TAGUM CITY,Aug. 8 (PIA): The Provincial Tribal Council (PTC) of Davao del Norte is working on the installation of an indigenous people’s representative at the municipal and city council levels.
PTC chairperson Victor Pandiyan in an interview this morning revealed the PTC endorsements of IP representatives particularly in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) and in the Municipality of Sto. Tomas.
Pandiyan cited IP representations as “mandatory” based on the Local Government Code and Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) viewed by IPs as the “Bible” of their rights, privileges, and recognition.
The PTC members from 11 cities and municipalities of Davao del Norte this morning convened in an emergency meeting to sign the endorsement of Datu Alfonso San Juan to represent the Sama tribe to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) of IGaCos, Pandiyan said.
After San Juan, the PTC is set to work on the endorsement of Datu Doming Tumatay to represent the Ata-Manobo tribe of Sto. Tomas.
NCIP Davao del Norte field office explains that the Ata-Manobo tribe also has members residing in the far-flung areas of Sto. Tomas that are nestled adjacent to Talaingod.
In 2011, PTC Davao del Norte pushed into office Datu Roberto Suguyan to represent the Mandaya tribe in the Municipality of Asuncion.
It also endorsed, in the same year, Bai Pilar Libayao to represent the Ata-Manobo of the Municipality of Talaingod and Datu Elezier Mayake to represent the Dibabawon Tribe of Panabo City.
Other IP tribes in Davao del Norte are Mansaka , Mangguangan and Kalagan. Pandiyan begged off discussing the status of IP representation in other local government units (LGUs) in Davao del Norte but he said LGU executives generally welcomed IP representation based on the mandated process of selection and endorsement.
He assured the right process of selection at the IP community level based on customary laws of each tribe, and that PTC endorsements to the Sanggunians were based on the legal guidelines framed from IPRA.
“Nagsubay ang tanan sa consensus process sa tribo. Miagi na pud ug public hearing. (Everything is based on consensus process of the tribes. Public hearing was already made.),” he said.
Meanwhile, Pandiyan bared to have been patiently waiting for his installation into office as the IP representative to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Davao del Norte, having been endorsed by fellow PTC Davao del Norte chieftains.
Padiyan is hopeful that the provincial government will soon have enough funds to appropriate for the office of the IP representative. (PIA/RG Alama)
Once he get into office, Pandiyan would push for legislative measures to address ancestral domain claims, education welfare, health services and livelihood assistance for IPs.
“Mao jud ni ang nag-unang pangihanglan namo. (These are our primary needs.),” he said. (PIA-11/ Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)
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