Lumads of Negros Oriental favor federalism

CEBU, Philippines – Indigenous peoples, or the lumads, of Negros Oriental have been in favor of a federal form of government, which they believed will work in their favor, according to Rene Cabanag, spokesperson of the IPs in the province.

Cabanag made this statement during a briefing conducted by PDP-Laban provincial chairman, lawyer Joel Obar, before the mass oath-taking ceremony of its members at the party’s headquarters at Barangay Boloc-boloc in Sibulan town.

The IPs said that, under the federal system, two or more entitites can share control over the same geographic region and that sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and constituent political units such as the provinces.

Cabanag said the indigenous cultural communities and IPs have been advocating for federalism so that they could enjoy their rights to self-governance and empowerment, as mandated by Republic Act 8371, or the law recognizing, protecting and promoting their self-determination and respect for their integrity, values, practices and institutions.

An assembly of the lumads will be conducted later this year to declare a stand on certain issues including who and what party to support in the 2016 elections, said Cabanag.

The Indigenous Peoples Union in Negros Oriental has about 300,000 lumad-members all over the province, with city and municipal coordinators, he said.

Expected to attend the assembly are 10,000 ICCs and IPs, including 34 of their so-called pillars in Negros Oriental, tribal and area coordinators, as well as nine chieftains who were signatories of their privileges and benefits. (FREEMAN)