ILOILO – “It is our commitment to recognize, respect, protect, and promote the rights of the Indigenous Peoples / Indigenous Cultural Communities (IPs/ICCs) of Iloilo province, establish the necessary mechanisms to enforce and guarantee the realization of their rights, taking into consideration their beliefs, customs, traditions, values, interests, and institutions by providing efficient, gender sensitive responsive and cultural sensitive services.”
Various stakeholders led by Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. vowed to do these as they signed a “covenant and pledge of commitment” during the recent Feb. 7 general assembly of Iloilo’s IPs at the provincial capitol.
It was first ever IP assembly in the province organized by the Indigenous Peoples – Provincial Inter-Agency Committee (IP-PIAC). Some 200 IPs attended.
“We want our IPs to have a louder voice,” said Defensor.
He assured the IPs they were a vital part of the provincial government’s development agenda, citing the “covenant and pledge of commitment” which also aimed to “establish and functionalize a collective, collaborative inter-agency care delivery teamwork which would response to the felt needs for health, health related and other basic service for the IPs/ICCs of Iloilo province.”
Also present during the pioneering hugpong para sa tumandok (“unity for Indigenous Peoples”) assembly were Jeorge Largado, commissioner of the Island Group for Visayas National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP); Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director Helen Catalbas; Department of Health (DOH) assistant regional director Ma. Julia Villanueva; NCIP regional director Ana Burgos; Sangguniang Panlalawigan members Renee Valencia, Rolando Distura, Marcelo Valentine Serag, Rolito Cajilig, Matt Palabrica, and Sangguniang Kabataan provincial federation president Ma. Angelica Bianca Requinto.
They vowed to “harmoniously unite our efforts and resources to uplift the lives of the ICCS/IPs of Iloilo province.”
“Kamo nga IP members sang komunidad, gina-acknowledge kamo bilang special nga grupo nga may contribution sa pagdaku kag pag-umwad sang aton gobyerno,” said Dr. Grace Patricia Trabado, chief of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) that also helped organize the assembly.
She assured the IP of accessible health services via the PHO, DOH and municipal health offices.
“Ang health services para sa tanan nga tawo, wala nagapili,” said Trabado.
Defensor cited the IPs for enriching Iloilo’s culture and traditions. He then announced that hand-made IP crafts would be displayed at the provincial capitol during the upcoming Iloilo Summer Arts Festival./PN
