The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), along with three national government agencies and the local government of Davao del Norte, will lead the launching of the “Adopt-a-Tribal Family” Program in the mountain village of Gupitan, Kapalong town on Monday, Oct. 12.
At least 150 families from the isolated tribal village of Tapayanon, Gupitan will be the first beneficiaries of the program which aims to provide decent homes, sustainable livelihood projects, education for the children and basic services which they never received from government since birth.
The launching of the “Adopt-a-Tribal Family” Program, which was conceptualized and designed by MinDA, comes less than a month after the first engagement between MinDA officials and members of the Ata-Manobo community which was never served by government and called the “Lost Tribe.”
The families were discovered by a Long Range Patrol team of the Philippine Army in 2019 deep in the forests in the tribal-boundaries of Davao del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Bukidnon while pursuing communist rebels belonging to the New People’s Army.
Only able-bodied men of the village served the community’s link to the the outside world and this happened only when they sold fibers of Abaca which grew wild in the forests to the nearest population centers in San Fernando, Bukidnon or Kapalong, Davao del Norte.
To do that, the men had to walk through the forests for two days carrying 15 to 30 kilos of Abaca fiber on their backs and coming back with salt, sugar, tobacco and rice.
When found by the Army troopers in February 2019, the community was controlled by the NPAs. Many of the houses were made out of round timber and tree barks and there was no symbol of government in the area, not even a school.
Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista, TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña, Indigenous People’s Commission head Sec. Allen Capuyan and the MinDA Chairman will represent the national government in the program.
The local governments will be led by Davao del Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib, Vice Gov. Rey Uy, Kapalong Mayor Tess Timbol and members of the provincial board.
The province’s two Congressmen, former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Alan Dujali are also expected to join the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement among the agencies involved in the “Adopt-a-Tribal Family” Program.
Initial assistance which will include farm tools and seeds, along with food supplies and clothes, will be turned over during the ceremonial launching.
The private sector, including big corporations, are expected to join the program by adopting tribal families.
The program of reaching out and caring for marginalized and neglected tribal families is planned to be replicated in other areas in Mindanao.
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(Photos were taken by the Media Team of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) during the initial engagement with the “Lost Tribe” in Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong Sept. 11, 2020.)
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