IP leaders, gov’t peace and order concerns in Sarangani

From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 14): IP leaders, gov’t peace and order concerns in Sarangani

ALABEL, Sarangani,  Apr. 14  (PIA)  --   Tribal  chieftains and B’laan indigenous peoples  leaders   in Alabel and  Malapatan  town  of  Sarangani   recently  met  with   military and police  officials and officials of  government line agencies  at the  provincial  capitol here  to  discuss  issues affecting the lumad communities in the area.

Capt. Rey Balibagoso,  spokesperson of the 1002nd  Brigade of  the Philippine Army, told  Philippine Information Agency 12  that the forum   on April 7  at the  Provincial  Gymnasium  aimed  to  “discuss and find a concrete solution to issues affecting the indigenous people particularly the unstable peace and order situation in their community.”

Concerns  over several  issues pertaining  to ancestral domain, socio-economic development, indigenous political structure, customary laws,  and security and quick reaction mechanism were also  deliberated.

The forum  was anchored on the theme  “Empowering our IP Leaders in Establishing Partnership for Peace, Development and Prosperity in Ancestral Domains/Indigenous Cultural Communities.”

Bae Norma Rivera representing the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and the IP Sectoral Council for Mindanao discussed the NAPC Development Framework for Indigenous People/Indigenous Cultural Communities.

Several personnel  from the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) and Provincial Tribal Council (PTC) of Sarangani Province were also present  as  resource persons.

“What is due for you is for you! You, the indigenous people should be economically sound; you should be given total empowerment and that is how this present administration is doing,”  said  Sarangani  Gov.  Steve Chiongbian  Solon  told the  IP participants in his  message.

He also  emphasized that the  “Sulong Tribu” component of the “Sulong Sarangani Program”  was  designed to empower the indigenous people.

Regarding  peace and order  concerns,  Col. Ronald Villanueva, the Brigade Commander of 1002nd Brigade  emphasized that  lawless group of New Peoples’ Army  should spare the indigenous people from recruitment and exploitation.

“There are so many problems affecting the IPs and the solution to these problems is not raising arm against our fellow Filipino but for all of us to come together in the Filipino Spirit of “Bayanihan” to attain peace and development in the countryside,” Col. Villanueva appealed.

The  activity  culminated with the  signing  of  a  Manifesto of  Commitment  to  support  the Indigenous People-Peace and Development Outreach Program (IP-PDOP)  currently  being implemented  by the 1002nd Brigade.

IP-PDOP  focuses on the  upland barangays  of  Malapatan town in  cooperation with the   “Sulong Tribu” program team and Sarangani Police Provincial Office, the LGU and the NCIP.

The forum  was also  attended  by representatives   from  the  Department of the Interior and Local  Government,  Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Agriculture, NPAC, NCIP,  Provincial Tribal Council of Sarangani, 73rd Infantry Battalion and 1002nd Brigade  who  responded  to  queries  and  concerns  raised by the  IP  leaders.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1611428973195/ip-leaders-gov-t-peace-and-order-concerns-in-sarangani