Members of the Alangan tribe from Sitio Banilad, Brgy. San Ignacio, Baco, Oriental Mindoro have long faced challenges when exercising their right to vote— discomfort, fear and a sense of marginalization were among the challenges they experienced over the past elections.
In an interview by the Philippine Information Agency, Efren Calabyo, a member of the Indigenous Mangyan community from a sitio which is a home to over 700 Mangyans– one of the largest concentrations of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the municipality, shared the judgement he experienced during election season.
“Noong una kong pagboto po, kami ay lahok-lahok at tsaka po ang iba po naming kapatid na mga Tagalog. Para po bang kung minsan kami po ay nanliliit dahil mas marami po silang nandun,” Calabyo said.
He also expressed that fear lingered among them due to the negative perceptions some Tagalog people had of their community.
“May takot po na konting nararamdaman, dahil kalimitan, mga nakatingin yung hindi namin gusto pag kami po minsan ay natatakot din,” he added.
Despite this, Calabyo said he and his fellow IPs remain determined to vote, saying “Kami man po ay natatakot, kami po ay pilit na bumoto dahil alam po namin na karapatan naming bumoto.”
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) urgently addressed these concerns through the establishment of exclusive voting precincts for IPs, particularly the Mangyan community in Sitio Banilad. It aims to create a safer, more inclusive and empowering electoral environment for IP voters.
Victor Leviste, the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of the Alangan tribe in Baco, cited the significance of inclusion in governance for Indigenous communities.
“Mahalaga po sa aming mga katutubo na maging bahagi kami ng gobyerno,” said Leviste.
He also expressed hope that they would not be excluded from participating in democratic exercises and expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Philippine government.
“Kaya inaasahan namin talaga na kami ay makaboto dahil wala namang ibang inaasahan kundi gobyerno. Kahit kami ay nasa laylayan ng lipunan, sana maging bahagi kami ng gobyerno. Sa pamahalaan po, maraming salamat sa lahat ng pagpupursigi na kahit kami ay nasa laylayan, ramdam naming mga katutubo ang pagsisikap na marating at malaman ang lahat ng mga kahiligan para maging maayos kaming mga katutubo,” he said.
Moreover, Calabyo is thankful for the efforts that led to inclusive electoral practices.
“Kami po ay nagpapasalamat, dahil ang mga katutubo po ay nabuo sa isang lugar dito nga sa Casillon, at kami po ay sa araw ng botohan ay sama-sama po kami. Kami po ay kapag nagsasama-sama, kami po ay nakakaboto nang ayon sa aming kagustuhan, na wala pong nakakatakot at walang pangamba,” Calabyo said.
Meanwhile, Baco town Election Officer Reny Pagilagan on May 7 said that the initiative of establishing a separate poll place or SPP for the Mangyans was a product of close coordination with the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), in line with COMELEC’s mandate to ensure inclusive electoral participation.
“With the initiative of LENTE, to address some issues sa ating mga Mangyan, especially sa Oriental Mindoro, in-organize nila itong mga IPs at nagkaroon ng mga pag uusap ang LENTE and the tribal leaders of the Mangyans with the COMELEC. This is to address the issue na nadi-discriminate sila during the time of the election [at] hindi na sila nakakaboto dahil nauunahan ng mga Tagalog sa precinct,” Pagilagan said.
In the latest record of the COMELEC, the total population of registered voters of Mangyan IPs in Baco town alone were 3,163, of which 1,677 are male and 1,486 are female IPs.
The NCIP MIMAROPA has been actively supporting COMELEC’s IP voter empowerment programs.
NCIP MIMAROPA Regional Director Joemer Samong said that the agency is committed to uphold the political rights of the over 50,000 IPs in the whole province of Oriental Mindoro.
“Ang pakikilahok po ng ating katutubo ay sana suportahan ng bawat isa at gayundin po yung kanilang mga adhikain na makatulong po sa isang aktibong pagsulong sa isang maayos na halalan para sa isang Bagong Pilipinas,” Samong emphasized. (JJGS/PIA MIMAROPA-Oriental Mindoro)
