: Laon Laan

We finished filming in under a week and completed post-production in two. Despite fear and exhaustion, we pushed through and ended with a bang.

In December 2025, we aced our thesis defense. The panel applauded our work’s real-world impact: Pamarawan’s e-trike drivers were registered with DOLE; Masile’s boat operators received First Aid training via the Red Cross; Namayan’s women weavers were linked with the City Cooperative; and Calero’s fish vendors got product training from the Malolos Training Center.

By April 2025, we were named top two Best Thesis. Our hearts had been moved by the community. In turn, our work moved others.

Heart beyond horizon

The coastal corners of Malolos have become our second home. Not for comfort, but for its warmth.

It is where smiles greet you like sunrise, where kindness flows across generations and strangers become family.

I still hear the laughter of Masile’s children. It’s like a song I never want to forget. I carry the elders’ words like quiet prayers in my heart. Their simple gestures pull us back, again and again, like waves returning to shore.

From tide to twilight, their stories are now part of ours. They are the compass that will guide us wherever we go.

To end on a personal note: these communities didn’t just help me pass a course, they helped me find myself.

I was lost, broken, unsure if I even wanted to go on. But their warmth, their smiles, their way of loving and accepting someone they barely knew healed me.

I doubted my worth, skills and heart. But those children, with their “Hi, Ate Mari!” and “Bye, Ate Mari!” reminded me that I mattered.

To be treasured like that — it’s unforgettable. I came with questions. The sea and their stories answered me.

What began as a thesis topic became a lifeline. We ended with flying colors and, in the process, gained flying hopes.