In the Philippines, there are 50 distinct indigenous cultural communities that inhabit the archipelagoβs lands. According to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP, 2010), there are more than one hundred indigenous communities in the Philippines, with 61% of these communities are in Mindanao provinces, 33% in Luzon provinces, and 6% in the Visayas and Northern Mindanao. The indigenous people (IP) have continued to uphold much of their traditional culture, social institutions, and living practices, with the help of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 (R.A. No. 8371), recognizes and advocates the rights of indigenous cultural communities (ICC) and individuals who identify themselves as part of an indigenous cultural community in the Philippines.
In celebration of the 2022 Indigenous Peoples Month and 25th Indigenous Peoplesβ Rights Act (IPRA) Commemoration, the Pangasinan State University- Urdaneta City Campus (PSU-UC), is one with the nation in participating in the preservation of Indigenous Cultural Communities as per Proclamation No. 1906, Series of 2009 declaring the Month of October of Every Year as βNational Indigenous Peoples Monthβ and Proclamation No. 486 declaring October 29 of every year as National Indigenous Peoples Thanksgiving Day, on October 3- 29, 2022.
The month-long celebration is spearheaded by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), with this yearβs theme, β25 Years: Fulfilling the Indigenous Peoples Rights and Bridging the Gaps through ICCs/IPs Convergence with Partners and Stakeholders to Ensure Economic Sustainability and Security in the Ancestral Domainsβ.
In line with these, in partnership with the PSU-UC Gender and Development Office, headed by Mr. BJ R. Ambat, PSU-UC GAD Coordinator, holds a meaningful tribute to the Ibaloi Tribe in Brgy. San Felipe East, San Nicolas, Pangasinan on October 4-6, 2022, by conducting a Livelihood Skills Training about Oyster Mushroom cultivation.
The Ibaloy are a group of people who live in houses. The word βIβ is used as a prefix for the word ibaloy, meaning βbelonging toβ or βpertaining toβ and βbuoy,β which means house. Other variants are βibaloi,β βinibaloy,β and βnabaloi.β The Ibaloi are one of the indigenous peoples collectively known as Igorot, who live in Northern part of Luzon particularly in the mountains of the Cordillera and neighboring provinces.
The Ibaloi community warm-heartedly welcome them and actively participated in the said event led by Mrs. Jesusa Tagapong, the Chieftain of the said community. During the event, Mr. BJ R. Ambat discussed about Men and Women for Community Development, Rev. Isamar Joe C. Campos demonstrated the process of Oyster Mushroom Inoculation and Cooking Ideas for Oyster Mushroom, and Mr. Mark John Padilla lectured the Cultivating Individual Initiatives for Community Development. Moreover, the Kabayabasan Elementary School celebrated the National Teacherβs Day, too. The three- day celebration ended successfully and filled with smiles and knowledge.
Creative Works | Roma Signey, π³πππππ π¨πππππ
