FOUR Indigenous Peoples (IPs) communities in Davao Region received abaca stripping machines to help them with their livelihood.
“Kaning stripping machine mao ni among gamiton para sa pagbuhat namo sa among mga sinina, dako kaayo ni og kapuslanan ang abaca sa amoa (This stripping machine will be used for us to continue producing dresses. Abaca has been our main livelihood),” Joseph Saman, Municipal Tribal chieftain in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur, said in an ambush interview on June 15, 2023 at Sitio Ladian, Marilog Proper, Marilog District, Davao City.
“Kadto niagi, mano-mano gyud, looy kaayo, mao bitaw wala nag-prosper pero pasalamat mi nga naa na ning makina kay dali nalang kaayo [ang proseso] (before we were stripping the abaca manually, that’s why we cannot prosper but this machine will make our process easier),” he said.
Saman said that abaca has been their main source of income. He added that they have also stopped producing abaca products due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Niundang mi tungod sa Covid-19, wala na naatiman ang abaca, maong magsugod na pud mi og tanom para mapuslan namo ning gihatag nga stripping machine (we stopped due to Covid-19, we were not able to take care of the abaca farm so we have to go back from planting again),” he said.
He said the machine they received will not only stay in one barangay but will be used by other neighboring barangays in Kiblawan.
Aside from Kiblawan, the other IP communities that have received the machines are the Ata Manobo tribe in Talaingod, Davao del Norte, the Ata tribe in Paquibato District, and Obu Manuvu tribe in Baguio District and Marilog District in Davao City.
Meanwhile, the Chooks to Go and bounty fresh President Ronald Mascariñas, who donated the stripping machine, said the main reason why he decided to donate machines around the country is due to the community's need.
“Biskan katong pinakadato nga countries, America, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, the richest economies in the world, dili gyud kaya sa gobyerno na ihatag sa tanan nila nga citizens ang kanilang pangangailangan (even the richest countries and economies in the world could not provide everything to their citizen),” he said.
“But it is a moral responsibility sa mga kompanya na nag negosyo sa Pilipinas nga maayo na ang kabutang nga tan-awon unsa may kulang sa mga tao nga dili kaya ihatag sa gobyerno, hindi dahil ayaw ng gobyerno but ang realidad may kulang talaga (of every company that have a business here in the Philippines to check what they can offer or help in the community as the government could not provide everything not because they don’t want to help but lack of funding),” he added.
He said they are just providing what they can help to the community. KSD