THE Sun.Star Cebu editorial, “Worries about tribes in city” (Nov. 12, 2014) is worth reading. Some points of the editorial are correct, but I would like to add some observations that may help readers who follow the issue.
There are some recognized indigenous communities in Cebu, like the Badjao and the Ati. But there are indigenous people living in Cebu but not as a community, like those that belong to tribes like the Higaonon, Manobo, Mansaka, Mangyan, Blaan, Maranaw, Tausug, Sama, Bukidnon, etc.
The Spanish maps in the country, one of which Dr. Jose Rizal sent to Ferdinand Blumentritt, had parts of Cebu island marked as having “infidels.” They were the
Cebuanos that refused to embrace Catholicism.
During this period, the classification of natives was: Indio (Christian), Moro, and infidels. This erroneous religious ethno-classification was also used during the American colonial rule when a Bureau on Non-Christian Tribes was created. The use of that classification is carried today in the recognition by the National Commission for the Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) of 110 tribes.
Religious leaning should not be used in defining ethnicity considering that many indigenous peoples in the country have become Roman Catholics, Aglipays or Baptists even in areas classified by the NCIP as indigenous communities. With the error, many indigenous people have been disenfranchised.
In Cebu City, there are about 5,000 people with indigenous tribal origin by blood. They are forming associations called Alimaong.
Richard Alfajora, who is the iPeace president, said that the term “alimaong” originally referred to bird messenger sent by Bathala to protect the natives. It is equivalent to “laon” in the Visayas from whom the name of the mountain called Kanlaon in Negros was derived. The root word “ali” or “kali” means to protect.
“Alimaong works with the national government against communism, illegal logging, the illegal drugs trade, illegal mining and land grabbing activities...It has no intention to disturb the established government,” Alfajora added.
I am not a member of the Alimaong group but I am secretary of the Interfaith Preachers and Educators Advocacy for Cultural Enlightenment (iPeace). We hosted a celebration involving indigenous peoples sponsored by the Cebu City Government last Oct. 30.
What did I learn from the event? That members of the Kinatas-ang Kahugpungan sa Kapupud-an Datus Alimaong (KKK Datus Alimaong) belong to duly recognized indigenous tribes like the Atis, Higaonons, Manobos, Mangyans, Tausugs and Bukidnons.
Saying that that the Alimaong is not a tribe is correct but insinuating that its members are not genuine tribe people is incorrect. Do the indigenous people lose their rights because they change their community when some of them migrated to Cebu? Do they lose their legal rights because they changed religious beliefs?
The issue is not cultural minority but the ethnicity of the indigenous people.
Is the presence of tribes in the city a cause for concern and worries in relation to peace? I doubt it. These people have been very active as enforcers of law even if they are not paid by the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the Philippine National Police.
If Cebu City and other government agencies would only correctly task the Alimaongs in their respective areas, their volunteerism would be put to better use.--Ruth Dublin Sabado, Teacher 3, Punta Princesa Elementary School and iPeace secretary