SYMBOL OF POVERTY. Macdaryll Malto of Quirino Province shows the miniature's shanty which he made as a subject requirement in school. He said it depicts poverty which is a social reality among people in the countryside. (Photo courtesy of Macdaryll Malto)

CABARROGUIS, Quirino – A 17-year-old student from Diffun town in this province has depicted life’s struggles through a miniature shanty.

Macdaryll Malto, a University of the Philippines-Baguio Fine Arts student, said on Thursday he “painstakingly made and finished the miniature craft” as a course requirement to depict social issues in one of his subjects.

Malto used glue and paint in building his miniature shanty made out of recyclable and indigenous materials.

He said the artwork, which shows a typical dwelling of ordinary folks in the countryside, speaks of the significance of education, unity and responsibility of government leaders.

The miniature craft would serve as “an eye-opener” of the real situation of the poor people in the country, Malto noted.

However, he said he did not intend to inject politics into the artwork that symbolizes poverty.

He asked his fellow students to also show their craft and air their sentiments on social and economic issues to help leaders decide and urge them to become more sincere and diligent in extending services to their constituents. ( Villamor Visaya Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer News Correspondent/Philippine News Agency News Stringer )