Govt reaffirms commitment to bring peace, devt to Kalabugao Plain

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jun 7): Govt reaffirms commitment to bring peace, devt to Kalabugao Plain

Member agencies of the Kalabugao Plain Technical Working Group revisited Kalabugao Plain during Higaonon tribe’s “Dumalondong” to reaffirm commitments to the Peace and Development Convergence Program to spur further action from various stakeholders.

Dubbed Peace and Development Convergence Program for Kalabugao Plain, the TWG of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) in Region 10 has conceptualized the program aimed to develop Kalabugao Palin into an economically, environmentally and culturally developed community.

Tribal leader, Agulio “Datu Mandidlay” Nanulan, of the Agtulawon-Mintapod Higa-onon Cumadon (AGMIHICU) Tribal Organization, said the purpose of Dumalondong, the highest form of ritual for the Higaonon Tribes in the ancestral boundaries of Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur provinces, is to converge all tribal leaders from these provinces. It also aims to call different government agencies and other stakeholders in order to witness and measure the cognizance of the existing culture in history yet, still exists today.

Held at Sitio Kiudto, Barangay Hagpa, Impasugong town in the province of Bukidnon, the gathering of key tribal leaders for this ritual happens only when there are issues and concerns affecting the tribes that need to be resolved.

As part of its monitoring and evaluation mechanism for the Kalabugao Plain-Peace and Development Convergence Program, the TWG visited Kalabugao Plain, a home of Higaonon tribes and a strategic watershed area of Pulangui River, during the Dumalondong to validate the implemented programs, projects and activities (PPAs) have benefitted the communities.

Likewise, to present accomplishments for 2015 and targets for 2016; and document feedback and reactions of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) with regards to the PPAs implemented.

During the Dumalondong, the tribes expressed concerns that the NPA has been destroying not only their community but also their way of life. They also presented other issues such as the sustainability of peace and order, ancestral domain, education, health and livelihood projects involving forest products for cultural and commercial purposes among others.

For its part, Lt Col Romualdo Raymund B Landingin, civil military operations officer of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID), assures that the military is doing its part to secure tribal communities as it is a priority program of the Division’s Bayanihan security plan.

Our presence here symbolizes our commitment, respect and recognition of the customs and culture of the lumads, said Landingin.

Meanwhile, the TWG visited on 14 February 2012 Kalabugao Plain for the program/project validation and stakeholders’ forum with the primary objective to secure the support and commitment of the concerned local government units (LGUs), national government agencies (NGAs), civil society and other stakeholders of Kalabugao Plain towards successful implementation of the convergence program.

In its visit on 18-19 June 2014, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), as head of RPOC Secretariat, bared that the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) has committed the amount of P289 million for Kalabugao Plain, traversing Damay-Kalabugao, road concreting project by 2015.

DILG-10 Region 10 Asst. Regional Director Nilo P. Castañes revealed during the Dumalondong the implementation of the P289 million road concreting project has started. The P3.5M worth of water system project in the area is likewise in the offing through the Bottom Up Budgeting (BuB).

As the RPOC Secretariat, it has partnered with GIZ for peace and order concerns.

He also said we have the Philippine National Police (PNP) as our partner to ensure peace and order in the region.

Following the thrust of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on peace and order, we, as stakeholders, have roles to play for its implementation. Let us take part towards development, said Castañares.

Roberto L. Almonte, regional director, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), lauded the level of consciousness of the lumads in recognizing their rights as stipulated in Republic Act of 1997 or the IP’s Rights Act of 1997. He vowed to uphold the rights of the lumads to Ancestral Domain, however, he emphasized to the lumads to coordinate with the government agencies on issues affecting them.

We are steadfast in our interventions in achieving our dreams to achieve peace not only for Kalabugao, and for the entire region and Mindanao as well.

Seen through the tarpaulins presented during the Dumalondong, Impasugong town Mayor Anthony A. Uy has recognized the PPAs poured in by the TWG in consultation with the lumads and based on their Ancestral Domain Sustainable Protection Plan (ADSPP) and Barangay Development Plans (BDP).

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1461465291487/govt-reaffirms-commitment-to-bring-peace-devt-to-kalabugao-plain