First representative of indigenes to Misor board assumes post

By SHIELA MAE BUTLIG
Correspondent

MISAMIS Oriental’s first indigenous people’s representative to the provincial board assumed office on Monday.

Allan Mandukita, who will serve as an ex officio member of the provincial board, was officially acknowledged by Misamis Oriental’s legislature as the first representative of indigenes in the province.

Mandukita was appointed by the National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP) through a certificate of affirmation. He took his oath of office before Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano.

“Laumi ninyo nga ako mahimong tulay diha na gyud sa pangalagad sa mga lumad, tribong Higaonon, dinhi sa atong lalawigan,” Mandukita told the provincial board.

Mandukita also laid down what he called as his eight-point agenda:

• provide a political structure for Misamis Oriental’s indigenes so they could get actively involved in governance and politics;

• do a survey on indigenous people’s groups in the province;

• support efforts to secure certificates of ancestral domains in the province;

• start a scholarship program for indigenes, especially for Higaonons;

• help indigenes to get employed in the education department, National Police, and other government offices;

• work to improve the peace and order conditions in indigenous people’s communities in the province’s hinterland villages;

• work to make indigenes have representatives in the various councils in the province’s towns and component cities based on the law;

• “total care” for indigenes in the province.

Mandukita asked the provincial board to support him. because “dili ko kani mahimo kung wala ang suporta sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan.”