Saturday, August 21, 2004
Lumads receive government assistance
By Raquel C. Bagnol
THE Indigenous Peoples (IPs) of Kapalong, Davao del Norte are receiving support and attention from the government through projects implemented for their benefit.
In Thursday's episode of the Kapihan sa Kapitolyo, Kapalong Councilor Dominador Cruda III said they are pushing to hasten the processing of the ancestral domain claims of the lumads with the assistance of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
"The government is also offering health services for the IPs even in the very remote areas, especially in the control of tuberculosis, malaria and others," Cruda said.
In the same forum, Councilor Gaspar Balingao said in the field of agriculture, they are also helping the IPs plant the Ata-rice for their consumption, and later on, if there are surpluses, for distribution to other consumers.
"As of now, there are over 6,000 hectares which are planted with rice in the municipality of Kapalong, and some of these areas are planted with Ata-rice, which is commonly called the fancy rice," Balingao said.
To date, he said there are 16 varieties of the Ata-rice being planted by the IPs.
(August 21, 2004 issue)
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