By ICRC News Bureau Manila (ICRC) – To help alleviate the plight of communities affected by the El Niño phenomenon, food rations were distributed to over 29,000 people in two drought-hit municipalities in North Cotabato province in central Mindanao.
In addition to facing the consequences of armed violence that has persisted for decades, thousands of farmers are now also bearing the brunt of drought as their farmlands are getting drier by the day. “The last harvest was very poor for some farmers in North Cotabato; others experienced total crop failure. They have had difficulties coping, especially as they live in interior and upland villages,” said Dominic Earnshaw, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) office in Cotabato City. “By providing food to the affected families, we aim to help them save their seeds for the next planting season,” he explained. From 26-30 April, the ICRC, together with the Philippine Red Cross, provided food to farming families from 15 far-flung villages in President Roxas and Magpet municipalities of North Cotabato. The food rations – covering a family’s needs for one month – consisted of 25 kilograms of rice, 24 tins of sardines, 2 liters of cooking oil, 2 liters of soy sauce, 2 kilograms of sugar and 1 kilogram of salt, as well as basic hygiene items. “We have experienced drought in the past, but what is happening now is the worst. No one is spared. Our livelihoods are adversely affected,” said 56-year-old Isias Buned, chief of Sundungan village in President Roxas, North Cotabato. “We never thought the Red Cross would deliver relief from the consequences of the dry spell.” The ICRC is a neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organization whose mandate is to protect and assist people affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence. It has had an established presence in the Philippines for over 70 years and a permanent presence in Mindanao since 1982.
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By Jun Enriquez Iligan City (June 8, 2016) - Dr. Randolph Tortola, School Superintendent of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Iligan City said Two years ago, the education system for the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) have had already started in Iligan City and can be found in Binasan Elementary school, Sitio Binasan, Rogongon this City. On June 4, 2016, the DepEd national office launched the IPs school in Valencia City, Bukidnon with the presence of DepEd Secretary Luistro. Dr. Tortola said that there are three (3) additional IPs education school to be implemented in Rogongon and will be situated particular in the remote areas. A Interagency team have conducted site inspection composed of the Department of Education (DepEd), National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), Local Government Unit (LGU) among others. DepEd central office will provide teacher allocation so that Dr. Tortola can start the appointments of teachers. Tortola said that any IP teachers of Higaonon passed in licensure examination for teachers will be given priority because the medium of instruction use in school is Higaonon dialect in order to preserve the culture and tradition of the tribe. This program will be implemented this opening of the school year 2016-17. Datu Buddy P. Landong, a Higaonon and the Provincial Officer of the NCIP provincial office based in Iligan City said that the project is under the Department Order (D.O.) No. 062, the IPs Educational system, to include Iligan City. Landong said that he attended the orientation for the project, the schoolbuildings for the said project is funded by the KALAHI of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). He confirmed that there are 4 schools to be implemented for the Higaonon in Rogongon. The Higaonon tribe is very strict in the enforcement of their traditional law. Datu Rey Soong, a Higaonon tribe and office staff of the NCIP iligan provincial office said that the First prior inform consent (FPIC) should be done before any project implementation must undergo the process of the FPIC. Soong said that there was no proper coordination Dr. Tortola is committed to undergo the FPIC process. Tortola said the DepEd office shall conduct consultation with the tribe to establish module to be used in the IPs school curriculum. He said that the DepEd office is in close coordination for the implementation of the project with Datu “Diamla” Rolando Soong, the IPs Mandatory Representative to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) as City councilor. The establish module will also undergo FPIC before it will be used in the classroom. Dr. Tortola said that cultural songs and dances must be preserved including tribal celebrations such as the “Kaamulan” festival. The Higaonon cultural practices can also relate with the culture of others for co-existence and survival. The IPs educational system will have a regular budget for schoolbuilding construction, teachers, instructional materials and supplies. This is part of the inclusive education to all school age children to include special children, People with disabilities (PWDs), Madrasah education for the Muslims, alternative learning system (ALS), kindergarten education with ages 5 years old. After the Elementary education the graduates children will continue their High school education from grade 7 to 10 in Rogongon Agriculture National High School also a recipient of the senior high school and will open grade 11 for this school year. Per results of the survey, Agricultural technology is introduced to the students because Rogongon is an agricultural area. Livestock raising is one of the area of learning. The IP education system will give opportunity to the Higaonon children to develop and become competitive professionals. Dr. Tortola said about those IP graduates in education but did not have any teacher’s license can also teach base on their skills to be applied in the ALS on honorarium basis. Dr. Tortola said that the Brigada Eskwela was very successful. The education system including the IP education are ready for the opening of classes for the school year 2016-17. By Jun Enriquez Iligan City (June 6, 2016) - Rogongon is one of the 44 Barangays that can be found in a mountainous area of Iligan City. Iligan City has a total land area of 82,000 hectares and the 60 percent of the total land area of Iligan City is occupied by Barangay Rogongon. It has a distance at about 30 kilometers east of Iligan city proper and has an estimated population of 5,000 people. Majority of the inhabitants in the area are the Indigenous people of Higaonon tribe. Some of the Higaonons converted their faith into Christians, others converted into Islam but the remaining members of the tribe remain to be a full blooded Lumad in practice of their culture and tradition. Inter-marriages among the three tribes, the Moro, Christians and the Lumad become common in the place and knowing each other’s culture established good relations among them. Lumad married to either the Christians or Muslims called “Kolibogan”. There is a Tribal council created by the Higaonon Tribe for the preservation of their culture and peaceful coexistence with other tribes. A Community policing Toolkit Feedback session was conducted on April 16, 2016 attended by the members of the Higaonon tribal Council composed of Datus' and Baes' for awareness raising purposes. One of the Tribal leaders of the Higaonon tribe is Sultan Saidona Mansumayan, a Muslim-Lumad and a tribal leader. He is popular to be called Sultan Saidona, also a Barangay Councilor of Rogongon, Iligan City. Sultan Saidona is the Committee Chairman of the Peace and order in the Barangay Council of Rogongon. The Higaonon tribe have its own traditional way of settling dispute on amicable settlement to prevent “Rido” or family feud through the Tribal leaders as mediators. However, the Tribal leaders have no capacities in solving bigger crimes especially on illegal drugs related cases. The tribal traditional dispute settlement is only applicable to the IPs or Lumads and Muslims but not in the Christians. In the case of the Christians' disputes against other tribes will be brought to the Barangay Justice system. The Barangay Justice system is also inclined on amicable settlement, if not the case will be elevated to the proper court. Sultan Saidona had attended series of consultations on community policing conducted by the “Bantay Kalilintad” network, a group of peace advocates in Iligan city and Lanao del Norte advocating Community Policing. Sultan Saidona said there are cases in the area that cannot be solved in traditional way or in the Barangay justice system such as illegal drugs related cases. Upon listening to the discussions on Community Policing Sultan Saidona have understood clearly the principles and purposes of the community policing. He said Community policing is a big help on crime solution in Rogongon, the type of policing with the participation of the community is in the right track. Bae Gloria Soong, also a member of the Tribal Council and a Barangay Councilor of Rogongon have had the same perception with Sultan Saidona. Bae means princess in the Higaonon tribe. The Higaonon tribe participants understands community and the police are partners on crime solution that should be developed and strengthened to achieve just peace. However the community expressed their concern that there must be a police to be assigned in their area in Rogongon. During the presentation of the Toolkit, the participants from the three tribes, Moro, Lumad and Christian settlers are hopeful for the implementation of the Community Policing because the people in Rogongon is in need of a police to solve the problem on criminalities. As a Tribal and political leader, Sultan Saidona is hopeful that Community Policing will be realized in Rogongon, Iligan City. Photo by Jacmen Macatimbol. |
AuthorA news blog started by CSO-FP Managing Director, Mr. Jun Enriquez to keep the people of Lanao, Mindanao and the Philippines updated on current local issues especially the peace and order situation in conflict affected areas. Archives
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