More on the indigenous cultural minorities

To backtrack a bit, on getting wind of the Alimaong sly ploy in pushing entry into the Mandaue City Hall, one’s intuition kept nagging that it was some cabal. Recalling the Bard, there was “something wrong in Denmark”, or insidious catch ready to splash, like a “cloud burst”.

As borne out by recent events, after being rebuffed in Mandaue, the Alimaongs moved their lobbying to three Cebu City barangay councils, namely, Barangays Capitol Site, Kamputhaw, and Cogon-Ramos, among the affluent barrio LGUs of Cebu City.

The pay capability is a “must” since the member pushing herself in Capitol Site was “Datu Dila” Lorebel Belotindos who had figured in the Mandaue caper. She has reportedly no scruple – at least no pretense – saying: “I am presenting myself, Datu Dila, to be Indigenous People representative here in barangay Capitol in fulfillment of the mandatory of (sic) RA 8371 together with the guarantees of the State to receive the compensation, benefits, and other forms of payment”.

Similarly, two other Alimaong members went to Barangays Kamputhaw and Cogon-Ramos for the same demand, sashaying with curtness for the “right to participate fully at all levels of decision-making which may affect their rights and lives”. Of course, the three barangay council officials rejected the Alimaong attempts to get themselves accepted, without much ado.

They also lobbied with Cebu City Council where, surprisingly, this time the Alimaong scheme somehow made a dint. Instead of thumbing down the attempt outright, somebody in Cebu City came out with an opinion that a “local legislation” would suffice for Alimaong to “participate” in its city legislature. Could this be false hope? Or, are there indeed indigenous tribes and ancestral communities in Cebu City for RA 8371 to hold sway?

It’s now clear that the cabal is fleshed out to manipulate the law to cover a wide swath of Philippine geography, at least, Mindanao (in Cagayan de Oro) and the Visayas (Cebu, so far). In Cebu, it doesn’t matter that in the urban centers as Mandaue City and Cebu City, with no indigenous cultural minorities and no ancestral homes, the quixotic cabal is being tried.

Absent the basic component that counts most – the indigenous constituents, or the “populi” of ICCs/IPs as reason for recognition, the Alimaong schemers, nonetheless, have the guts to go ahead with their plot. They cover up the deficiency by beguiling the Cebuanos, appearing in small coterie of 10 in “native attire”, say, turban, loud colors, “bahag”-like cover for men’s private parts, and some cheap trinkets. It boils down to plain “pangilad”, and capped by a bare-faced demand for pay and benefits, but no minority beneficiaries. Note also their propensity to use high-brow ancestral honorific of “datu”, as if Cebuanos were ignorant and naïve on ancient folk demographics.

In fairness to both congressional chambers, the edifying rationale of recognizing, protecting, and promoting the rights, lives, culture and ancestral homes – when and anywhere in actual existence – is indeed ennobling… The extant tribes/clans of Igorots, Ifugaos, Aetas, Gaddangs, Mangyans, etc. are geographic and demographic realities in the mountain forests and far-flung out-backs of, say, Zambales, Mindoro, Pangasinan, Ifugao and the Cordillera ranges. Likewise, there are cultural minorities of Suban-on, Tasaday, Tiruray, Manobo, Lumad, T’boli, Bilaan, Bagobo, some Muslim or Islamic tribes in Mindanao/Basilan/Sulu regions in need of social amelioration as cultural renaissance.

Let this law take root in these unique places and unique people where it is needed; not here and elsewhere whose “target” beneficiaries are nil. While the law is commendable, for clear and effective implementation, let it be amended and refined, like, the vague provisions, Section 16 for one. And make it impervious to whatever greedy schemes that Johnny-comes-lately pretenders or self-appointed “middlemen” who spoil the true spirit of the law.

As the priestly homily proclaims, let there be a philosophy of the beatitudes, instead of the philosophy of the Malls. The latter seems to promote the seamy zeitgeist of the trending climate of greed, selfishness, hedonism and nihilism, as the tempting spirit of the times.

(P.S.: Today is the birthday anniversary of an illustrious Cebuano, Dr. Jose “Dodong” R. Gullas. A former congressman himself with no-nonsense in his heart and deeds, no doubt he fully appreciates the foregoing piece. Greetings and good tidings, Dong!)