DAVAO CITY – Tribal chieftains from various communities in Talaingod, Davao del Norte want the Department of Education to revoke the closure order of Salugpungan schools saying those who requested for the schools’ closure do not represent the Talaingod Manobos.
In a press release, Datu Doloman Dawsay, spokesperson of the Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanugon (Unity in Defense of Ancestral Land), said that the decision to close down their schools came from “so-called leaders who do not represent the Talaingod Manobos.”
Dawsay affirms that it is the Salugpungan that truly embodies the population of Talaingod, and that it is their wish that the schools should continue to operate.
“Sa una ra mi nangayo og eskwelahan, wa gyud gibuhat ang gobyerno. Karon nga naa na, ila na pud ipasarado (We have been asking for schools for a long time, but the government has not taken action. Now that we have (schools), they want it closed down),” Dawsay said.
“Ilang opisina na lang unta ang ipasara, kay mao may wala’y gibuhat (Maybe it is their offices (DepEd) that should be shut down, because they have not done anything”),” he said.
Dawsay said the leaders representing the Municipal Tribal Council who reportedly made the request of the schools’ closure do not represent their community.
“Wala man gani siguro na katuod sa among lugar. Unsa ilang katungod na ipasara ang amo eskwelahan, na ang Salugpungan man ang tinuod na representante sa mga tao?” (They probably don’t even know how to get around our area. What right do they have to shut our schools down, when it is the Salugpungan that truly represents the people?”),” Dawsay said.
The group recently conducted protest rallies at the National Commission on Indigenous People, the Commission on Human Rights and the Department of Education regional office.
