Featured image shows Pinoy Ako Party-list members, from left Danilo Castillo, Atty. Krista Gandionco, Atty. Gil A. Valera (third nominee), and Atty. Apollo Emas. Their party-list focuses on workimg for Indigenous People (IP) and laborers’ equal opportunities in life, being the subjects of exploitation. (Photo: SDN)
- EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN – SciTech & Digital News
WACK WACK GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB, Mandaluyong City, Oct. 28, 2024 (SDN) — Given the chance, the Pinoy Ako Party-list, one of the aspirants in the May 12, 2025, midterm elections, will work for the creation of a financial institution focusing on the needs of the Indigenous People (IP).
Lawyer Gil A. Valera, of the Itneg IP, told journalists and bloggers the proposed financial institution would be called the Indigenous People’s Bank (IPB), with a target seed fund of Php5 billion.
He said the proposed bank would be patterned after the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines (AAIIBP), which caters to Muslims and is being operated following Islamic banking system, mainstay in Muslim financial institutions in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Valera told SDN — SciTech & Digital News today, Monday, that he was eyeing sources of funds for the IP bank from the government, the Maharlika Fund, and from international financial institutions abroad.
He added the IPB will not be different to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) but it will be a source of financial support for the ethnic communities, emphasizing that they have no chance with the regular banks, they being unbanked.
Valera is one of the four nominees of Pinoy Ako Party-list, and is sworn to respond to and address the welfare, needs, and concerns of the country’s some 10 million-strong tribal communities.
Valera and three members of Pinoy Ako Party-list — Danilo Castillo, Atty. Apollo Emas, Atty. Krista Gandionco — held a press conference here covered by more than 30 journalists and bloggers.
They fielded questions relating to their group’s platform and plans should they be given an opportunity to serve the Filipino people, particularly the tribal communities and the “obreros” (workers).
Pinoy Ako seeks unity of 10 million IP members
Valera lamented that the IPs are being exploited, taken advantage of by politicians, businessmen, other groups and individuals because they have not been able to understand the ways of the world for majority of them have only reached high school education.
He said this makes them easy prey for exploiters.
The congressional aspirant pointed out that only the Pinoy Ako Party-list is focused on the IPs and the country’s workers, particularly the construction laborers who are also exploited.
Valera seems to indicate that many workers in the construction industry are not provided benefits that regular employees enjoy, among them Social Security System (SSS), PAG-IBIG, Philhealth premiums, and others.
He said their party-list also considers the country’s Muslims as IP, adding the IPs and the Muslims (Moro tribes) should be allowed a permanent quota at the University of the Philippines (UP) so they can avail themselves of top-class education.
In relation with this, Valera said their party-list also wants to establish an educational institution in General Santos City, SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII), where he has a big track of land given to him for championing the IP communities in a court case.
He said the proposed University for the Indigenous People (UIP) which shall be built in a portion of his track of land in General Santos City, will cater to the ethnic communities.
Valera emphasized the importance of giving the members of the tribal communities equal access regarding financial, banking, educational, employment, health, and law-related opportunities.
“We are trying to unite the 10 million IPs all over the Philippines so they can have representation in Congress,” he notes.
He said the 1987 Constitution has identified eight marginalized sectors, one of them the IP.
The Constitution outlines the rights that marginalized sectors should enjoy, such as dignity, just compensation, organizing freely, and freedom from exploitation. (♤)