Senator Robin Padilla promised to bring farm-to-market roads and additional rights for Mangyans, after visiting them in Barangay Panaytayan in Mansalay, Mindoro Oriental recently.
In his speech before the Mangyans, Padilla – who thanked them for helping him top the polls in Mindoro in 2022 – vowed to work with Vice Governor Ejay Falcon to make this a reality.
“Nakita namin ano dapat ang unahin dito sa Mindoro at ang kailangan diyan magkaroon kayo ng farm-to-market roads. Kailangan magkaroon kayo ng kalsada ninyo sa sitio ninyo,” the legislator said.
“‘Yan din ang kanyang gusto, magkaroon ng kalsada ang nasa malayong lugar.”
“At ‘yan po ang isang bagay na maipapangako ko sa inyo sapagka’t ang ating mahal na Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, ‘yan din ang kanyang gusto, magkaroon ng kalsada ang nasa malayong lugar,” the lawmaker added.
The senator likewise promised to fight for the rights of the Mangyans and other Indigenous Peoples (IPs) particularly in the use of their ancestral lands.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs lamented the IPs are not getting what is due them for the use of their ancestral lands.
“Hindi kami mananahimik at ipaglalaban namin.”
“Ang nangyari kasi yumayaman sa lupa ninyo, hindi kayo. Yumayaman ang ibang tao. At yan tandaan ninyo katulad ng sinabi ni Vice Gov, hindi kami mananahimik at ipaglalaban namin,” he said.
Padilla visited Mindoro to take part in activities including registration, dental and medical missions for the Mangyans.
