On Friday, Sept. 11, I joined Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib, Cong. Pantaleon Alvarez and top Armed Forces and local government officials in a 2-hour trip to the edge of the jungles of Kapalong town to meet with members of the Ata-Manobo tribe whose village was isolated from the rest of the community for over 100 years.
Only the elders and the able-bodied men of the community hidden in the jungles of Sitio Tapayanon, Barangay Gupitan had contacts with the outside world and these happened only when they walked for two straight days to sell Abaca fiber which they carried on their backs to buy salt, sugar, tobacco and, when there was money left, rice.
Since they were born, the members of the tribe survived on camote, yam and at least once a year, their native rice variety, Kamad-an.
The cadres of the New People’s Army, most of whom were also members of the Ata-Manobo tribe first reached the hidden village sometime in 2015 and it was not until members of the Army’s Long Range Patrols strayed into the village while pursuing the rebels in February 2019 did they have first contact with government.
The Army troopers under Col. Gilbert Ombos of the 60th Infantry Battalion reported that the 140 families in the village lived in huts made out of round timber and leaves as their roofs.
They lived for over a century without any symbol of government present and the women moved around half-naked.
Things have changed since then as the Army served as their first teachers and later one three volunteer teachers who also belong to the tribe lived in the village to educate the children, including the elders.
I wanted to go the village but the road ended in Sitio Mondol from where it was still a good 6-hours of brisk walking by the natives before Sitio Tapayanon could be reached.
There, we met up with the men of the “Lost Tribe” who are now members of the Bagani tribal warriors group engaged by the Armed Forces to defend their village from the NPAs.
Reconnected with their fellow Ata-Manobo tribesmen, the “Lost Tribe” of Tapayanon now wear the colorful indigenous head-dress and vests and some of them have learned to speak the Cebuano language in less than two years since they were discovered
This is the first of a 2-part video presentation produced by the Beauty & Bounty Media Team of the Mindanao Development Authority which we hope will make our leaders realize that beyond the comforts of our offices and the well-paved roads, there are Filipinos who have not been touched and cared for by government.
#LetsWalkAnExrraKilometer!
#LetsClimbOneMoreMountain!
#LetsCrossOneMoreRiver!
#LetsHearTheCriesOfPeople!
(Produced by the Beauty & Bounty of Mindanao Media Team for the Mindanao Development Authority.)
https://fb.watch/aMqyql4aWy/
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