Mindanao lumads support federalism, urge Digong massive information drive

By Ben Serrano
Correspondent

BUTUAN CITY – Claiming Federalism is one of the ways to improve the sad plight of the more 3 million indigenous peoples in Mindanao, who are always on the run because their ancestral domains due the armed conflict not in their making, the United Indigenous Peoples of Mindanao (UIPM) called on incoming President Rodrigo Duterte and his team to  enlighten them on the advantages of the proposed change in the system of government to the tribal communities.

“We are supporting the federalism move of Duterte, however, he must explain to us how will the 3.4 million indigenous peoples in Mindanao will benefit from it and what are its safeguards to see to it federalism is for all not only for the privileged few especially political dynasties,” said Enrique Gavileno, UIPM head convenor  and spokesman during recently concluded lumad forum here.

“Federalism is doing well not only in the United States but also in our close neighbor in southeastern Asia. Federalism can assure us authentic and really working local autonomy, not the same old pretension of devolution today, where major and even tactical decisions are all done in the imperialistic Metro Manila,” Gavileno said.

He added that in the Mindanao regions there are still the marginalized lumad people who are still living in dire poverty and ignorance due to lack of education opportunities, sickly and victims of all kinds of exploitations.

Some 216 tribal leaders and chieftains from all over 17 tribes in Mindanao gathered here recently to discuss IP concerns and issues as it challenged the incoming Duterte administration to lay down a comprehensive plan or program for the indigenous peoples in the country.

“Until now we have not heard Duterte mentioning any single plan to address the plight of lumads who are under the constant threat of evacuation… amidst poverty, massive destruction of ancestral domains, lack of education, health facilities, (exclusion from the) 4Ps and disunity among tribes,” said the tribal leaders in a joint statement.

“Duterte, who was here in Butuan City last January 22, 2015, was so enthusiastic explaining federalism now it seems that enthusiasm is fading,” noted the lumad leaders in Caraga the forum.

For federalism to be understood by the IPs, Gavileno has urged all government information agencies to conduct massive information drive to infrom the Filipino people, especially the lumads, about federalism.

“Federalism must be for all Filipinos not just for greedy politicians who will exploit us again. We must also start radical reforms on our electoral system, empower more Filipino voters, stop massive fraud, vote buying and cheating… Same politicians ruling helpless, poor Filipinos for another decades if not century, thus century of neglect on lumads will also continue without end,” he said.