AN OFFICIAL from the Davao City Tourism Operations Office (DCTOO) has refuted claims that the funds allocated for renovating the tribal houses of the 11 ethnolinguistic tribes were not equally distributed.
Jennifer Romero, officer-in-charge of DCTOO, clarified during the ISpeak Forum: Kadayawan 2024 MediaCon on July 25, 2024, at Rogen Inn, that each tribe received an equal share for their renovations.
"Not true same gyud na sila tanan and they can attest that, so the gyud ang budget for everyone. So karun atoa silang gireleasan ug a total of P350,000 (That's not true; the amount was the same for everyone, and they can confirm that. We released a total of P350,000 equally to all)," she said.
Sheirelle Anino, deputy mayor of the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe, told SunStar Davao that since her grandmother’s tenure, the budget for renovating the tribal houses in Magsaysay Park has always been consistent for both Moro and Indigenous Peoples (IP) groups.
“Wala gyud na nahitabo nga dili the same, the Moro and the IP same gyud na ug unsa ang budget and para sa kaayuhan gyud na sa tribe so wala gyud nay discrimination or unsa bana ilang tawag na dili same (There has never been any discrepancy; the budget is the same for both the Moro and IP groups, and it is used for the benefit of the tribe. There’s no discrimination or variation in the budget),” she said.
Pamikiren Latip P. Arumpac Jr., deputy mayor of Bangsa Iranun, confirmed that the budget provided to the 11 tribes is uniform. He said that the funds would be used to restore their tribal village.
Addressing concerns about cementing the tribal houses, Arumpac said the idea was proposed in 2023 but strongly opposed by all deputy mayors. He emphasized that cementing the houses would compromise their authenticity.
“Masakit sa amin na sinimulan na ipakita ang authentic na bahay ng tribu ngayon sesementuhin nati edi iba na hindi na authentic (It’s disheartening for us because we started by showcasing the authentic tribal houses. Cementing them would make them lose their original character),” he said.
Romero echoed this sentiment, stating that cementing the houses would undermine their cultural authenticity. These replica houses represent the unique culture of each tribe, and altering them would erase that authenticity.
As the Kadayawan Festival nears, Arumpac noted that the Moro tribes have achieved a 75 percent completion rate on their houses, with delays due to difficulties in acquiring materials.
Meanwhile, Erwin Adolfo, deputy mayor of Bagobo-Klata, reported that the IP tribes are at an 80 percent completion rate. He anticipates that the renovations will be finished by next week.
The Tribal Villages at Magsaysay Park feature replica houses of the eleven ethnolinguistic tribes of Davao City: Ata, Bagobo-Klata, Bagobo-Tagabawa, Matigsalug, Obu-Manuvu, Iranun, Kagan, Maguindanaon, Maranao, Sama, and Taosug. The village is a major festival attraction, drawing both local and international visitors. RGP