Creation of IPMR in Zambo Del Sur may disintegrate IP tribes – says municipal mayor

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga Del Sur, Sep27 (PIA) – Dumingag Mayor Joan E. Abejuela expressed concern during the Inter-Agency Visitation in Indigenous Cultural Communities in Zamboanga Del Sur, on installing an Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) in the Council as that it may disintegrate the Subanen Tribe in province.

“Sa pag-uusap po kasi namin (City and Municipal Leaders), ‘yung pagkakaroon ng IPMR parang mas magdudulot pa lalo ng pagkakawatak-watak ng mga tribo natin dito (During our conversation, having an IPMR seems to be going further in the disintegration of our tribes here),” stressed by Mayor Abejuela.

As what the local government sees why it does not push through with the IPMR here, “it would be a cause of conflict to the different existing tribes in the province aside from Subanen,” the mayor added.

On the other hand, one of the tribe leaders or commonly called as ‘timuay’ in the province, agreed with the concept of having an IPMR. “Uyon ako siyempre! Sa akong kabahin bisan ug kinsa mabutang dinha basta iyang panglantaw alang sa tribo, uyon ko sa IPMR (Of course, I strongly agree! On my side, no matter who else becomes IPMR, if his perspective is for the tribe, I am favorable having an IPMR),” Timuay Patricia Albaira affirmed.

Yet, it remains a challenge to the tribe leaders to constitute a representative for their tribe (Subanen) in the province.

Timuay Albaira also appealed to the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), to let them decide who they want to be the IPMR among the tribe leaders in the province with their own guidelines and qualifications which they believed to be way more effective on selecting their representative in the local legislation.

National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Executive Director and NCIP Chairperson, Sec. Allen A. Capuyan said, “Ang pagkakaroon ng IPMR ay pinag-aralan yan ng mga mambabatas nang matagal at hindi nagkakamali ang batas dahil napakagandang programa to (Having an IPMR has been studied by legislative advocates for a long time and the law is not a mistake because it's a very good program to go).”

“Normal lang naman ang hindi pagkakaintindihan kaya siguraduhin ang pagpili ng IPMR para walang pagkakawatak-watak (It is normal to have misunderstandings, so make sure to choose the deserving IPRM to have no disintegration),” Sec. Capuyan emphasized.

He also made sure that control measures will be in placed by the time the province will undergo the selection of IPMR.

Meanwhile, the mayor expressed delight to the visit of Sec. Capuyan. “We are happy that the tribal leaders have raised their issues and concerns. We hope the government agencies' collaboration with LGU and tribal leaders will result to community empowerment here,” she disclosed. (RVC/JRA/PIA-Zamboanga Del Sur)

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