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- EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN – SciTech & Digital News
SAN MATEO, Rizal (SDN) — As anticipation for the May 12, 2025, National and Local Elections (NLE) builds up, the Pinoy Ako Party-list (#99) continued its programs and services to Filipinos in far-flung communities.
On December 6, a team from the group traveled to Barangay Pintong Bukawe, San Mateo, Rizal, to distribute to over 500 residents some goodies that included bags of 5-kilo rice, vitamins, T-shirts, rice porridge, and lots of good intention.
Pinoy Ako has been reaching out to remote communities, particularly areas with many Indigenous Peoples (IPs), one of its targets of its advocacy that also covers “obreros” or construction workers. Both IPs (tribal group) and construction workers are perceived to be some of the most marginalized groups in Philippine society. Consider that the IPs are also being neglected by government, mainly because they have no voice in the halls of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
One of the 10 nominees of Pinoy Ako, lawyer Gil A. Valera, himself an Itneg tribal leader and dubbed “Datu Taga-pagtanggol” for his highly needed legal services to IPs, has emphasized time and again the urgent need to give the IPs, including the Moro ethnic communities, strong voice in Congress.
In fact, some of the planned projects of Pinoy Ako if given to the chance to serve in the House of Representatives, is to establish an Indigenous Peoples’ University in General Santos City, Region XII, and a Indigenous Peoples’ Bank.
Valera pointed out that education and financial support are two of the IPs’ largely neglected needs for them to have a fighting chance to better their lives, improve their educational attainment and raise their economic standing.
Lack of education and scant financial resources are two of the reasons why the country’s close to 10 million tribal individuals are not in the radar of the government, he pointed out, and make them easy to exploit by big businessmen, who used their lands to earn money with little going to the tribal communities.
Concerning “exploitation”, the Pinoy Ako nominee said tribal lands being exploited in mining corporations should be able to provide enough income for IPs, as he revealed that another important plan of his group is work for the increase of IPs’ share from the mining activities of both foreign and local mining companies.
It can be noted that foreign mining companies pay more money in their own countries, or in other countries where they operate, except in the Philippines where IP communities’ shares are a pittance.
To this end, Pinoy Ako has been conducting medical missions with distribution of rice bags and other goodies as the group enlighten tribal communities on their rights under the law as well as present itself as their champion in Congress, given the opportunity.
Thus, on December 6, a Pinoy Ako team brought its awareness campaign to Barangay Pintong Bukawe in San Mateo, during which more than 500 Dumagat and Remontado individuals and non-IP residents welcomed with open arms the group.
IP-focused party-list to continue advocacy for ethnic communities, construction workers
Pinoy Ako’s goal is to reach and extend help and make aware IP communities in remote, mostly mountainous areas.
Before the formal distribution of goodies, the group from Pasig City conducted consultations to determine their priority and most pressing needs, particularly on health.
The party-list, No. 99 in the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) list of aspirants for a seat in the House of Representatives, told the IPs and non-IP residents of the barangay (village) they will continue their advocacy and mission if they win in the coming elections.
Inclusive of their goals are the start of livelihood programs in the different parts of the country and, as earlier mentioned above, to give IPs the opportunity for education and finish college and find employment.
One of the tribal leaders at the event, Pastor Ronnie Dadulo of Barangay Pintong Bukawe, expressed thanks for the assistance their community received.
“This is a big help for the residents,” he emphasizes, “especially that programs such as Pinoy Ako’s outreach activities rarely reach them.”
On the other hand, the tribal leader urged his fellow IPs to support Pinoy Ako as he witnessed how their advocacy is helping the citizens.
“Malaking hamon dito ang problemang medikal at kawalan ng permanenteng hanapbuhay. Napakaraming pulitiko ang nangangako ngunit walang konkretong aksyon para tumulong sa amin,” Dadulo notes. (The problems on health and lack of jobs are a big challenge. There are many politicians who make promises, but they do not follow it up with concrete actions for us.)
This neglect from government and political leaders are some of the reasons Pinoy Ako Party-list will continue and sustain its advocacy of serving those who are in need, especially the remote communities of the IPs which are far from government services.
Pinoy Ako’s visit to Barangay Pintong Bukawe was led by another of its nominees, lawyer Apollo Glen Emas. (/)