Faculty members from the UST National Service Training Program Civic Welfare Training Service and Literacy Training Service (UST NSTP CWTS LTS), together with Prof. Arvin D. Eballo, PhD, Director of UST Simbahayan Community Development Office and Faculty Adviser and members of UST Mechanical Engineering Society joined the Dumagat-Remontado Indigenous People (IP) of Antipolo City, Rizal in celebrating the Indigenous Peoples’ day held last October 25, 2019 at Barangay San Jose, Antipolo City, Rizal.
With the theme, “Katutubong Dumagat sa Sariling Atin, Katuwang sa Pag-unlad at Hamon sa Panahon”, the activity is aimed to relive the Dumagat-Remontado indigenous community’s rights, culture, and tradition. The celebration commenced with a ritual led by the group’s Kamalan or Council of Elders, Kaksaan, and the seven Gemot or Chieftains. There were exhibit of the Dumagat-Remontado indigenous houses called “punduhan” and traditional song and dance performances and poetry reading participated in by the different indigenous people communities coming from Purok Tayabasan Libis, Sitio Balon, Sitio Paglitaw Apia, Canomay, San Joseph Purok Mainit, and Calawis. Highlighted also in the event is the call of the Dumagat-Remontado IPs to follow the process of acquiring the FPIC or the free, prior, and informed consent in their communities.
The IP day was also attended by other stakeholders and partner organizations of the indigenous people communities of Antipolo City, Rizal. Sitio San Joseph Purok Mainit is one of the partner communities of the University of Santo Tomas. Among the projects initiated in the community to date were literacy services, children’s rights workshops, disaster risk reduction and management seminars, and construction of the School of Living Traditions by the UST NSTP CWTS LTS, and installation of solar panels and ram pump by the UST Faculty of Engineering.
The activity was organized with the help of the city government of Antipolo through the City Social Welfare and Development Office and DSWD Field Office-4 MCCT in line with the celebration of the National Indigenous People’s Month held every October.
