On National Indigenous People’s Day, Senator Robin Padilla made a promise to indigenous Filipinos to protect their ancestral domain.
Padilla made the promise at the opening of an exhibit on the weaving of indigenous peoples, to show unity and respect for Philippine indigenous communities.
“Sana po isang araw, ang lupa ng ating mga katutubo ay mabigyan natin ng proteksyon.”
“Ang isang gusto kong sabihin ay sana ang pamana ng kultura sa atin, ang yaman ng sining, yaman ng kasuotan natin, sana po isang araw, ang lupa ng ating mga katutubo ay mabigyan natin ng proteksyon,” the legislator said.
“Ang ancestral domain ay isang bagay na dapat natin ipaglaban.”
The lawmaker added he has discussed this with Senator Loren Legarda, who he said described the issue of ancestral domain as “isang bagay na dapat natin ipaglaban.”
“Isang bagay ang dapat nating tayuan at ‘yan ang ancestral domain,” noted the chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs.
Featured in the exhibit were textiles and clothes of cultural communities including Tuwali, Ifugao, Tingguian (Itneg), Ikalinga/Ykalinga, Hanunuo, Mangyan, Yakan, Higaonon, Mandaya, Bagobo Manobo, Blaan, Iranon/Maguindanaon, Maranao and Tausug.
Taking part in the exhibit were Senators Legarda, Win Gatchalian, Sonny Angara, Bong Go and Cynthia Villar; Representative Lani Mercado; Science Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., Rebecca Licayen of the Tboli; Julius Leano Jr, of the DOST Philippine Textile Research Institute; Padilla’s wife Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla; and personalities including Tim Yap, Niña Corpuz, Gladys Reyes, Juancho Trivino, Joyce Pring-Trivino, and Karla Estrada.
