“Mailak kit makaturung naoy atdi pannaka-recognize da amin e tribo atdi Pilipinas ya babain naoy ot ma-unite da te napapigsa di ibil di add-adu nu sa sasa’an” (I can see that the [UPAKAT] can help in the recognition of all ethnic groups in the Philippines and that, through this network, indigenous peoples can unite as the voice of many is louder than that of only one).
Rico Sumalag, officer of Ganak da iLicoy, commented on the benefit of joining the Ugnayang Pambansa para sa Katutubong Kaalaman at Talino (UPAKAT), Inc. during the UPAKAT orientation in Casicallan, Paracelis, Mountain Province on March 24, 2023, conducted with support from SwedBio.
In line with the post-pandemic objective of the UPAKAT, a network of indigenous peoples organizations (IPOs), political structures (IPS), federations and communities in the Philippines, of reactivating its call for more meaningful participation of indigenous peoples in national decision-making platforms as well as the genuine consideration of their perspectives and real-lived situations in the formulation of various plans and policies, Tebtebba as its secretariat through the Philippine program, calls for the submission of membership intents and renewals from its existing members and other IPOs, IPS, and indigenous communities in the Philippines.
The initiative started at the beginning of 2023 as an offshoot of an UPAKAT council meeting conducted in January to discuss updates on the situation of members’ communities, advocacy proposals, and the then upcoming second National Conference on Indigenous Languages which, in turn, took place in February—an event that UPAKAT members were an essential part of, among others. Included in the said membership consolidation is a plan to visit the different UPAKAT members to identify ways by which each member could be empowered in line with Tebtebba’s main framework of work, the Indigenous Peoples’ Sustainable Self-Determined Development (IPSSDD).
Like Sumalag, Rogelio Banggot, an elder of the Ganak da iLicoy, agreed that it was indeed important to put forward the issues experienced by indigenous peoples, allowing the consideration of their perspectives in the development of different government plans and policies. “Ambaru nait, makitak ket pagsayaatan dayta ta kasla federation metlang nga pagmaymaysaan tapno adda ikasta nga makicoordinate kadagitoy adda iti national” (The UPAKAT network is a good endeavor because I see that it is for the betterment of many as it is like a federation that unites indigenous peoples, providing them with an easier way to coordinate with national government bodies),” he said.
The Ganak da Ilicoy, in the said orientation facilitated by Doris Borna Mae Esteban and Roger Lambino of Tebtebba, accepted the invitation and signified their intent to affiliate with the network through their resolution number 5 series of 2023 that detailed the said decision of its council of leaders in a meeting on April 4, 2023 consecutive to the orientation conducted, favorable to the proposition of UPAKAT.
UPAKAT continues to update its membership, accept new registration intents and advocacy proposals from its members while working on preparations for community visits, capacity building activities and the upcoming general assembly after more than three years halt due to the COVID pandemic.