COTABATO CITY – The Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education – Technical Education Skills Development (MBHTE-TESD) and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MIPA) entered into an agreement to provide free skills training for indigenous peoples in the Bangsamoro region.
MBHTE-TESD Maguindanao Provincial Director Salehk Mangelen and MIPA Minister Melanio Ulama signed the memorandum of agreement on Monday, Oct. 4, during the opening ceremony of the IP Month celebration in the region.
MIPA will identify and screen 160 qualified applicants for the scholarship program. Trainings that will be offered to them include Agriculture Crops Production (ACP), Organic Agriculture Production (OAP), Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Plants Crops Leading to ACP, Procedure Organic Concoctions and Extracts Leading to OAP, and Procedure Organic Fertilizer leading to OAP.
MBHTE-TESD will also provide the scholars with transportation allowances. Upon passing the competency assessment, the scholars will be granted a National Certificate II.
“Yung paglagda ng MOA ay isang kasunduan na magkaroon ng joint effort sa pag-implementa ng programs under TESD, lalong-lalo na para sa mga IP youth na magkaroon ng proyekto at matulungan sila na makapag-aral,” said Minister Ulama.
Director Mangelen, on the other hand, said “Itong MOA o kahit wala pa ito ay naumpisahan na ang aming partnership sa MIPA, at simula last year ay marami na tayong nabigyan ng skills training sa mga kapatid nating IPs both in North Upi and South Upi, kasama na doon yung mga affected ng kaguluhan sa Barangay Itaw.”
2021 IP month celebration
IP Mandatory Representatives and Tribal Leaders from Cotabato City, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi, and from BARMM’s 63 barangays in North Cotabato were present during Monday’s opening ceremony.
This year’s IP month celebration in the region carries the theme: “Kulturang Katutubo Kilalanin, Pahalagahan, Pagyamanin, at Ipagmalaki sa Bangsamoro.”
In his message, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim said, “Napagtanto natin noong panahon ng usaping pangkapayapaan na bigyan ng lugar o espasyo sa Pamahalaang Bangsamoro ang iba pang tribong kinukunsidera bilang Non-Moro Indigenous People – at dito nabuo ang probisyon sa pagkakabuo ng MIPA.”
“Ngayong buwan, ating ipagmalaki ang ating mga katutubong pinagmulan,” he added.
Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 1906 signed in 2009, October of every year is “declared in the context of Philippines Indigenous Peoples’ Rights as the month of people’s participation in the celebration and preservation of Indigenous Cultural Communities as part of the Life of the Nation.” (Bangsamoro Information Office)
