AN OFFICIAL of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) said culture sensitivity is implemented in providing employment opportunities to 300 Lumads who are set to be trained by the military within this month in preparation for them to serve as soldiers in two regions of Mindanao.
Shirley Iguianon, chief of Technical Management and Services Division of NCIP XI, said they assured that the rights of the Lumads are respected and are not violated while giving them opportunities to serve in military.
Shirley Iguianon, chief of Technical Management and Services Division of NCIP XI, said they assured that the rights of the Lumads are respected and are not violated while giving them opportunities to serve in military.
The trainees will be deployed within Regions XI and XII, the areas covered by 10th Infantry Division.
She said this is a result of the agency’s request to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that at least five percent of the soldiers should be allotted for indigenous peoples (IPs). She said the program has been planned since 2010 but was only implemented this year.
She said this is a result of the agency’s request to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that at least five percent of the soldiers should be allotted for indigenous peoples (IPs). She said the program has been planned since 2010 but was only implemented this year.
“This employs the culture sensitive needs of the IPs,” Iguianon told the TIMES in an interview last Friday. She said the Lumads have to be deployed especially in their ancestral domains in Regions XI and XII.
The new program, she said, is aimed to provide employment opportunities for the Lumads. The NCIP provides certificate of confirmation that would attest that he or she is part of any IP tribes in the island.
“They will be distributed to regular units of 10th Infantry Division,” Major Ezra Balagtey, spokesperson of AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command, said in phone interview. He said they can serve up to six years, which can be renewed every three years.
The soon-to-be trained Lumads, Balagtey said, are different from Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit. He said they would be like regular soldiers that would be deployed in the regular units.
Capt. Rhyan Batchar, chief of division public affairs office of 10th Infantry Division, said they waived the requirements like passing an exam and age for the Lumads to enter the military. Should a Lumad opted to extend service after six years, Batchar said he has to pass the aptitude exam.
Batchar said the AFP is employing the Lumads to help them communicate especially with the tribal leaders. This initiative was a realization of the plan of General Año, who was formerly the commander of 10th Infantry Division.
“We want to recruit them and help them as well,” Batchar said.
The new program to provide employment opportunities for Lumads in AFP was also discussed during the public hearing of Commission of Human Rights (CHR) on the fulfillment of the rights of IPs in the regions on Sept. 27-28 at El Bajada Hotel.
The commission will finalize the whole result of their public hearing by December, especially on the issues raised by those in Mindanao as 65% of the IPs in the country is in the island.
“Cutting across these issues are issues of discrimination, violation of free and prior informed consent process especially in development aggression more so in resources conflict situations aggravated by various armed groups intruding into ancestral domain and recruiting IPs in their various struggles,” CHR said in a statement.
The new program, she said, is aimed to provide employment opportunities for the Lumads. The NCIP provides certificate of confirmation that would attest that he or she is part of any IP tribes in the island.
“They will be distributed to regular units of 10th Infantry Division,” Major Ezra Balagtey, spokesperson of AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command, said in phone interview. He said they can serve up to six years, which can be renewed every three years.
The soon-to-be trained Lumads, Balagtey said, are different from Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit. He said they would be like regular soldiers that would be deployed in the regular units.
Capt. Rhyan Batchar, chief of division public affairs office of 10th Infantry Division, said they waived the requirements like passing an exam and age for the Lumads to enter the military. Should a Lumad opted to extend service after six years, Batchar said he has to pass the aptitude exam.
Batchar said the AFP is employing the Lumads to help them communicate especially with the tribal leaders. This initiative was a realization of the plan of General Año, who was formerly the commander of 10th Infantry Division.
“We want to recruit them and help them as well,” Batchar said.
The new program to provide employment opportunities for Lumads in AFP was also discussed during the public hearing of Commission of Human Rights (CHR) on the fulfillment of the rights of IPs in the regions on Sept. 27-28 at El Bajada Hotel.
The commission will finalize the whole result of their public hearing by December, especially on the issues raised by those in Mindanao as 65% of the IPs in the country is in the island.
“Cutting across these issues are issues of discrimination, violation of free and prior informed consent process especially in development aggression more so in resources conflict situations aggravated by various armed groups intruding into ancestral domain and recruiting IPs in their various struggles,” CHR said in a statement.
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