PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT ADVOCACIES AND INITIATIVES IN SOCSARGEN AREA
The” Panagtagpu” was started with a light activity of origami peace dove paper folding. The facilitator, Fr. Angelo Buenavides, shared some insights on peace, cooperation and teamwork on every fold of the paper. The participants also shared the lesson learned in this activity:
o Ang lider kay mahigugmaon. Kung walay gugma, dili matarong ang paglead.
o Tan-awon ang salinsing. Tan-awon ang silingan.
o Dala sa lider ang tanan nga problema. Dapat ang lider ay may pag-unawa at pagmamahal. Pinapakinggan din ng lider ang sinasabi ng mga mamamayan sa kanyang komunidad at pag-aralan niya kung kapaki-pakinabang ba ang mga suhestiyon ng nito para sa ikabubuti ng komunidad.
o Ang tagak ay isang simbolo. It represents the leader as well as its followers. Kung dili muangay ang mga miyembro sa komunidad sa lider, dili ibig sabihin nga dili siya lider. Dapat i-encourage ang lider. I-apply sa kaugalingon ang simbolo sa tagak.
o Kung naa kay amo, dili magpagamit sa amo. Sundon dapat ang batas.
o Tulad ng tagak, may kahinaan din an glider kaya dapat i-encourage ang lider.
o Tagak: shows submission ug pagsunod
o Ang mga tagak, dili nagalupad nga sila-sila lang. Naa silay porma nga makatabang sa ila sa pagsalo sa hangin.
Second Activity is a “Gladiator’s Fight”. An activity that each right hand of the partner clasp with each other and that the objective is to touch the partner’ shoulder as many as they can. Many of them gave a strong resistance and thus hardly anybody touches each others’ shoulder. It could have been very easy for them to touch the partner’s should they gave in as the instruction is just to touch the partner’s shoulder as many as they can. After the activity, the participants learned the following:
o Pwede man nga magpulihanay ug gunit sa partner kay wala man giingon nga punggan.
o Reason behind: competition, wala nagapalamang
o Solution: Cooperation para gaan ang kinabuhi kay kung naay kompetisyon, kapoy
o COOPERATION over competition
o Dapat healthy lang nga competition
The third activity is “Breaking the World Record”. Participants were given instruction how will they arrange themselves – according to height, number of children, etc. They were given time to talked about their strategy and constantly asked if they can still lower the record… or break their current record.
o Dapat kaila nimo ang imong kauban. MAGKAISA
o Makinig sa instructions
o Teamwork
o Cooperation
o May tiwala sa isa’t isa
o Isang lahi at kultura kaya dapat magkaintindihan
o Teamwork bag-o magwaldas ug kwarta
o Ang lider ay hindi makasarili, dapat marunong lumingon sa kasama
o Take ideas from others
o Mag-usap tungkol sa strategy/ies
§ Habang nag-uusap nagkakaroon ng panibagong pamamaraan na nagpapadali sa paglutas ng problema
The fourth activity is the untangling of connected hands to form a circle. The group was not successful in untangling the hands and shared their lesson learned.
o Kung ang tanan nag-isturyahanay ug walay nagapaminaw maong naay gubot nga mahimong away.
o Kung tanan magreklamo ug walay maminaw, magkagubot ang tanan
o Sa gamay nga bagay, importante ang istoryahanay
Concerns were also verbalized and confirmed by the communities such as:
1. Distribution of land
o Nagaaway ang clans
o ISSUES: ancestral domain
o Conflict within the clan
o Ginaguba ang mga balay nga gipatindog biskan sa ancestors nila ang yuta
2. Boundary conflict between clans
o Ayuhon sa malinawon nga pamaagi
3. Animosity among IP clan leaders
4. Intrusion of businessmen sa ancestral domain
5. Proliferation of guns in the area
o Can be solved through helping each other; cooperation
6. NCIP office acting as middle person on land dealings
o Dili magpadala sa kasuko
7. EDUCATION
o Ingnan ang kabataan nga mutabang sa Sinawal kung mugraduate na sila
8. Intrusion of banana and pineapple plantation
o Ok lang man ang development pero dili masinati sa mga pobre/ mga tao sa area ang mga pagkaon kay para man kini sa mga dato.
The barangay councilor ended the activity by saying, “Ang mga dula nga gibuhat ganiha ay may mga kahulugan kag kabuluhan. Dili lamang basta basta nga dula, naa niy purpose. Dili pabay-an nga mawala ang kultura sa Blaan lalo na karon nga naexpose na ang mga kabataang Blaan sa ubang Kultura”
Another peace dove paper folding closed the activities before the lunch to remind them of their common desires. Looking at their peace doves, they might remember the lessons learned and challenges their tribe are facing and handling this issues and concerns in a peaceful way.
The community wanted to have another session of “Panagtagpu” this coming January 2012.
Community ate their shared lunch packed in banana leaves.
Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) celebrated their Christmas Party with more than 400 children and 150 families mostly of the Indigenous Peoples in SItio Paopao, Brgy. SInawal, General Santos City. Sec. Luwalhati Antonino personally met the IP families and their children in Sitio Paopao Elementary School, Brgy. Sinawal, General Santos City on December 16, 2011 .
In a brief message, MINDA staff told the community that in this simple activity, they wanted to share the spirit of Christmas and that they wanted to tell that there is an office for them and there is a government to look for their welfare.
THE ACTIVITIES:
The volunteers of SOCSARGEN Peace Network facilitated the initial activities like origami or paper peace dove folding for grade 4 to 6 and adult IP families while Grade 1 to Grade 3 were being entertained with various Child Friendly Activities while waiting for MINDA to arrived.
As soon as MINDA arrived, they facilitated various activities simultaneously.
The adults were engaged in a technology seminar called “Liter of Light” to light their houses conservatively.
Kids ages 4-12 were grouped for a “Book Reading” facilitated by Jay Rosas.
Vitamin A were distributed to kids ages 2-6.
The teens were given various games and activities in the covered court.
Packed gifts were given to more than 200 pupils and Chrstmas food packages for 150 indigenous people families of B’laan, T’boli and Manobo.
A community lunch were prepared called a “boodle fight”, military style of eating where long tables are prepared and food are on top of the banana leaves. Viands includes bihon, pancit, adobong manok, and aprita. Rice ready to eat using bare hands, jugs of water are prepared on the side to wash hands before the "eating engagement”.
EXPRESSIONS OF JOY AND GRATITUDE.
Zenaida Oyog, 54 years old, Manobo mother expressed her gratitude to MINDA saying ”Bong Salamat”.
She wanted to cook the bihon immediately and invite her relatives to join her even it was not yet a Christmas day.The principal, Mr. Lou Bernandino, together his faculty,
barangay officials and tribal leaders were very grateful that his school was the venues of MINDA’a Christmas Party. He was also visited by DEPEd School Division Superintendent’s Estrella Lariosa.The place was full of joy and surprises especially for the children as they received various toys and candies.
Indeed, “It’s Christmas Time in Paopao with MINDA” as they decorate their stage.
