INDIGENOUS PEOPLES NEWS

MANILA – The Senate will pursue an investigation on the death of 24 members of the Teduray tribe at the foot of Mt. Minandar in Maguindanao del Norte due to a landslide on Oct. 28.

In a privilege speech Monday night, Senator Robinhood Padilla asked for his colleagues’ support as he lamented that a resort was constructed on the tribe’s ancestral domain in Sitio Tabunon, Barangay Kusiong, Datu Odin Sinsuat, forcing their relocation in 2020 to the accident site.

Sabay-sabay na inilibing kanina ang 20 mga bangkay na nahukay ng rescue team sa tinaguriang ground zero ng Bagyong Paeng sa Barangay Kusiong, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

Karamihan sa mga ito ang katutubong Teduray.

Bakas sa mukha ng mga kaanak ng biktima ang labis na paghihinagpis sa sinapit ng kanilang mga kaanak.

Kabilang din sa inilibing kanina ang pinakahuling nahukay ng mga rescuers na isang 3-month-old baby.

Ang paglibing sa mass grave ay isinagawa sa bahagi pa rin ng Barangay Kusiong, Datu Odin Sinsuat.

KORONADAL CITY - Bilang suporta sa ika dalawampu’t limang anibersaryong pagpapatupad ng Indigenous People’s Rights and Acts  o IPRA Law ngayong 2022, ang PhilHealth XII ay nagsagawa ng malawakang pagpapatala ng mga indigenous community members.

Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng pagdalo sa malawakang “Kasalang Tribu” ng South Cotabato mula October 18 sa Lake Sebu, October 19 sa Tupi, October 20 sa Polomolok, October 21 sa Tampakan; October 24 sa T’boli at October 25 sa lungsod ng Koronadal.

COTABATO CITY--- Dispossession of lands in ancestral domains remained as the major problem besetting the indigenous people in Southern Philippines.

Leaders of the Higaonon, Lambangian. Teduray, Blaan, Erumanen ne Menuvu and Menubo Dulangan communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao told reporters, during a dialogue Thursday, that they are expecting the BARMM legislature to focus attention on the issue.

ARAKAN, North Cotabato – Two centenarians in separate remote indigenous villages here have availed of the late birth registration service offered by the provincial government through its “Barangayan Serbisyo Caravan” program.

James Labiano, the focal person of the “Serbisyo Caravan,” said Wednesday the program aims to bring government services to the periphery of the community, particularly the indigenous peoples (IPs), to provide access to government services.

COTABATO CITY – A total of 160 members of indigenous peoples (IPs) across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are set to benefit from free skills training on modern agriculture techniques.

This, after the BARMM’s Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education - Technical Education Skills Development (MBHTE-TESD) and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples' Affairs (MIPA) agreed to provide free skills training for IPs in the region.

KORONADAL CITY - Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Brgy. Domolol, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat received livelihood assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) 12.

Through the Barangay Extension Service Operation (BESO) Outreach Program initiated by DA 12 Regional Executive Director Arlan Mangelen, over PhP 1.2-Million worth of agricultural projects was turned over by the agency to the IP-beneficiaries.

The said activity was the 6th BESO program held across SOCCSKSARGEN Region.

KORONADAL CITY - Twelve ethnic Blaan community leaders have fused ranks to support the Philippine Army’s peace and development programs in their tribal enclaves in Tupi town.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy of the Army’s 6^th Infantry Division said Sunday the Blaan leaders also planned to embark, along with the 5^th Special Forces Battalion and the 601^st Infantry Brigade, on forums meant to disseminate to the public the contents of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, or IPRA.

COTABATO CITY - During dry season, locals in Barangay Looy, South Upi, Maguindanao has to fetch water from a dug well located in the lower part of the mountainous village, the only source left for the community to avail water safe water for daily consumption.

COTABATO CITY - Safe drinking water is abundant now in Barangay Looy, South Upi town as a result of a water supply facility constructed by foreign benefactors and the Bangsamoro government, Mayor Reynalbert Insular said Thursday.

“Supply of safe drinking water in that area was scarce before because it is a high ground and springs are far from villages,” Insular said.