A theatrical play produced by the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) demonstrated the anxiety of tribal Ata-Matigsalug schoolchildren over the future of their education as government military counterinsurgency operations continued to be directed at their communities, and their members subjected to harassment. (Evan Michael S. Clerigo/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY – A theatrical play produced by the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) demonstrated the anxiety of tribal Ata-Matigsalug schoolchildren over the future of their education as government military counterinsurgency operations continued to be directed at their communities, and their members subjected to harassment.
The play was presented last Wednesday and Thursday before the University of the Philippines audience in its Mindanao campus and show how they looked at sporadic military operations as “threats to advance their call to sustain their right to education.”
Irika Rosello, a Rural Missionaries of the Philippines staff said “their [the Talaingod students] schooling is always halted by the militarization. Grade 7 students are here in Davao City because they have been experiencing harassments and intimidation near their school farm last October.”
“We are here to address the militarization in our place by the 68th and 60th Infantry Battalion. Our [RMP] main mission is help the peasants and lumads and to support their struggle,” she added.
Lala Fanagel, administrator staff of The Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Center Inc. (STTICLC) said that “basic service for the Indigenous Peoples are always overlooked and neglected. The education that the Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanugon community demands from the agencies of the government and from the Department of Education is still unheeded, and they want to sell our ancestral lands to the foreign corporations.”
Geallaika Delideli, prime chancellor of the Dalub-aral na may Ugnayan, Galing at Organisadong Ningas na Ginagabayan ng Antropolohiya (DUGONG Antro), a UP Mindanao Anthropology course-based organization, said that “one of our objectives is to forward this issue to the national level and to address the unheeded struggles of Talaingod minorities”.
“As mga Iskolar ng Bayan we need to undertake, support and join their struggles,” she added
According to Delideli, they have gathered an estimated amount of Php 10, 000 from the event and this will help the Talaingod students on their educational trip in Manila.
By November 3, these students will be sent off to Manila, as part of their educational tour, they will present this play from school to other institutions and organizations, in coordination with the Save Our Schools Network National and the Children’s Rehabilitation Center, for a month.
Fanagel said the RMP and the Matigsalug tribe established the community learning center for the Talaingod youths.
“Nanawagan kami sa tanan na angay ug ipadayon nato ang atong pagsuporta sa kaning programa (We call on everybody to continue supporting this program),” he added.
Social Science Professor Myfel Paluga said that “this theatrical presentation will show the Manobo students’ desire to have a quality and free education. The proceeds of this event will go to the students [of STTICLC].”
The theater presentation was sponsored by the UP Mindanao Department of Social Sciences (DSS) and DUGONG Antro. (davaotoday.com)
