COTABATO CITY — In his first ever State of the Ministry’s Address on Saturday, Oct. 8, Melanio Ulama presented the milestones of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MIPA) since its inception in 2019.
According to Minister Ulama, MIPA was established through Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law, mandated to protect, promote, and preserve the interest and well-being of IPs in the BARMM consistent with their beliefs, culture, tradition, and institutions. MIPA replaced the Office for Southern Cultural Communities (OSCC).
“Layunin ng Ministry ay mapaglingkuran, maprotektohan ang karapatan at kapakanan ng katutubong mamamayan, mabigyan ng nauukol na serbisyo, pagpapanatili ng pagkakaisa, pagkakaunawaan ng bawat katutubong tribo, ipagtanggol at mapaunlad ang kanilang lupaing ninuno,” Ulama said.
As a new office in 2019, Ulama said MIPA continued to implement the programs and services left behind by the OSCC. During the year, the ministry was able to conduct medical outreach and relief assistance activities, provide technical skills trainings and educational assistance program, organize tribal councils, provide community support for IPs in conflict, and craft the IP Master Plan Development, among many others.
“Ang pag simula ng MIPA sa taong ito ay naging matagumpay sa kabila ng lahat, dahil naging katuwang nito ang mga dating kawani ng OSCC. Sila ay naging gabay ng Minister, ng mga bagong kawani, sa pagbalangkas ng mga plano, istraktura, at budget ng MIPA para sa darating na taon,” Ulama said.
In 2020, he shared MIPA was able to establish several programs on Ancestral Domain or ‘Fusaka Inged’ claims of IPs; conflict management and mechanisms; technical skills for youth, women, and overseas workers; social services/health/education and other support assistance; strengthening tribal councils and organizations for IP communities; and provision of certificate of tribal membership, accreditation of tribal marriage, and certificate of affirmation or recognition.
“Ang MIPA noong taong 2021 ay mas lalong tumibay. Sa ikatlong taon na ito ng operasyon ng MIPA, mas napaigting ang kanyang mga programa at serbisyo para sa mga Indigenous Peoples sa BARMM,” Ulama said.
He shared that the ministry strengthened its program on Ancestral Domain or ‘Fusaka Inged’ as it conducted community-wide information education campaign, created community working group, and conducted data gathering and documentation.
For its conflict management and mechanisms, over 200 tribal leaders were capacitated on traditional justice system and legal processes. They also underwent para-legal trainings to hone their knowledge on IP rights. Furthermore, MIPA also provided legal assistance to at least 50 IPs on their cases or issues on of illegal detention, illegal recruitment, forced displacements, rape, and others.
“Ang Livelihood and Cooperative Development program naman ay nagsuporta sa 8 IP cooperatives sa pamamagitan ng trainings at financial support. Ang mga cooperative na ito ay naka-base sa iba’t-ibang probinsya,” said Ulama, noting that each of the cooperative were granted with Php400,000 financial assistance.
“Ang programang IP Development Initiatives, sa kabilang banda, ang tugon sa socio-economic need and services ng mga Indigenous Peoples. Nagkaroon tayo ng 12 campaigns on disaster preparedness, mahigit na 500 relief recipients, 14 medical outreach programs, at nakapagbigay tayo ng financial at educational assistance sa mahigit kumulang ng 700 recipients. Sa Basic Literacy Program, 120 IP adults ang nakapagtapos nito,” Ulama said.
He also mentioned that the IP Code is already being finalized at the committee level of the Bangsamoro Parliament.
For 2022, Ulama said that MIPA is continuously implementing its target programs based on its plans.
“Bilang pagtatapos ng pananalita kong ito, ako’y ay lubos na nagpapasalamat sa BARMM government sa mahalagang tungkulin na ibinigay sa akin bilang Minister, sa lahat ng mga tribal councils at leaders na patuloy na sumusuporta sa bawat gawain ng Ministry,” said Ulama, who has been serving as MIPA’s minister since 2019.
Ulama’s address on Saturday afternoon was the highlight of this year’s IP Month celebration. Before he delivered his speech, MIPA conducted an IP Summit to discuss the pressing issues and concerns of the indigenous communities gathered during a pre-summit held on Oct. 4, and to plan necessary interventions.
The summit was attended by IP delegates from Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Special Geographic Area, and Cotabato City. (Myrna Tepadan/BIO)
