PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA) — Dionicio Saavedra, the newly-installed Indigenous Peoples’ Mandatory Representative (IPMR), has assumed his post as a sectoral representative in the Puerto Princesa City Council during its regular session on Monday.
“Marami akong plano, unang-una sa edukasyon, alamin ko muna kung ano ang problema ng mga katutubo. Kasi kaming mga katutubo ay marami kaming kailangan gawin—himay-himayin muna natin,” he said.
Aside from education, he also plans to propose the designation of evacuation sites for indigenous people. The super typhoon Odette in 2021 also taught Saavedra the need for IPMR to check the situation of fellow IPs onsite.
“Nasa atin na ngayon ang karapatan para ipagtanggol ang mga katutubo— Dahil ako ang representative ng mga katutubo, wala akong pipiliin basta kapwa ko katutubo,” he said.
His first visits as IPMR will cover Sitio Kayasan in Barangay Tanabag up to Langogan. Visiting communities is necessary to understand challenges and identify solutions to the situations of his fellow IPs, Saavedra added.
Saavedra will serve a three-year term from October 2023 to October 2026.
“Dapat puntahan mo kung ano ang problema ron, kaya nandiyan ka sa konseho para alamin mo kung ano ang mga problema ng mga katutubo na nasasakupan mo,” he said. (RG/PIA Mimaropa – Palawan)
