DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Davao del Norte director Romeo Castañaga said there is a need for indigenous peoples (IPs) to be part of economic development.

“We need their participation in the economic development because they are dwellers in the place for so long. If it weren’t for them, then there will be no us. And besides, they know the area better than we do,” Castañaga said, adding DTI’s program for the IP aims to provide livelihood assistance that will allow them to value-add their agricultural products.

“The opportunity there is more on the agricultural side. So we are expecting producing products from abaca, and other possible handicraft products based from agricultural crops in the area,” Castañaga said.

Last January 2018, DTI-Davao del Norte conducted the Training on Finishing for the Bamboo tribal House Puzzle making livelihood project. A total of nine participants from the Mangguangan, Mansaka, and Dibabawon ethnic groups attended the training. Through the miniature bamboo tribal house, the project aims to showcase indigenous architecture for others to see.

In March and April 2018, a training on weaving was conducted with the Bagobo indigenous community in Bansalan, Davao del Norte. Then in May 2018, training on Romblon bag weaving was conducted.

Bagobo Tagabawa who grew coffee in Binaton, Davao del Sur were trained for a coffee processing seminar last June 2018. The program aims to increase agricultural productivity among farmers in the area. The Bagobo Tagabawa community also underwent an entrepreneurial mind setting seminar which aids the community in marketing their agricultural produce. (GAD)