IPs to hold IPRA hour of prayer at Eden

DAVAO CITY, Oct. 28 (PIA) – The indigenous peoples’ leaders from various tribes in the region will be heading on Wednesday (Oct. 29) an hour of prayer here to culminate the IPs Rights Act (IPRA) Month which will be held simultaneously in other parts of the country.

The IPRA Hour highlights the IPs prayer rites to take place from 6:00 am to 7:00 am on October 29 within the Bagobo-Tagabawa ancestral domain in Barangay Eden, Toril, Davao City, which is believed to be the dwelling place of the lumad’s great grandparent Apo Sandawa.

Some 60 leaders and members of various IP organizations and representatives of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) regional and provincial offices in Davao Region are expected to converge this evening at the ancestral land for some preliminary activities.

The IP leaders, IP women and youth representatives will also share their messages after the prayer, NCIP regional director Dr. Lilibeth U. Desabilla-Malabanan said in a press conference today.

Also marking the IPRA hour is the reading of messages from a bottle of oil or lana in the vernacular after a “Lanahan” ritual which is part of the Bagobo-Tagabawa beliefs. “Only a chosen few can read the messages from the bottle of oil,” stated IP women leader Bae Sonia D. Mangune.

Malabanan said this year’s celebration, bannering the theme “IPRA: A ray of hope in regaining IPs’ cultural identity,” emphasizes on the importance of the government’s efforts in protecting and promoting the rights of the IPs through the implementation of IPRA.

“It is aimed at reliving part of history that had shown bravery and dedication of the indigenous peoples’ for peace and freedom,” she stated, adding that the IPRA has strengthened the rights and has given powers to the IPs. “The IPs are not anymore a burden but are partners in development,” Malabanan added.

She cited the Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition Needs program of NCIP for the IPs in Mindanao as one significant project which is being pursued “not only for the health rights of the IP women and children but also for the cultural identity and integrity of the IPs in general.”

“By addressing the maternal, neonatal and child health and nutrition needs of the IP women and children, we have come to understand the underlying issues of IP culture and the need for culturally sensitive service delivery programs,” stated Malabanan who is project director of the IP MNCHN program funded by the European Union (EU).

Another NCIP program is the PAMANA (Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan) project that “helps in the development of the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP) of various ancestral domains in the country.”

Malabanan said that the PAMANA project is currently funding the processing of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADT) involving 240,000 hectares of ancestral lands in the region. Presently, there are 781,000-hectare areas with approved CADTs regionwide, she added.

Davao Region is home to various tribes such as the Bagobo-Tagabawa, Klata, Ubo-Manobo, Matigsalog, Ata-Manobo, Dibabawon, Mansaka, Mandaya, Sama, Klagan, B’Laan, Tagacaolo and Manobo. (PIA-11/Carina L. Cayon)