ONE: Is unity a possibility?

"Pagkawasak ng mga tiyak na hangganan sa nasasakupan, makabagong kaugalian, nabagong relihiyon, mga sistemang binahagi ng paaralan (tulad ng edukasyon) at ang paghina ng kulturang-etniko ay ang simula ng pagkabuo ng isang bansa", said Tyrone Nepomuceno of the UST Senior High School.

However, the isolation and displacement of the Lumads, a group of indigenous peoples (IP's) from Southern Mindanao was also emphasized in a lecture held at the Engineering Conference Hall, last August 26.

The massive amount of gold reserves in the island which took the interest of the government and foreign mining industries, and also the counterinsurgency program of the previous Aquino administration, Oplan Bayanihan, affected the Lumads' livelihood and causing their relocation.

The on-going militarization in Lumad community schools creates a hindrance to the rights of education of the Lumads, said Nepomuceno.

Calling on to the Thomasian community, the history lecturer encouraged everyone to be one with the Lumads' fight in reclaiming their ancestral lands.

"It is our social responsibility to seek justice for the Lumads", he added.

Former Chairperson of Kabataan para sa Tribung Pilipino (KATRIBU) – UP Diliman Chapter, Berndatte Almanzor also talked about pressing issues faced by IP's, their traditional practices, rituals, and culture.

Zherluck Rodriguez, Chief Marketing Officer for HiGi Energy Pte Ltd  made the students participate in a group discussion where they imparted insights on how the youth can be involved and promote without commercializing the IP's.

Two films were shown tackling Philippine art and life of a volunteer in a Lumad community.

A film provided by Tudla Productions, "Pakot" (Wild Boar) is about a young volunteer teacher living in a Lumad community in the province of Compostela Valley.

"Traditional Art Nga Ba?" one of the twelve documentaries in "Ano ba Talaga ang Art?" produced by Nerisa Del Carmen Guevara, presents "uggayam" as a piece of culture that is of indigenous identity but restricts itself for traditional use.

One: Juan Country, Juan Community, Juan Culture is a seminar event initiated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Club UST, advocating the importance of being united despite cultural differences. 

Article by Adam J. Ang

Photos by Justine Nicole Valientes