The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was severely affected by Typhoon Paeng (international name Nalgae). According to a report by ReliefWeb International, in this region alone, around 1 million people or 202,000 families were affected. 467,000 people were displaced. The death toll is 51, and 14 are missing. Within the BARMM, we’re focusing on the Teduray and Lambangian Tribes — the Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples in the region. PBCI works in partnership with the Timuay Justice and Governance regarding the needs on the ground. We’re also deputized by WEA Manila to deliver Core Humanitarian Standard packs to 500 Teduray and Lambangian families.
After the distribution, Sihaya and Tala took some moments to relax. That’s when they smiled at Ama Lakan’s iPad camera.
The Téduray and Lambangian tribes are among the Lumad (Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao) whose ancestral domains are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) where the Muslim population has been struggling and journeying towards genuine autonomy from the Philippine government.
Thus, the Lumad are caught in the crossfire between non-state armed groups and the government’s military and paramilitary.
Despite the violence committed against them, the Teduray and Lambangian Indigenous Peoples (IP) continue to practice their own system of governance, peacefully asserting their right to self-determination, and making a sustainable living from their sacred lands.
Jerry Datuwata, field leader of the Timuay Justice and Governance, welcomes the representatives of the Teduray and Lambangian families in this assigned relief distribution area.The representatives of the families were organized by sitios (neighborhood) and were called to enter the distribution space (enclosed in a string line) in groups of five, while the rest are requested to sit and relax under a shaded area.Jerry Datuwata of TJ&G gives the order to PBCI team to start the distribution.Toto Balono, our Maguindanaoan staff, welcomes and gives the claim tickets based on the list prepared by TJ&G.The system seems to work. No long line ups and most sat and relaxed in a shaded area.OMI Seminarians who have been assigned to work in this area under the OMI IP Ministries helped resolve a handful of cases of misunderstanding. All were given justice-based answers and resolutions.Special care were given when mothers with children are picking up their relief packs.We asked this woman how she felt as she exited the distribution space. She smiled and said, “Maayos po talaga. Salamat po. (It’s really orderly. Thank you.)”The TJ&G assigned young men to help some folks to carry a 10 kilo bag of premium rice and a bag with well-chosen grocery items requested by the TJ&G based on their needs assessment.A young TJ&G volunteer listens to the instruction of an elderly client where to put her goods.Young men help load sacks of rice on a horse for a number of families coming from a neighborhood which is a two-hour walk away from this distribution area.Our team (L-R): Toto Balono, Sihaya Ansibod, Tala Bautista, and Pau Gancero. Photos in this post are by Lakan Sumulong. | “This is one of the most relaxing relief operations I’ve experienced so far,” Tala Bautista, Senior Vice President of CoffeeForPeace.Com said. “Perhaps,” Ama Lakan replied, “because the TJ&G volunteers are so organized and highly motivated in accomplishing the tasks given them.”
We, at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI), believe that these Indigenous Peoples need more attention in terms of hearing their voices as they express their long-term aspirations and even as they express their immediate needs after a natural disaster like the recent one caused by Typhoon Paeng.
PBCI will be guided by the Timuay Labi (Presiding Chieftain) Leticio Datuwata of the Timuay Justice and Governance based in Barangay Awang, Municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
PBCI aims to go to one of the most difficult-to-reach IP communities among the 18,135 households presently residing in 80 barangays within 12 municipalities in mainland BARMM.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2022/11/21/wea-manila-brings-relief-supplies-to-teduray-lambangian-tribes-through-pbci-tjg-part-1/
