Rituals, cultural show to highlight Indigenous Peoples celeb in MisOcc

Thanksgiving rituals, song and dance cultural presentation and basket making contest are some of the highlights to be featured in the 25th Indigenous Peoples (IPs) month organized by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Misamis Occidental, October 29 at the Provincial Cultural and Farmers Training Center in Oroquieta City.

During Let’s Talk MisOcc, a virtual media forum and e-Talakayan hosted by the Philippine Information Agency Misamis Occidental, NCIP-MisOcc Provincial Officer Emily T. Silva discussed the importance of the celebration which started through the approval of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) on October 29,1997.

"For the long period of time, we are coordinating the National Government Agencies and Local Government Units (LGU) in implementing the law on the Indigenous People Rights Act in delivering the services to the IP nationwide and especially the province of Misamis Occidental,” she said.

As part of the celebration, they will also distribute school bags and school supplies to the elementary students of Lopez Jaena and Don Voctoriano town.

NCIP MisOcc Provincial Officer said that there are around 93,000 IPs in the province.

”Padayon ang among gidahom ug amoang paghangyo sa nagkalain-laing ahensya sa gobyerno including other stakeholders like the non government organizations, academe, Civil Society Organization and private individuals nga ang implementation sa balaod sa IPRA does not mainly belong to NCIP but to all of us kay ang balaod sa IPRA para mahatagan sa tukmang serbisyo, pag-ila, pagrespeto ug mapalambo ang atoang indigenous peoples atoa tanang responsibilidad,” Silva emphasized.

(We continue to expect and request the various government agencies including other stakeholders like the non government organizations, academe, Civil Society Organization and private individuals that the implementation of the IPRA law does not mainly belong to NCIP but to all of us because the IPRA law is our responsibility to provide proper service, recognition, respect and development to our indigenous peoples).

The theme this year is ”25 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 domains.(SMRN/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)