IP leaders ratify landmark resolution as Dayaw Festival ends

CITY OF TAGUM, DAVAO DEL NORTE—Leaders of the different clusters of indigenous peoples in the country are one in hoping in seeing a new day full of hope and change as they unanimously approved a resolution pursuing a cultural and development agenda for the national government to take upon, highlighting the finale of this year’s three-day Dayaw Festival.

The so-called Dayaw Tagum Declaration aims to pursue an active role of the indigenous peoples in community resource management, uphold their rights to self-determination, expand and sustain the School of Living Traditions and reinvigorate cultural identities of the younger generation.

The group will endorse the said document during the National IP Summit convened by Sen. Loren Legarda in Manila come October 13, 2011, raising expectations of an issuance of a sound cultural and development agenda for the IPs under the Aquino Administration.

Considered to be a landmark piece of document, the Dayaw Tagum Declaration came into existence as series of forum were being held during the holding of the Dayaw Festival in Tagum which gained support from concerned agencies such as the National Commission for the Indigenous Peoples, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Tourism, Department of Trade and Industry and the National Economic Development Authority.

“This forum serves as a milestone for our wishes to be heard,” stressed Commissioner Joycie D. Alegre, head of the NCCA’s Subcommission for Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts.

The document also pursues effective interventions on peace and development including the urgent resumption of “peace process” with the participation and engagement of IPs; immediate enactment of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; effective engagement of IP councils in local development councils; and provides a bold stance in opposing the establishment or continuing presence of massive extractive industries in their respective territories such as illegal mining, logging and fishing activities.

Meanwhile, during the closing ceremony, City of Tagum Tourism Council President Alma L. Uy expressed in behalf of the City Government of Tagum her profound gratitude to the people who took part in ensuring the success of the festival despite the short time of preparation.

The Ifugao of Kalinga, Apayao gave three ritual jars to the City of Tagum as their way of saying thanks to the city for hosting the event. Louie Bryan Lapat

Note: here is the link to the Dayaw Resolution.