A TRIBAL chieftain on Tuesday took his oath as a member of the provincial board in Tubigan, Initao town. Datu Salagaan Allan Mandokita would serve as the Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative (IPMR) to the province’s legislature. He took his oath before the governor of the province. Mandokita would sit as a regular member of the provincial board after the tribal chieftain was elected during a two-day presentation of the province’s “indigenous people’s structure” early this month. In a statement, the capitol said Mandokita’s assumption as a member of the provincial legislative body is a welcome development in the  struggle of indigenes for recognition. It said the move was also an affirmation of the capitol’s commitment for a broad democratized representation in the provincial board. The membership of a regular  “lumad” representative in the local legislature is based on Sec. 16 of RA 8371 as well as with the  Administrative  Order No. 001-2009 of the National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP).