AD struggle is for ‘common good’ – Lumad Datu

The struggle of the Matigsalug-Manobo tribal councils in Kitaotao, Bukidnon over the claims of their ancestral domain envisions not only the welfare of the indigenous people but of the ‘common good’ of everyone.


This was stressed by Federation of Matigsalug-Manobo Tribal Councils (FEMMATRICS) Chairman Datu Roelito Gawilan during the precedent-setting meeting with non-Lumad occupants in the area held at the FEMMATRICS office in Sinuda, Kitaotao, Bukidnon, April 18.

Gawilan said that they want everyone to benefit from the land both Lumads and non-Lumads and that the environment will also be taken care of.

“Ang tao dili manag-iya sa yuta, ang yuta ang manag-iya sa tao (man does not own the land, it is the land who owns man),” Gawilan said, adding:

“Ang among gusto buhi ang tanan pati ang kinaiyahan (what we want is for everyone to live including the environment).”

Pro-development

Gawilan also said that their assertion of their rights to decide on the utilization of their ancestral domain is not a sign of being anti-development.

He said that they also want development in the land given that the rights of everyone are being considered.

“Dili man ta anti-development. Gusto puid ta ug development pero ang pangutana para kang kinsa man na? Apil ba mi dinha o kamo ra? Kami wala mi labot?, (We are not anti-development. We also like development but the question is for whom? Are we included there or just you? Are we not included?)” he said

History in the making

Gawilan said that the meeting with the non-Lumad occupants in the area is a historical event since it is a sign that the rights and the dignity of the indigenous people is staring to be acknowledged.

The tribal council summoned non-Lumad occupants in the area to formalize their claim of their ancestral and lands and to recognize the latter’s properties within the domain given that they comply with the process laid out by the Indigenous People Rights Act (IPRA).

The authority of the Lumads to govern over the domain was recognized upon the issuance of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) released October 30, 2003 giving the rights to 24, 405 tribe members over the 102,000 hectare ancestral domain.

For decades, the Lumads fought for their rights of the ancestral domain against migrants who destroys the environment even in the time of Martial Law.

Along with 30 other tribal leaders, Gawilan expressed their appreciation of the positive response given by the 25 non-Lumad occupants who attended the meeting.

A meeting will be set any time soon to make a memorandum of agreement between the tribal leaders and non-Lumad occupants underscoring both parties’ rights and the latter’s responsibilities and requirements.