By Claro A. Lanipa
DIPOLOG CITY – “Make up yourself and love
your tribe because that is where you belong,” Regional Director Timuey Woy Lim
Wong of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)-9, has challenged today
the IP (indigenous peoples) college students attending the journalistic writing
workshop held at Mibang Hotel this city.
Director Wong said this project, which is jointly implemented
by Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-9, NCIP-9 and the US Embassy in Manila,
seeks “to help you enhance your knowledge, talent and skills in writing.”
“In the market of job placement and employment today,
competition is very high, so you have to compete with your peers. If you don’t have the capability, talent and
skills you will hardly find a job,” Wong said.
This is a very rare opportunity for you, because not all
of the grantees under the Educational Assistance Program (EAP) of our office
were called to participate in activity such as this,” Wong added.
On the other hand, Director Wong appealed to the IP
students to preserve their culture. “I saw there is a continuous erosion of
your culture. Many of you are no longer speaking your dialect or you do not
know anymore how to speak your own dialect. So, make up yourself and preserve
your tribe,” Wong challenged them.