Monday, August 10, 2015

Iligan Higaonon Tribe pushes larger budget for the year 2016



          The Higaonon Tribe from Bayug Iligan Ancestral Domain and the coastal area have pushed larger budget for the calendar year of 2016 worth of 3.2 million pesos which about 450 percent increase than the budget of year 2015.
Iligan City Councilor Emanuel Salibay lauded the IP participation


          This proposed budget was an offshoot of the workshop few weeks ago at second Floor Frosty Bites, National Highway, Tubod, Iligan City initiated by the Committee on Indigenous People of the Sanguniang Panlungsod of Iligan City led by City Councilor Emanuel “Manny” Salibay who chaired such body.

       Desmon Manalo, Chief of Staff of City Councilor Salibay reported that 100 delegates from the Tribe from the hinterland barangays such as Rogongon, Panoroganan, Kalilangan, Mainit and coastal areas of the city.

          The following is the breakdown of the budget:  Preservation and Strengthening of Indigenous People Ancestral Domain and its Indigenous Political Structure  - 1,350,000, Strengthening the Developmental Framework of Bayug-Iligan Ancestral Domain - 300,000, Preservation, research and Documentation of the Language, Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices including the dressing system - 500,000. 

           The other budget items are Indigenous People Capability Building -300,000,             Advocacy on Indigenous Peoples Rights - 300,000, Forest Protection, 200,000, Livelihood - 150,000, Health is 150,000.

        Abel Moya, Program Officer of the Resource-Based Conflict and Peace building Training Program of the Mindanao Peace building Institute Foundation Incorporated based in Davao City facilitated the workshop process of getting the thoughts from the delegates. 

           City Councilor Salibay lauded the overwhelming participation of the Tribe saying it is the time that the Indigenous People can put on their thoughts for the 2016 proposed budget.

            “I do initiate this process to have a budget in the city government of Iligan for the 2016 that truly coming from the people and maybe it is the first here in the city hoping it will influence to other sector that will propose their respective budget to be defended by their city councilor in the council”, Salibay stressed.

            National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Commissioner Regina “Nanette” Antequisa lauded the process which first of its kind in the City of Iligan saying it is a bottom's up budget process which the thrust of their commission.

               “ It’s nice if the different committees of the Iligan City Council will do the same process such as women, agriculture and others in order to formulate a meaningful and truly peoples’ oriented proposed budget for 2016”, Commissioner Antequisa called. 

               Iligan City Acting Mayor Ruderic Marzo in his message committed to implement whatever formulated in the process which eventually approved by the City Council.

               “My role is to implement whatever agreed here and approved by the City Council”, Acting Mayor Marzo expressed, but he left immediately to catch up his flight to Manila for the attendance of the last State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno Aquino III. 

                Datu Diamla Rolando D. So-ong the head claimant of Bayug-Iligan Ancestral Domain and currently Indigenous People Mandatory Representative to the City Council was grateful of having the said strategic planning budget process for the Indigenous People Budget for 2016.

                “It is the first time that we the Tribe are asked what should be the budget for us in the coming year which a laudable gesture”, Datu Diamla expressed. 

Iligan Higaonon Tribe asked blessings from their God in their formulate 2016 budget
               Both City Councilors Marlene Young and Frederic Siao lauded the process and grateful of being invited the affair and committed to help Councilor Salibay to defend it in the city council in the course of deliberation.

                It could be recalled that there is an executive budget for 2015 amounting P700,000.00. IPMR for the City Council was excluded the Tribe hoping it would be included in the Supplemental Budget 2015 ant their Mandatory Representative can finally assume its office.

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