By Mary May A. Abellon
DIPOLOG CITY - “You have to assert your rights to get empowered in choosing good leaders in the community.”
These were the exact words of Assistant Regional Director Franklin P. Gumapon of the Philippine InformationAgency (PIA)-9,as he responded to the questions raised by Indigenous People (IP) students and out-of-school-youth attending the recently held journalistic writing workshop at the Top Plaza Hotel here.
The IPs were reminded of their rich culture that has been preserved since time immemorial.
“You should preserve youruniqueculture and, with the help of the government, you can compete with other peoples through the privileges and opportunities afforded you by the government,” he added.
“I am very thankful to PIA-9 for this training, providing the IPs with knowledge and skills in writing, said Walter Timol, a staff of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) based in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte.
“I am hoping that there will be more training like this, empowering us ‘indigenous people’ to participate in governmental processes and compete with others,” he added.
It can be recalled that under Republic Act No. 8371 – also known also known as the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997m - the government has devised interventions to protect and promote the rights of indigenous cultural communities, hence the NCIP.
The NCIP is tasked with implementing policies, plans, and programs for the recognition, promotion, and protection of the rights and well being of the ICC’s/IP’s with due regard to their Ancestral domains/Lands, Self-governance and empowerment, Social Justice/Human rights, and Cultural Integrity.
In Zamboanga del Norte, there are four tribes of indigenous peoples namely, Subanen, Kalibugan, Badjaos, &Sama- Bangingi.
The IPs of Sindangan and Siocon towns are recipients of Certificates of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT)with 48, 225 hectares and Siocon with 8,213 hectares, respectively.
Livelihood programs provided to IPs by the government are bamboo craft project in Piñan, provision of school supplies in Liloy and Mutia, IP civil registration in Labason, and health awareness programs in the municipality Gutalac.