Ketindeg 9_Vol 3 Issue 1

8/11/2019 Ketindeg 9_Vol 3 Issue 1

1/17

KtindgAn ocial publicaon of the IPDEV Project, Empowering Indigenous Peoples in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Volume 3 Issue 1 * April, 2014 * 32pages

DevelopmentConsultants Inc.

Recognition of the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao forEmpowerment and Sustainable Development (IPDEV) is a project implemented by the consortium: KonradAdenauer Stiftung e.V., Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) and DEVCON Development Consultants Inc.

THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED

BY THE EUROPEAN UNION

D E V C O N

ISSN 2345-8461

WHATS INSIDE?3 - Is there an apology coming?6 - A call for genuine peace8 - A pact for a dream11 - Making what is le14 - Asseng fo ou futue16 - Pomong Monom at KASs 50 anniversary18 - Palista kami Maam...19 - How honorable is honorary?20 - A Teduay woman inspies neighbos22 - Disnt idenes, disnt ights24 - I sign with esevaon

26 - When reality bites29 - 8th Project Sounding Board30 - Filling in a huge gap


2/17

Is there anapology

coming?

THE peace-loving and non-confrontaonal nature of theIndigenous Peoples have allowed themselves to be pushedto the edge.

Over the years, IPs have always been put in adisadvantaged posion, making them marginalied andalienated from their ancestral domains.

In a series of community building workshops done in80 barangays that reached 2,787 individuals, many IPssaid that security of land tenure remained to be their topsetback when asked about their persisng problems.

facebook.com/ipdevarmm

To nd out moreabout IPDEV:

@kend3g

for IPDEV videos andradio recordings.

Kndg, in Teduray roughly meansstanding up for something, makingone be seen and be felt among themany. The word is not far from theCebuano, Tagalog or Maguindanaovariaons of ndog, ndigand ndegrespecvely. It is a ng tle for aregular publicaon that aempts tocapture the experiences gatheredin this journey of recogniing therights of the Lumad in the ARMM.

With this issue, we would like tothank everyone supporng the

projects aims, and acknowledgethose who are always striving tomake IPDEV as fruiul, meaningfuland sustainable as possible. You makeIPDEV a connously inspiring project.

Fiyo teresang!

Layout and visual concepts:ROMMEL G. REBOLLIDO

in coordination with IPDEV

3

The workshops which involved risk assessments,was aended by the Tribal Representaves namelyTimuayJovito Marn, ARMM Regional Tribal Chieain;MelanioUlama, Admin Assistant of OSCC; WilfredoYbane,Mandatory Tribal Representave of the Municipality of Upi;TimuayFlorennoBaul, Tribal Leader of the Lambangian;Timuay Boy Pradi, Barangay Nuro Tribal Chieain; Divinade Pedro Talindag FintailanTribal Leader of BgyKabingi,Datu Saudi, Maguindanao; and Datu Mario Kadingilan,Barangay Captain of Tubak (Dulangan Manobo).


3/17

54

Of the 80 IPDEV target barangays,there are about 28that are inaccessibledue to poor road condion; 30with land issues, 41 with issues ondominance of Moro or Chrisanselers; 38 with low literacy ratesand 24 with issues on armed conict(presence of armed groups).

The situaons many IP communiesare into now came as a resultof discriminaon, inmidaon,repression, armed conict andeconomic crisis.

IP elders would narrate that in thepast, they simply allowed other tribesto stay in their tribal domains andeven provided them with pieces ofland to ll as token of friendship.

But, as years went on, theirhospitality and kindness wereexploited and the situaon wasreversed with the IPs becoming mereworkers and farm hands. Many wereeven driven away from their own land.

Government agencies as well aslocal government units that are taskedto look aer the welfare of IPs havefailed to address the situaon. Yearsof neglect worsened to the detrimentof most tribal communies andindividuals.

On the contrary, many local

government ocials themselves haveused their posions to take away fromthe IPs their lands and convert theseinto plantaons and subdivisions.Many people in government have alsobecome willing instruments in thetling of IP ancestral lands in favourof wealthy, inuenal and prominentfamilies.

Government instuons mandated

to help the IPs are always hamperedby the issue of no available funds inseling land conicts thus liming thecapability of the agencies to seleissues squarely.

Transportaon remains a bigproblem in many IP barangays. Thosethat are in the far-ung reas can onlybe reached by horse or on foot.

About 28 out of 80 barangays haveeither poor or no cellular phone.Educaon and health services remaina dream to many IPs. Many of theirchildren cannot be sent to higher

educaon due to inadequate schoolteachers and basic support faciliesfor learning.

Aer leng the IPs suer insilence, government can give a moremeaningful apology if it would comewith the much needed sincerity inaddressing their needs.

AN OPEN LETTER TO

THE PRESIDENT

OF THE REPUBLIC OF

THE PHILIPPINES

A CALL FOR GENUINE PEACE

We specically arm yourunwavering commitment to theBangsamoro peace process onreaching the historical signing ofthe Comprehensive Agreement onthe Bangsamoro (CAB) by the GPHand MILF and nally pung to rest

the decades of armed conict in theBangsamoro homeland.Like many of us, we, the IPs in the

core territory and adjacent areas ofthe Bangsamoro, feel deep respect forthe many mujahideen and mujahidatwho have relentlessly waged their

April 15, 2014

Your Excellency President Aquino:Greengs of Peace and

Solidarity! Fiyo gai. In our culture,this means Time has been Good to us.

And indeed, we are nally celebrang

the magnanimity in keeping the peace.We, the Indigenous Peoples (IP)especially in Central Mindanao, wouldlike to pay tribute to the peacemakerswho were at the helm in realiing apolicallynegoated selement tothe conict in our troubled region.


4/17

self determinaon struggle over thedecades. Many of our kin have even

joined and fought together with themin various ways along the dierentstages of recent history.

But most of all, we pay tribute tothe legacy that binds our ancestrallineage, the narrave of Mamalu andTabunaway. In fact, they are the oneswho started it all the dialogue ofpeoples, of cultures, of civiliaons.Aside from historicity, culturally we

have long been connected. We justneed to remember not only the peacepacts that express this Understanding,but the sacred agreements thatbound us as peoples with disnctidenes, cultures and territories.That thesepeace pactsare basicallyterritorial agreements that bothseparate yet connect us.

Despite hundreds of years having

passed, the Mamalu-Tabunawaynarrave sll serves as our guidingframework, our inherited wisdomfrom generaons past that connuesto teach us now on how to keep thepeace.

Thats why, we, IPs, have beensupporve all the way to the thepeace negoaons between thegovernment and the MILF. Never didwe fail to express our perspecves inthe many years of engaging the peaceprocess from sending our proposalsand posion papers to the GPH and

the MILF central commiee, actualdialogue meengs, and even acvelyparcipang in the talks by sendingour representaves to Kuala Lumpurand, of late, our presence in theBangsamoro Transion Commission(BTC).

As early as 2005, we have beenconsistently sending our posionpapers and wrien agenda, idenfyingourselves as a historically disnctpeople within the Bangsamoroterritory. We have consistently donethis during the early stage of thepeace negoaons and well into therecent draing of the BangsamoroBasic Law (BBL) by the BTC. We haveknocked on the doors of both Panels

of the GPH and MILF as well as therepresentaves of the OPAPP andthe Central Commiee of the MILFat dierent mes and venues just toclarify our posions in the peace talks.

Tete gai. In our culture, thismeans, me, for the IPs, has not beenalways on our side.

We connue to hope and pray thatour plight will not be the dark side

of the Bangsamoro story. What havehappened to the many years of ourengagement with the government,our own LGUs, the MILF and OPAPP?Where have all our proposals gone?Are we to expect the same treatmentand inaenon to happen to oursubmissions to the BTC?

1Indigenous Peoples (referringto Teduray, Lambangian, DulanganManobo, Erumanen ne Menuvu) Ourbeloved PNoy, the GPH-MILF talksare also negoang on our very ownancestral domains, natural resources

and people. When this laer phaseall started, something we felt wasalready missing and wrong. Theframework and nal agreements mayhave answered consensus points forthe Moro peoples but it raised a lotof crucial quesons for us indigenouspeoples :

1. Why was the Indigenous PeoplesRights Act (IPRA) R.A. 8371, thevery law that protects our rights asIndigenous Peoples not included inthe FAB, Annexes and the CAB?Andtherefore, we believe that our rightswont be signicantly entrenched inthe BBL. The IPRA, which is supposedto be a naonal law and thereby setas the minimum standard for any

legal reforms, has obviously been putaside. It is our naonal law. It formsthe legal basis for our asseron of ourrights in any proposion, including theBangsamoro. In our view, governmenthad surrendered our rights to apolical enty which has yet to provenor even earn its mantle to govern.

2. Isnt it that by empowering andproviding us our rights to govern our

own territory, exercising our cultureand recogniing that we are disnctpeoples part of the over all PEACEPROCESS?But where are we in theenre picture? Are we talking abouta dierent Peace in the Bangsamoro?

3. How can we address a compengand contradictory policy over landand ancestral domains by the peaceactors themselves?Governmentinstrumentalies are supporng usfor as long as the ARMM is not yetabolished, they say that IPRA can slltake eect. In apparent contradicon,the MILF Central Commiee publiclystate their posion on a single ancestraldomain (AD) and not allowing ADdelineaon processes(refer to April 1Editorial, Luwaran, ocial publicaonof MILF).

4. Can the Execuve Branch of theGovernment lead the way to nallyovercome the problemacs of theIPRA in the ARMM?We are humblyappealing your esteemed intervenonto inspire the process and break thisimpasse.

Gai. In our culture, this meansthere will always be a Time foreverything. Even war and suering.

We believe that the real essence ofthe Right to Self Determinaon will

never be solely determined by peacenegoaons, but by living it out inthe daily grind of surviving povertyand facing risk and danger altogether.Thats why aer seeking guidancefrom our ancestors, we decided to dowhat is just and fair to our childrenschildren to carefully prepare thesmall space for our tribes to thrive asdisnct peoples and contribute to the

new tomorrow that waits for us in theBangsamoro.

Hence, we are thankful to closelywork with the NCIP in the delineaonprocess which in return, depuedthe Provincial Delineaon Team toimplement the process in the eldtogether with the IP claimants in theARMM. We are already in the socialpreparaon phase giving courtesycalls and informaon visits to dierentgovernment oces ORG, OSCC,DENR, DAR, Maguindanao ProvincialGovernor, 12 MLGUs, etc. Althougha handful individuals are crical and

not happy about this developmentand even misinterpret this as causingharm to the peace process- theresno stopping now. We are engagingthem to consider this as a specialproject- a litmus test wherein eventheminority of the minoritycanbe part of theBangsamorowe aredreaming of.

We, the Indigenous Peoples in

the core and adjacent areas ofthe Bangsamoro have consideredyou a kefeduwan (indigenouspeacemaker) in the making. We alldream of one day having you comeover to our villages as a full-edgedkefeduwan truly when that mehappens, we can say that Peace isreally at hand. A genuine peace for all.

Again, we reiterate that we arenot and will never be spoilers, freeriders, or even ill-minded whisperersof some sort. Our open, honest yetcrically construcve support to thepeace process through the early years

will bear us out. We remain fullysupporve of your administraonseorts to reach a just and sustainablepeace in the Bangsamoro and beyond.

Thank you and yo bagi.

THE TIMUAYS, DATUS, FINTAILANS,BAES of Teduay, Lambangian,Dulangan Manobo, Eumanen neManuvu, Obo Manobo.

76


5/17

February 2014IP Organization OrientationSeminars continued

February 2014Farm Lots Planningcontinued

February 13, 2014IP CommunicationsGroup Meeting

February 3, 2014Delineation agreement betweenNCIP, Southern Christian College(SCC), Lumad DevelopmentCenter Incorporated and IPDEV

February 18-20, 2014Training on TribalJustice andGovernance, Wao,Lanao del Sur

MILESTONES

& EVENTS

The claim for ancestral domain isin the heart and mind of every IP inthe Autonomous Region in Muslim

Mindanao (ARMM) for generaons.In 2005, the Teduray-Lambangian

and Dulangan-Manobo communiesof Maguindanao have formally appliedfor the idencaon, delineaon andrecognion of their ancestral domainclaim and the corresponding issuanceof their Cercate of AncestralDomain Title.

Nine years aer, the long wait isstarng pay o.

The Naonal Commission onIndigenous Peoples along withorganiaons working for the welfare,development and empowerment ofIndigenous Peoples in the ARMMforged an agreement that will

hopefully see the realiaon of a longdream of the IPs.The agencies and organiaons

that signed the agreement includethe NCIP, Southern Chrisan College-Oce of the Vice President forResearch and Extension (SCC-OVPRE),Mindanao Peoples Peace Movement(MPPM), Lumad Development Center,Inc. (LDCI), IPDEV or the Recognion of

the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples

in the Autonomous Region in MuslimMindanao for their Empowermentand Sustainable Development, andthe Teduray, Lambangian Dulangan-Manobo Ancestral Domain Claimants(TLADMADC).

The forging of the agreement setsinto moon an earlier resoluon bythe NCIP en banc Addressing theCondion of the Teduray, Lambangian

and Dulangan Manobo for the

Recognion and Protecon of TheirRights to the Ancestral Domain.The same resoluon directs the

NCIP Region 12 oce to act onthe applicaon and facilitate theprocessing of the CADT applicaon ofthe IPs.

Specically, the agreement coversthe ancestral domain of the IPslocated in the Municipalies of Upi,

South Upi, Datu Odin Sinsuat, DatuBlah Sinsuat, Datu Hoer Ampatuan,GUindulungan and Datu UnsayAmpatuan, Maguindanao Province.

The SCC-OVPRE, MPPM and theLDCI have expressed interest inassisng the Teduray-Lambangian andDulangan-Manobo ICCs in securingtheir ancestral domain and hasallocated funds for this purpose.

As agreed, NCIP, SCC-OVPRE, MPPM,LDCI and the TLADMADC, shall observethe following operaonal policies:

1. Coordinaon and cooperaon.There is a need for teamwork,interdependence, joint planning, jointacon and collaboraon.

2. Transparency and Integrity.There is a need for consistency andclarity of procedures, honesty andopenness of concerned NCIP ocials,the SCC-OVPRE, MPPM, LDCI ocialsand employees and the TLADMADCcommunity members.

3. Conict Resoluon. All conicts,

complaints or comments regardingall issues and concerns relave toany acvity undertaken pursuant tothe delineaon and tling processshall rst be referred to the ProvincialDelineaon Team (PDT) created tooversee all acvies thereof through aspeedy and expedious manner so asnot to unduly hamper and delay theprocess. All acvies relave hereto

A pact for a dream

oversee all acvies thereofthrough a speedy and expediousmanner so as not to unduly hamperand delay the process. All acviesrelave hereto shall be performed orcompleted within the required periodof me.

The agreement states that NCIPshall form the Provincial DelineaonTeam (PDT) to lead and iniate all

acvies relave to the applicaonfor ancestral domain tle and shallalso lead and iniate all informaon,educaon and consultaon acvies;provide support to delineaon andtling acvies; prepare the requisiteWork and Financial Plan; nofy allstakeholders prior to the conduct ofthe delineaon acvies; receive andevaluate all documents related to

the CADT applicaon and resolve anyconicts in coordinaon with partnerstakeholders; issue the necessaryWork Order and directly supervise theconduct of the perimeter survey.

MPPM shall provide a totalcounterpart fund of P150,000 whichshall be spent as follows - Php11,000 as counterpart in the conductof Composion of PDT and Pre-

Planning, Php5,400 expense duringthe nocaon of all stakeholders;Php41,600 expenses during theConduct of Community-wide lEC,Composion of Working Group andPreliminary Meengs.

MPPM shall also provide Php92,000 as counterpart during the datagathering and documentaon.

SCC-OVPRE shall provide discussion

98


6/17

1110

February 22, 2014Mga Katutubo officiallyincluded in LGU WaoKariyala Festival

February 21, 2014Site visit to 3-hectare landdonated by Bgy Milaya toKatutubo Organization

Markingwhat is left

MPPM shall provide a totalcounterpart fund of P150,000 whichshall be spent as follows - Php11,000 as counterpart in the conductof Composion of PDT and Pre-Planning, Php5,400 expense duringthe nocaon of all stakeholders;Php41,600 expenses during the

Conduct of Community-wide lEC,Composion of Working Group andPreliminary Meengs.

MPPM shall also provide Php92,000 as counterpart during the datagathering and documentaon.

SCC-OVPRE shall provide discussionvenue and accommodaon for theparcipants related to the processingohe TLADMADC Direct CADTapplicaon; Provide needed faciliesduring meengs and related events;

and shall assist in theadvocacy of the issuanceohe TLADMADC CADT.

TDLCI, on the other hand,commits a total amountof Php200,000 which

shall be used as follows:Php 9,700 as counterpartduring data gathering anddocumentaon; Php2,400during the Assessmentof Data Gathered; Php11,600.00) as counterpartduring the Conduct ofOcular Inspecon; Php

shall be performed or completedwithin the required period of me.

The agreement states that NCIPshall form the Provincial DelineaonTeam (PDT) to lead and iniate allacvies relave to the applicaonfor ancestral domain tle and shallalso lead and iniate all informaon,

educaon and consultaon acvies;provide support to delineaon andtling acvies; prepare the requisiteWork and Financial Plan; nofy allstakeholders prior to the conduct ofthe delineaon acvies; receive andevaluate all documents related tothe CADT applicaon and resolve anyconicts in coordinaon with partnerstakeholders; issue the necessaryWork Order and directly supervise theconduct of the perimeter survey.

35,600 expenses during the Validaon;Php17,600 expenses during Resoluonof Conicts/Disputes;

TDLCI shall also shoulder theexpenses during the Reconnaissance/Mission Planning in the amount Php42,100; Shall provide Php 81,000as counterpart in the conduct

of observaon, fabricaon andinstallaon of monuments.IPDEV shall assist in the formulaon

of the TLADMADC ADSDPP; Assist thePDT in the conduct of data gatheringand validaon of proofs for thedelineaon and tling acvies, assistin the advocacy of the issuance of theTLADMADC CADT.

TLADMADC shall assist andparcipate in the acvies/programsin all aspects during the enredelineaon process and ADSDPPFormulaon, ensure the safety ofthe Provincial Delineaon Teamand Survey Team during the enredelineaon process and ADSDPPFormulaon, provide fund of Php 5,500

during the conduct of Composion ofPDT and Pre-Planning; Provide Php1,500 counterpart money during theConduct of Ocular Inspecon. Totalamount of the communitys obligaonis Php 7,000. TLADMADC shall alsoprovide funds for the perimetersurvey.

February 20, 2014IPDEVs participation inthe 50th anniversary ofKonrad Adenauer Stiftung inthe Philippines in Manila

EVEN before government authoriescould iniate delineaon acvies

being clamored by the varioustribes in the Autonomous Regionin Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), theIPs themselves conducted self-delineaon and mapping acviesper tribe - Lambangian, DulanganManobo and Teduray.

A team was hired to undertake thesaid acvity.

The team is composed of Engr. Rey

LAMBANGIAN

27 February 20148th Project Sounding BoardMeeting conducted inGeneral Santos City

March 7-8 2014IP Womens SummitSt. Joseph Retreat House

Tamontaka, Datu OdinSinsuat, Maguindanao

March 11, 2014Organize ProjectManagement Committeeof IPDEV-UNDP SolarElectrification Project


7/17

13

Datan, head of the team; Prof. NiloAbellar , land survey specialist; Prof.Leopoldo Remollo, environmentspecialist and Engr. Allen Julius ChristDeclaro, assistant for land survey.

Tribal leaders of each tribe assistedthe team in the conduct of self-delineaon, idencaon of sacredplaces, protected areas and bodies ofwater and idencaon of ora.

Meeng with the elders/leadersas well as barangay ocials wereundertaken by the team to informthem of the processes to beundertaken in the domain, along withits purpose.

An exit conference was also donewith the leaders to inform them ofthe result of the acvity. Interesngly,

in a sore to Blensong in Upi town,the barangay local government unitimmediately forwarded a requestto the municipal local governmentto put a stop on logging acvies inthe area and to nd remedy to theenvironmental issues of the place.

A courtesy visit and informaondisseminaon was also done in thetowns of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, DatuUnsay Ampatuan and Datu HoerAmpatuan by DEVCON to facilitate theentry of the team to the said areas.

Apart from exit conference, theteam also undertook validaonacvity with selected leaders of the

Lambangian, Dulangan Manobo andTeduray to ensure the acceptanceand conrmaon of the result of theacvies.

The land survey was done withthe aide of GPS and Google Earthtechnology.

For Dulangan Manobo and Tedurayareas, the team also managed to carryout soil analysis with the aid of theDepartment of Agriculture Region XII.All the validaons acvies used theGoogle Earth technology thus makinga clearer outline of the domain.

The self-delineaon acvity,land mapping and idencaon of

sacred places, protected areas wereundertaken by tribe.

A total of 168 community residentsand leaders joined. Well aended wasthat of Dulangan Manobo with 73people since the data validaon waspart of the ADSDPP workshop acvityfor Tubak.

The least parcipated was that ofTeduray of only 38 persons.

Male residents dominated the threeIP center acvies with 124 out 168or 74%. About 21 were from MajorityFilipino group (Itaw barangayocials; AD Finaliaon DEVCONpersonnels; Tubak-Ilongo residents).

Farmers led the sectoralrepresentaon followed by 52 IPelders/leaders. Women parcipantsnumbered 25.

12

TEDURAY

DULANGAN MANOBO

April 1, 2014Presented IPDEV agendato Mayor Balicao of Wao,Lanao del Sur

April 10-12, 2014First Mindanao Book Festival2nd Floor, Umex Building,Notre Dame University,Cotabato City

April 7, 2014Open letter to Pres.Benigno Aquino byIP leaders in the ARMM

March 20, 2014Provincial Delineation Team(PDT) Teduray informationdrive in Nuro, Upi,Maguindanao

March 21, 2014PDT information drivefor Lambangian in Kuya,South Upi, Maguindanao

March 24, 2014PDT information drivefor Dulangan Manoboin Tubak, Ampatuan,Maguindanao


8/17


9/17

22 23

TEDURAY farmers are noceable by a basket offarm produce dangling on their backs from theirforeheads.

The basket, called biton, is woven from nebamboo strips and raan.

The biton, along with other woven containers,comes handy as a mu-purpose container for farmharvests, grains, seeds or any household items.

The bamboo weave or Monom, is a living tradionof the tedurays.

Aside from containers, hats and bags can alsobe made out of Monom. The material comes fromPawa, a thin type of climbing bamboo, that is thencombined with either raan or nito (fern stems).

Monom weavers have it that the bamboo haveto be harvested on moonless days in order that it

will connuously bring beer quality stalks and noteasily rot and decay.The Monom follow design paerns using soot

from burnt wood or charcoal and xed by a plantsap.

Noceably, Monom designs do not allow humanforms as it is known to bring bad luck.

Monom was showcased by IPDEV during the 50thyear of parnerships in the Philippines of KonradAdenauer Sung.

1716

Promoting Monom at KASs50th anniversary


10/17

18

FPIC or Free Prior and Informed Consent is a mechanism anda process wherein indigenous peoples and communiesundertake their own/independent collecve decision onthe maers that aect them. This collecve decision-making process includes programmes and projects thatrelate to the use of their lands and resources; plans thatwill have serious implicaons on their health; cvies thatmay aect their territorial integrity, collecve identy,cultural integrity,

livelihoods, social cohesion and well being, among

others. This principle also applies to policy formulaonsor adopon of legislave and administrave decisions thatdirectly aect indigenous peoples.

The FPIC process requires: The need to provide accurate and complete informaon

in a manner understood by indigenous peoples;The conduct of consultaons; The freedom of indigenous communies to undertake

their internal and collecve decision-making process; and The recognion and respect to their collecve decision

- including condions they may provide as part of theirdecision - and the proper and accurate documentaon ofthe decision.

This collecve decision is an essenal componentin exercising the right of indigenous peoples to theirland, territories and resources, and their right to self-determinaon and to cultural integrity. Conducng

FPIC allows indigenous peoples to exercise their controlover and management of their territories and therespect to their cultural integrity and selfdeterminaon,especially on their own development as disnct peoples(Hill et. al, 2010). Thus, any external enty such asgovernments, corporaons, instuons, organiaons,and project proponents need to obtain the agreement andauthoriaon of indigenous communies as rights holdersbefore implemenng any project or acvies that haveimpacts on concerned indigenous communies.

19

F Y IPalista kamiMaam...

THERE is something about palista that lights up the facesof the villagers. Palista means having ones name includedin any list for a lot of reasons: humanitarian aid, reliefassistance, development projects. The list may just even

be an aendance sheet or acknowledgement sheets thatsomething is received.Or maybe the list represents the feeling of belongingness,

ownership, or simply not being excluded from anything.We are just so happy that we IPs are given the chance

to the lead in these acvies, says IPDEV CommunityVolunteer Clemencia Querol as she assists her fellowcommunity members ax their names or thumbmarks asshe takes the aendance during IPDEVs visit in BarangayItaw, South Upi town in Maguindanao province. According

to her, normally in other projects it is the other selertribes like Moro and Chrisan who are given tasks.

The visit is one of the community preparaons IPDEV isdoing in partnership with UNDP in installing solar-poweredlampposts in four barangays of South Upi, Maguindanao.

The Barangays of Kigan, Pilar, Itaw and San Jose werealways aected by conict brought about by a numberof issues like cale rustling, harassment among others.These were chosen using criteria for protecon. Whilerural electricaon is ongoing, these barangays have siosthat are sll far from the grid.

IPDEV socio-demographic data were used as baseline,and the selecon process were conducted together withthe Local Government Unit (LGU).

DrantungTEDURAY tribal leader Timuay Jovito Marn wasmisheard as having said lantum instead of drantungin his statement during the Jan. 27, 2014, day-longIPDEV Roundtable Discussion on the topic IPs in theBangsamoro: Current Issues and Concerns.

Drantung in Teduray means the golden opportunity tobe of help to the tribal peoples. The non-implementaon of Indigenous Peoples

Rights Act was seen as the overarching problem of theIPs in the ARMM. The Ancestral Domain is said to be themother of all IP struggles in the ARMM.

Timuay Marn was among the more than 20parcipants who aended the January 27 discussions atthe St. Giles Hotel in Maka City. Here is what he said:

We have read the NCIP Resoluon. Please know thatwe have a problem on the ground that I will not yetdisclose in this forum. We are ghng for our ancestraldomain. We indigenous peoples cannot be separated

from our land. It is our pharmacy, our supermarket, ourschool.

Dont let the Bangsamoro Law separate us from ourrights. Where will we exercise our tribal governance ifthe territory is no longer ours? This is our legacy to the

next generaon as this was our forefathers legacy to us.That includes all of you who are now in this forum.

The four bundles of rights are important to us. We call itdrantung or the golden opportunity to be of help to thetribal peoples.

We ask for your forgiveness for having declared theIPRA dead last December. But now it is sll in its wake.If we sll cannot see our rights in the Bangsamoro BasicLaw, we will proceed with burying it.

F CIPThe


11/17

2120

They used to believe that mono-cropping of chemical-based hybridcorn and rice is the best farmingpracce that will give them high yield.They would nd out it is not so.

Aer that sad experience, Lina andher family shun away from hybridcorn farming and since then aendedmany seminars on agriculture andlearned that diversied and integrated

farming is beer.She then convinced her husband

saying Let us ensure planngsubsistence crops such as banana, riceand corn for consumpon, cassava,sweet potato, and vegetables for ourfamily.

The husband agreed and stoppedmonocrop farming. He worked on his

MANY may have doubted that a simplemiddle-aged housewife could providea great idea and be an inspiraon toher neighbors?

This is the story of Lina Indong-Modesto, a full-blooded Teduraywho now lives in Purok 2, Nuro, Upi,Maguindanao.

In the past, her husband RenatoModesto aends to their farm andgrow monocrops such as hybrid cornand hybrid rice which is very muchdependent on chemical inputs.

Most of the me, they fall into ODor overdra in their household andfarm expenses.

As a result, they incurred huge debtwith an agricultural trader in severalthousands of pesos and their cow waseventually forfeited.

one hectare farm during his free mefrom working in the LGU of Upi.

They then started diversiedfarming in 2006.

The couple planted coee, cacao,coconut, corn, upland rice, banana,cassava, sweet potato, variousvegetables such as eggplant, biergourd, yam, mungbean, spices, andfew fruits such as jackfruit, guyabano,etc.

All of those crops provide forhousehold food and nancial needsthroughout the year.

For daily food, they cook vegetablessuch as sweet potato tops, sitao andothers.

Now they are doing great indiversied farming and have the

biggest vegetable garden in thecommunity.

This allowed them to raise fourdependents two grandchildrenentrusted to her by her daughter whois a single mom and her two siblings -one of them is in high school and theother one is a college student at theUpi Agricultural School.

But there are sll challenges.

She tried to integrate livestockraising but would later quit becausetheir chickens, pigs and a cow werestolen. They cannot plant manypermanent crops in the one-hectareland as it is only entrusted to her byUpi Agricultural School AdministratorEngr. Sukarno Datukan, knowing herto be trustworthy and hardworking.

A Teduraywoman inspires

neighbors

Before, in their own eight hectareland in Bantek, Upi, they were able toplant many permanent crops such ascoconut, jackfruit and bananas. Theyalso had riceelds and a shpond. Butthey le the barangay due to securityand safety issues.

Currently, a good number of herneighbors were encouraged of whatLinas family is doing and they too now

grow vegetables for household needs.Her neighbors plots which usedto be grasslands with few trees areconverted into vegetable gardens.

She stressed that perseveranceworked for them in succeeding indiversied farming and that they aredoing this to ensure that our siblingsnish schooling and have beer life.

Lina and her family shun

away from hybrid corn

farming and since thenaended many seminars

on agriculture and

learned that diversied...


12/17

23

WE want equal rights for all womenand men in the Bangsamoro. We wantto be free from all forms of violence

and discriminaon. We want beeraccess to educaon, health facilies,and other basic services, FroilynMendoa, a Teduray who is memberof the Bangsamoro TransionCommission, said.

Mendoa made the remarks duringthe Indigenous Peoples WomensSummit at the St. Joseph RetreatHouse in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in

22

Distinctidentities,

distinct

rights

Maguindanao on March 8, coincidingwith the Internaonal Womens Day.

The IP Women Summits theme

is Recognion of the Rights of theIndigenous Peoples in the AutonomousRegion in Muslim Mindanao fortheir Empowerment and SustainableDevelopment.

In the summit, the IP womenraised the need for the Bangsamorogovernment to recognie the disnctidenty and rights of the IPs basedon exisng laws like the Indigenous

Peoples Rights Act and the UnitedNaons Declaraon on the Rights ofIndigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

They want the BBL to ensure thatIPs be adequately represented andinvolved in all levels of decision-making processes within theBangsamoro government.

The IP women, from the Teduray,Lambangian and Higaononcommunies clamored for thedelineaon of ancestral domain ofthe IPs in accordance to what hasbeen tradionally arranged betweensiblings Mamalu and Tabunaway.

They want the holding of tribalcongresses and conferences,conferments of tribal tles as well aspracce IP customary laws in theirrespecve IP communies, customary

jusce system, and review tradionalpracces that oen put IP women at adisadvantage, like arranged and earlymarriages.

The IP women and the youthalso want a more meaningful andsignicant role in the implementaonand development of tribal self-governance.

On resource sharing, the IP womensaid the tribal Umum tax systemmust be employed in the uliaon

and management of natural resourceswithin the territorial domain of theIPs.

On defense, the IP women stressedthat should Bangsamoro have thepolice to maintain peace and order inthe region, the IPs must be allowed toprovide security and maintain orderwithin IP communies.

There must be documentaon of

human rights violaons within IPancestral domain, jusce to vicmsof violence and idencaon of areaswithin IP ancestral domain needingrehabilitaon and development, theysaid.

They also moved for the creaon ofan agency that will be responsible forprotecng the rights of the IPs as wellas ensure mandatory representaonof IPs in all policy and decision-makingbodies.

They also want the BBL to ensurethat IP women and children shall beprotected from any form of violenceor threats and that BBL shall fulllthe provisions of the Convenon toEliminate all forms of DiscriminaonAgainst Women, the Magna Carta onWomen and An-Violence AgainstWomen and their Children Act of2004.

... review tradionalpracces that oen put IPwomen at a disadvantage,

like arranged and early

marriages

I l ll d h G dd f ll d M S S f b ldi h i h h d id


13/17

DIGNITARIES who are invited

tonight, fellow members of thiscommission allow me rst toinially make my intervenon thrua prayer. Bless us all in this veryrare opportunity that we all gathertonight as we chart the desny ofour peoples in the Bangsamoro.

May I ask and give high respectto the Goddess of the Universea female Deity by the name ofMinaden to guide us and all thepeople who aended this sessionwho work for honor, dignity andfreedom.

I ask the Goddess of the Northby the name of Ledon andthe Goddess of the South calledSebangan to unite the Peoplesin the BM.

I am also paying High respectto the Goddess of the earthcalled Megubar and Goddessof darkness called Klongononincluding the Goddess of Windcalled Refuroh you invade usand you call us the keepers andnegoator of peace.

I also called the Goddess of water called MenuwoWayeg who taskS us women to provide coldness andcalmness when there is agrant.

I also call the Goddess of the tree called MenuwoKayew and the Supreme God of the Forest called Talonto maintain the order and connecon to the remainingpieces of trees of this mother earth and ensure to return itback to its natural formaon.

If before we depend so much on our environment togather our food this me the nature is asking our helpto humanity to rescue her. We ask your forgiveness forthe deep pain and agony we cause in your creaon andthe destrucon and denudaon of our forest that is whymaybe the world is always in conict and pain.

You make us in your image and likeness like a mother

earth who breaseed her childrens. Give us the serenityof inclusive Peace in the future Bangsamoro that we keepon nding and longing in the distant past.

To the highest God of the sun called Teresang and theGoddess of re called Frayag who serve us light of thisworld to give us the strength, skills and courage to diusetension in our domains in the Bangsamoro.

Pour us with faith and uncondional love for peace,Conceive many men and women to impact peace becauseyou are the Goddess of creaon, peace, jusce, humilityand unending power.

To the Goddess of last humanity called Furay Keilawanwhom you give the authority as stewards of the ancestraldomains of the people in the Bangsamoro help us in takingcare and culvate the land.

To the spirits and Goddesses of the women calledMenuwo Bae who takes care of women in mes ofuncertainty.

The Goddess of the current called Menuwo Reges whois responsible in washing away the sin of humanity, liberateus from this earthly and materialisc world. Guide us andteach us the value of peace and non violence. Power uswith your kindness and magnicent heart to listen andunderstand the sweetness and bierness of conict so thatwe the member of the Bangsamoro Transion Commissionwill become beer listener and communicator.

Finally to the Goddess of Truth and Jusce called

Segoyong Sefebenal direct me to the right path and guideme in making this decision base on what my consciencedictates me to do so.

Mr. Chair Fellow member of this honorable chamber,today at last we have reached the plenary in thispromptness and our rmness in pung decision to theBasic Law. I am now asked to decide to put decision pointin every proposal that I submied in the name of my sickpeople.

To be fair Mr. Chair, fellow colleague mukhang hindinaman yata makatuwiran kung sasabihin kong hindiiginagalang ang karapatan ng mga katutubo sa basic Law.Katunayan the Basic Law recognies our identy as disnctpeople and the manifestaon of this is the recognion ofIndigenous Peoples belonging to Tduray, Lambangian,

Dulangan Manobo, Blaan and Higaonon referred to asthe other indigenous peoples as ascribe and our rightto nave tles or fusaka inged, and our own and disnct

jusce system within the Bangsamoro and representaonto the parliament for 2 reserve seats in the Parliamentrefer to as the result of the consolidang commiee reportand the now stated in the basic rights provision and otherrights of IPs in other commiees and nally in the BasicLaw.

On the other hand Mr. Chair there are instances andmes that I need to confront myself mahirap ang akingkalagayan dahil mismo sarili ko na ang aking kalaban andI cannot command or cheat my conscience Mr Chair. Thishas something to do with some

claricaon and comments on the substanve andprocedural part of how we gone through the basic lawwhich I assure you Mr Chair fellow colleague I submiedformally my comments and suggeson during our severalcommiee sessions to the respecve heads of thecommiee concerned. That up to now Mr. Chair needsclarity and answer but to no avail. And so Mr. Chair mydecision to the Basic law is I sign with RESERVATION.

I sign with

reservationSPEECH DELIVERED BY COMMISSIONER FROILYN MENDOzASDURING THE NOMINAL VOTING ON THE BASIC LAW ON APRIL20, 2014. MS MENDOzA REPRESENTS THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLESIN THE BANGSAMORO TRANSITION COMMISSION TASKED TODRAFT THE BANGSAMO RO BASIC LAW.

2524

and skylab or habal habal riders behind that DFs contend with during

h lf d t l b h t th


14/17

IF a bill collector risks facing irate clients or worst beingbien by a dog in those daily sores, that would just bea speck to an IPDEV Development Facilitator whose jobdescripon did not call for acrobac skills, but, may justcome handy.

Development Facilitators or commonly known asDFs, are IPDEVs workers on the ground, the link to thecommunies.

For a DF the normal roune would be a trip from a remotemountain village to another that is usually inaccessibleeven with the comforts of a sports ulity vehicle becausesimply, no roads has reached such places.

Yes Charlie, the DFs of IPDEV that has been working thepast two years in the 80 barangays in the AutonomousRegion in Muslim Mindanao has not only become expertdevelopment workers but are now also good horseback

and skylab or habal-habal riders.Habal-habal or skylab is what locals

call a transport contrapon, actuallya motorcycle that loads up cargo offarm produce or even livestock andpassengers of about seven in onesingle trip.

DF Starryl Kyn Sangama wrote inher report that in March this year, shewent to barangay Bayabas, Upi town.

The road was very slippery due tomud and the motorcycle she and otherpassengers rode nearly fell, prompngher to extend her feet to avoid fallingdown. Instead, her leg touched the

exhaust pipe and got burned and lea huge scar.

Earlier in January, 2014, Sangamaalso gured in another accident whenthe skylab she was riding tumbledwhen it stalled while negoang asteep uphill.

The bike and its heavy load of cargopinned the DFs torso. I thought I cannever walk again, she said.

It would be a dierent scenarioif the desnaon is along coastalmunicipalies, where the DF hasto ride with the waves, most oenliterally.

In the coastal town of Datu BlahSinsuat, riding boats to coastalbarangays is too risky, especiallyduring aernoon and nighme whenwaves are huge and strong. The boatstravel 50 meters to a kilometer alongthe coast.

The boat fare rate is so expensive atP1,000 to P5,000 one-way, dependingon the sie of boat, if you are in a hurryand want to travel in your me.

Aside from the literal pain in the

2716

behind that DFs contend with duringa trip, there are also those pain in thepocket when drivers or horse ownerstake advantage of situaons.

They jack-up their fare rates whenthey learn that a passenger works fora foreign-funded group.

In these situaons, the DF seeks thehelp of barangay ocials.

The absence of cellular phone signalhas also proved to be a challenge tomost DFs.

DFs nd it dicult to reach out toleaders and ocials of villages orbarangays where there are no phone

recepon, causing delays to certainacvies and programs. A case in pointis barangays Fukol and Boboguironwhose ocials reside in Talayan townproper.

DFs walk seven hours and take ona three-hour horseback ride only toreach their desnaon only to ndthat people they want to meet are notaround.

Sangama narrated that once inbarangay Blensong, Upi, they were

26

When realitybites

forced to sleep on benches at thebarangay hall when the place wherethey were suppose to sleep werecovered in human waste and nocaretaker was around. It was repeatedin barangay Kenibeka, Datu OdinSinsuat, where they have to spend thenight at the barangay hall, sleep on aplywood with towels for blanket.

The DFs also have to contend withuncooperave barangay leaders whowould insist on what they like.

One leader of a coastal barangay issaid to be causing a huge headacheamong DFs. He insisted to replace

the paratechnician trained for hisbarangay as he does not like him.Other barangay captains do not relayon me informaon or schedules toother leaders, thus, resulng to veryfew aendance and re-scheduling ofsessions, incurring big transportaonexpenses on the part of the DFs.

There is also that security protocollike when DFs went to the uphillbarangay of Ahan and its nearbybarangays in Talayan and they have to

8TH


15/17

2928

PrOjEcTSOUNDINGBOArD Are we there yet?

coordinate with an MILF commander.DFs said We call him by phone and

he gives his okay.We sll have to coordinate back to

him when we are about to go down. In these areas, even a ten-year old

boy already carries a rearm, evenwhen they are just going to the farmsthey carry guns supposedly to protectthem from snakes that abound theplace.

DF Sangama, however, emphasisedthat they are not complaining aboutthe issues they face as they considerit as job haards.

During the IP Congress lastDecember 13-15, 2013, Sangama saidshe was bothered when a leader frombarangay Nuro, Upi, publicly calledthe aenon of DFs, worried abouthis possible remark

The leader was only very thankfulto IPDEV and specially menonedDFs Sangama and Canillas for thefacilitaon in the PO registraonwith DOLE, which gave them moreaccess to services from governmentand other agencies, as shown by thePeoples Organiaon of barangayNangi, Upi which has received a

Bigasan ng Barangay Project fromthe local government of Upi.

I have so many experiences in theeld. Real life of people can be seenand felt in the eld.

Life is so hard, especially foruneducated children. How much moreto the next generaon who will alsobecome un-educated? remarkedSangama.

Had my mother not supported mewell to nish my schooling, I may haveended on the same situaon I observeon the eld, she said.

THE 8th IPDEV Project Sounding Board meeng took placein General Santos City on 27 February 2014.

The PSB has proven to consist of loyal, interestedstakeholders who have connued parcipaon eversince the formaon of the group. At the same me, newparcipants joined along the way.

The meeng took up the progress report for the8th quarter of project implementaon which includeamong others the IP Women Summit, legal identy of

Indigenous Peoples Organiaons (IPOs), developmentson the IP Communicaons Group and the IP MandatoryRepresentaves in Wao, Lanao del Sur, chosen accordingto customary pracces.

The summit was parcipated in by 135 women from theLambangian, Dulangan Manobo, Teduray and Higaonontribes.

On the registraon of IPOs, three were registeredwith Securies and Exchange Commission, three with

Cooperave Development Authority and 16 withDepartment of Labor and Employment-ARMM, renderinga total of 22 IPOs now with legal idenes.

The IP Communicaon Group with 15-20 members willhelp in the implementaon of IPRA in the ARMM AncestralDomain Delineaon, and move for inclusion of IP Rights inthe Dra Bangsamoro Basic Law.

The group will be regularly updated to help in theirinformaon disseminaon in their respecve groups

Also taken up in the meeng include what is considered asbreakthroughs like the appointment of a Filipina as UnitedNaons Special Rapporteur for Indigenous Peoples in theperson of Vicky Tauli-Corpu of Tebtebba Foundaon.

Another breakthrough is the appointment of EdtamiMansayagan, Arumanen Manobo from Cotabato andformer commissioner of Naonal Commission onIndigenous Peoples, as United Naons Specialist onIndigenous Peoples.

On Indigenous FarmingABOUT 1,300 individuals have


16/17

16 1731

on the technology passed on bytheir ancestors, those promoted byagrichemical companies and thosetechnologies they acquired from theirfellow farmers.

The knowledge they got wereactually innovaons to t their limitednancial capacity.

Thus, the IPDEV training ofparatechnicians as prelude to theconduct of farm planning acvity. Itis usually done in the morning to befollowed by the farm planning in theaernoon.

The training primarily focuses onthe appreciaon of the necessity ofparatechnician in the barangay andthe guidance on the selecon ofparatechnician.

IPDEV trained two paratechnicians

support and assistance to barangays.In terms of experse, the oce is notshort of it.

Many of the areas covered by IPDEVdo not have organiaons related toagriculture.

The residents too are not aware ofthe services by MAO.

There is no one to bridge the gapwhich has widened, opening thebarangays to middle-men traders andchemical farming that has destroyedthe richness of the soil and worsttrading the land against their debtswith traders.

Meaning, government farmtechnicians that have existed sincethe early 80s never reached the76 barangays of Maguindanao. Thefarmers in these areas merely relied

On Indigenous Farming

Filling inthe wide

gap

30

,so far aended the trainings byparatechnicians (Para-Techs) onsustainable agricultural pracces.

These pracces are actuallyindigenous, known as sulagad andmesegetey. It employs the bayanihansystem as well as the IndigenousKnowledge Systems and Pracces onfarming.

The Municipal Agriculture Oce(MAO) which is instuted in all 12municipalies covered by IPDEV, havethe following services as mandated:

1. Provide technical assistance to

municipal development sta in thepreparaon of agricultural

programs;2. Coordinate in the implementaonof agricultural programs/ projectsin line with basic priority needs;3. Provide technical assistance to

farmers and sherfolks;4. Assist shery development,

conservaon and law enforcement;and

5. Assist livestock producon andmanagement.

Service number 3 has neverbeen visible in the 76 barangaysof Maguindanao nor in the fourbarangays of Wao.

Most of the MAOs merely extendsupport to organied groups thatvisit their oce and to barangayswhere they have special projects, likenursery or plantaon establishmentas the case of barangay Tomicor inAmpatuan town.

Such a situaon is due to limitedoperaonal budget and theirpersonnel are not so keen in extending

to each of the 76 barangays ofMaguindanao or a total of 152.

Of this number, about seven areLambangian, three are DulanganManobo and 142 are Teduray.

In terms of gender and maritalstatus about 26 women were listedmarried, 19 are single male and 107are married male.

About 34 percent of the maleparatechnicians or 43 fall under theage bracket 31-40.

On the female group ofparatechnician 42 percent or 11 fallunder the age bracket 41-40. About18 paratechnicians are within the agegroup of 51 and above. About 3 maleteenagers were also trained to beparatechnician.


17/17

DevelopmentConsultants Inc.

The European Union (EU) numbers 28 dierent naons determined to shape their future closely together. Over a period of enlargement of more than 50 years, they have, together,

built a one of peace, stability, progress and solidarity. The EU is a model for overcoming conict and promong reconciliaon through close co-operaon to achieve common goals,while respecng naonal sovereignty and territorial integrity. But the EU is not focused on itself. Its ambion is to share its achievements and values with countries beyond its borders.

coodinaon OeKonrad-Adenauer-Sung5/F Cambridge Bldg.,108 Tordesillas cor. Gallardo Sts.,Maka City, PhilippinesTel: (02) 403-6773Mob: 0915-139-1449Email: [email protected]

Implemenng OeInstute for Autonomy and Governance2/F UMEX BuildingNotre Dame UniversityNotre Dame AvenueCotabato City, PhilippinesTelefax. (064) 421-2071Mob: 0999-991-3221Email [email protected]

Delegaon of the Euopean Unionto the Philippines30/F Tower II, RCBC Plaa,6819 Ayala Ave. cor. Gil PuyatMaka City, 1200, PhilippinesPhone: +63 2 859-5100Fax: +63 2 859-5109Website: hp://eeas.europa.eu/delegaons/

philippinesFacebook: hp://www.facebook.com/#!/EUDelegaonToThePhilippinesTwier: hp://twier.com/#!/EUinthePH

DISCLAIMER: This publicaon has been produced with the assistance of the

European Union. The contents of this publicaon are the sole responsibility of

IPDEV and can in no way be taken to reect the views of the European Union.

www.iag.org.ph/ipdev

D E V C O N

THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED

BY THE EUROPEAN UNION

Documents

Ketindeg 9_Vol 3 Issue 1