Ganak Elders and officers discussing action plans for the year 2023
Paracelis, Mountain Province, Philippines—Following a series of research and documentation conducted last year on Licoy historical accounts, indigenous knowledge systems and practices and demographic trends, the Ganak da i-Licoy is pushing forward plans for formal ethnic recognition and ancestral land delineation this 2023, possibly through the guidance of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and in collaboration with the local government unit (LGU) of Paracelis and other concern government agencies. This is to fulfill their long-before aspiration of getting recognized as a distinct ethnic community with its own ancestral territory.
On January 28, 2023 at a meeting of the Ganak elders and officers, actions to be undertaken for the rest of the year were planned out which, then, included a coordination with NCIP, Paracelis municipal local government unit (MLGU) and other concern agencies for the conduct of mapping and resource inventory, settlement of territorial boundaries with other ethnic groups; and the processing, follow-ups and validation of researches and documentations made during the previous year. The expected output of these efforts will comprise the Ganak’s comprehensive community profile which will, in turn serve as reference for the assertion of the Licoy people’s ethnic identity as well as a means of knowledge preservation and transmission.
Mr. Rogelio Banggot discussing the action plans to his fellow Ganak Elders and Officers
“Koon taku da naoy e plano, makitinnurung tako atdi Tebtebba, ampaturung taku atdi NCIP ta masettle taku on da kiga-kigad, atda ibaliwon, atda madukayong, ambabag-an taku da naoy kandida ta maofficial di domain taku ya maidokumento taku da amin e awad atda bubbutod kanda dawwang taku. Ta nu mailiblu taku amin da naoy ot siya ipaila taku atda aanak taku” (Let us do all our plans. Let us cooperate with Tebtebba. Let us seek help from the NCIP to settle our boundaries with the Baliwons and with the Madukayans. Let’s discuss with them, to officially delineate our domain and document everything inside our forests and waters. When these are all documented, we will have something to show to our children), Rogelio Banggot, one of the Ganak Elders told his fellow elders and Ganak officers, explaining the purpose of the action plans being made during the said meeting.
The Ganak, represented by their village council of elders and officers, presented their action plan and all the efforts done during the previous year in partnership with Tebtebba to Paracelis Municipal Mayor, Honorable Marcos G. Ayangwa, during a courtesy call on January 30 at the Paracelis municipal hall. The mayor appreciated the said initiatives and confirmed the support of the local government for it. Also, he requested the Ganak to involve him into their endeavors as he himself is a ganak (descendant) of the i-Licoy.
Ganak Elders and Officers together with Tebtebba Philippine Program staff courtesy to the Paracelis Municipal Mayor, Hon. Marcos G. Ayangwa
“I like the concept, the idea nga ipaturay ti CADT ta ti daga addan sakbay ti tao. Mayat ti concept nga adda maysa nga tribo tapno adda mangisaksakit kadagiti resources tayo” (I like the concept, the idea that we acknowledge and respect the CADT as the lands came before us. It is great to have an ethic community that will protect and take care of our resources), Mayor Ayangwa commented. The Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) refers to a title formally recognizing the rights of possession and ownership of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCS/IPs) over their ancestral domains identified and delineated in accordance with R.A. No. 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples and Rights act of 1997.
Confirming the support of the MLGU, the Ganak is now gearing up for a discussion with the NCIP scheduled this coming 15 February that will provide orientation and guidance in relation to the Ganak’s initiatives. Meanwhile, processing and follow-ups on the researches made will continue back-to-back with the aforementioned collaborative activities with other agencies still, in partnership with Tebtebba with support from SwedBio.