Outstanding stories on indigenous peoples recognized ILO pays tribute to indigenous peoples, journalists
Indigenous peoples took the
center stage as eleven stories about them were recognized in a thematic
year-end reception organized by the International Labour Organization
(ILO) Country Office for the Philippines on 12 December 2011 in Makati
City.
Indigenous peoples took the center stage as eleven stories about them were recognized in a thematic year-end reception organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for the Philippines on 12 December 2011 in Makati City.
Among the eleven stories recognized as outstanding, were five articles from two broadsheets and two community newspapers namely, BusinessWorld’s Discontent in a Mining Wilderness by Romer Sarmiento, Sun.Star Davao’s As Precious as Life Itself by Stella Estremera, Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Mt. Pinukis an Arena of Debate on Mining by Ryan Rosauro and Cordillera Organic Rice Finds a Strong Market at Home by Edgardo Espiritu, and Northern Dispatch’s Anti Dam Activist Gets Laureate Award by Arthur Allad-iw.
All five stories won in the online, print and photo essay categories. The winners received trophies.
The outstanding stories in all of the five categories were revealed in the ILO thematic year-end reception that underscored the indigenous peoples as “partners in development”, and the journalists who presented them in unique storytelling that provided insightful glimpses of their culture, aspirations and indispensable efforts towards making a difference in their communities and showing the society their critical importance in nation-building.
The short list of outstanding stories from print, radio, television, online and photo essay was a result of a rigorous evaluation of more than 80 entries from August 2009 to August 2011 by a pool of experts on indigenous peoples issues and from the media that comprised the screening committee and the judging panel.
The first ever “Pagkilala sa mga Natatanging Kuwentong Katutubo” which served as the highlight of the reception that gave importance to members of indigenous peoples communities in the Philippines, also showcased ethnic or indigenous dance, music, products and snapshots of the colorful life of the indigenous peoples in the country.
“It was a good mix of stories that show the other side of our indigenous peoples brothers and sisters,” Joseph Alwyn Alburo, vice-chairman of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and member of the judging panel, said.
Both the screeners and the judges lauded the efforts of the writers who took time and effort to share to the public that indigenous peoples are “indeed partners in development” and that “more stories can be written about them in the future”.
“The stories are not about the journalists who produced them. They are about the indigenous peoples who are out there struggling to be part of a bigger community,” Ramon Tuazon, president of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) and a member of the board of judges, said.
Secretary of Labor and Employment Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, who read the message of President Benigno S. Aquino III during the opening program, also lauded the efforts of ILO and the journalists “for hailing the part that indigenous peoples play in development”. She said that there are now indigenous peoples desks in 16 regions of the country.
"Through your inspiring stories, we all will be made more aware not only of the valuable contributions of our indigenous peoples to our rich cultural heritage, but more importantly for the socio-economic implications of firmly instituting interests of indigenous peoples in the mainstream of policy-making,” the message of the President reads.
Stella Estremera, editor-in-chief of Sun.Star Davao, in her acceptance speech on behalf of the awardees, said that interacting with the indigenous peoples to listen to their stories and relaying these with their purest intentions at its most unadulterated narrative, is a journey into ones soul.
"It is a rediscovery of our identity as Filipinos. Like any other journalist, I started looking and writing about them with pity in my eyes. That was until I listened to their stories and beliefs and saw in them the true resilience of the Filipino spirit, and a deeply ingrained dignity that has withstood the endless years of marginalization. Along with that came the realization that the pity is on us for sweeping these away to the margins and denying our children these stories. To ILO, thank you for this recognition, but the greater gratitude is for the indigenous peoples for waiting so long for their stories to be told," Estremera said.
In the end, she urged fellow journalists not to make them (indigenous peoples) wait much longer.
Probe Media Foundation assisted ILO in the implementation of the project.
Complete List of 11 Outstanding Stories:
Radio and Television Category - “Tribal School of Ilocos Sur” Michael Escobar, NBN Ilocos
- “Lapis” by Reyan Arinto, DYVL AM Aksyon Radyo, Tacloban
- “Lost Voices: Subanen Asserts Right for Representation in Governance” by Antonio Manaytay, sunstar.com.ph/zamboanga
- “Anti Dam Activist Gets Laureate Award” by Arthur Allad-iw, nordis.net
- “Mt. Pinukis: An Arena of Debate on Mining” by Ryan D. Rosauro, inquirer.net
- “Cordillera Organic Rice Finds a Strong Market at Home” by Edgardo V. Espiritu, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Northern Luzon
- “First Aeta Forest Food Festival” by Kara Patria M. Santos, Travel Up
- “Unreachable Dream” by Vincent Go, Vera Files
- “Discontent in a Mining Wilderness” by Romer S. Sarmiento, Businessworld
- “Enchanting Adventure in Agusan Marsh” by Jefry M. Tupas, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Davao
- “As Precious as Life Itself” by Stella A. Estremera, Sun.Star Davao
Ibalois in Baguio Suffer 100 Years of Injustice
16 0 118 0
By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IWNorthern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat
BAGUIO CITY – While the city government lined up pompous activities for its centennial celebration on September 1, a descendant of an Ibaloi clan said it is also a centennial of injustice for her clan and the Ibaloi tribes here.
The Ibalois suffer from the non-recognition of their ancestral land rights despite the landmark decision on native title in favor of their land rights in 1909, explained Ruby Dolores Carino Giron, a fifth-generation descendant of Mateo Cariño, a recognized leader of Kafagway, as Baguio was known then prior to American colonial rule.
Giron said that in a land case brought by her ancestor Mateo Cariño to the United States Supreme Court, the court decided on February 23, 1909 in favor of her ancestor’s (Cariño) right to their ancestral land over the areas now covered by Club John Hay. The US Supreme Court decision pointed out that the land possessed by the natives prior to colonization were not public land but private as they were held as such since time immemorial.
However, the fact that their ancestral land was not returned back to the Cariños and that it is still with the government is a manifestation of that century of injustice, she pointed out in an interview.
Baguio Charter
The American administration made Baguio, through legislation, a chartered city on September 1, 1909. The city was planned by the Americans for a population of 25,000.
In the charter’s town site reservation, lands of public domain are sold to the highest bidder under the Townsite Sales Application (TSA). However, recognition of the Ibalois ancestral lands was not done.
Giron pointed out that the TSA system should be removed as it had been a source of corruption in the sale of lands.
“There is no more land to sell but the city makes money on it (TSA). The TSA system had breached the carrying capacity of the city, which was planned for a 25,000 population.” she added.
She criticized the new proposal of Congressman Mauricio Domogan to amend the City Charter as it maintains the TSA system.
IPRA Law
Giron was among those who lobbied for the passage of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997, particularly ensuring ancestral land recognition in the bicameral committee of Congress.
“Baguio is the origin of the native title (through the Cariño Doctrine). Why should ancestral land recognition exempt the city,” she reiterated as interest groups lobbied for the exclusion of ancestral land recognition in the city.
Since the approval of the IPRA, Giron claimed that the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has not fully recognized the ancestral lands of the Ibalois in the city. There were Certificate of Ancestral Land Titles (CALTs) granted by NCIP with people who are not entitled to it based on the “Carpetas of Ibalois,” documents where they traced the family tree and ancestral land rights of the applicants, she explained.
Like other agencies created for indigenous peoples in the past, the NCIP perpetuates corruption and historical lies, she added. “What they could have done is to read the Carpetas and start from there,” she pointed out.
Partnership, Sharing Resources
She allayed fears of local officials that their claims and recognition of their ancestral land would deny the city of the resources it needs, like water, as these resources are found in these ancestral land claims.
“What we want is the recognition of our ancestral lands. Where these lands are most needed by public needs, we can have partnership with the city. This partnership would be of mutual benefit for both where the Ibalois shall be compensated – like that in livelihood, education for their children – under the context of correcting the historical injustice perpetuated against the Ibalois.
Nordis learned that vast tracts of Ibalois’ ancestral lands in the city had been expropriated though colonial and post colonial laws without compensation, and had disenfranchised Ibaloi families in most cases.
In the celebration of the city’s centennial, Giron pointed out, the present city leadership seems not to recognize history.
“They should look at the history of the city to reconcile the past and the present. A clear appreciation of history would correct injustices and help plan for the future without perpetuating the same injustices. Not to do so would be amending history and would mean not recognizing us, the Ibalois,” Giron asserted. (Northern Dispatch/Posted by Bulatlat)
- See more at: http://bulatlat.com/main/2009/08/29/ibalois-in-baguio-suffer-100-years-of-injustice/#sthash.5Ugy6jCw.dpuf
No comments:
Post a Comment