KATRIBU HOLDS FIRST CULTURAL MEETING DE AVANCE, HIGHLIGHTS LUMADS’ GRASSROOT ISSUES

Davao City --- A thousand-strong delegation of Lumads from KATRIBU Partylist coming from various ethnolinguistic groupings in Region XI , XI and XIII trooped to Davao City as they held its Cultural Meeting De Avance here today, nine days before the May 10 elections.

Wearing their traditional clothes and waving Katribu flags, the lumads marched from three points in the city --- NCCC Mall Matina, R. Castillo, and Magsaysay then the three groups converged at Freedom Park. The participants are indigenous peoples from Malabog, Paquibato, Tugbok, Marilog, and Calinan in Davao City; Talaingod and Sto. Tomas in Davao Del Norte; Maragusan and Monkayo in Compostela Valley; Sta Cruz, Davao del Sur; Arakan, North Cotobato; Lingig, Surigao Sur; and Cogonon, Trento in Agusan Sur.

“At this point, we have already marked an incredible success in bringing to the forefront the real plight of the marginalized lumads during this campaign period. We may have been confronted with vicious schemes designed by the government and its armed forces such as open partisan campaigning, red tagging and human rights violations committed against our leaders and members; yet we have not faltered in our commitment to advance the interests of the marginalized lumads through KATRIBU PARTYLIST,” said Diolito Diarog, KATRIBU Davao City Coordinator, in his opening statement.

Katribu also announced its open endorsement to Sara Duterte and Rodrigo Duterte, as Davao City Mayor and Vice mayor, respectively, saying that "We look forward to more services, programs, projects and pro-human rights and pro-Lumad policy under the helm of the incoming mayor Sara Duterte." Nacionalista Party Vice Presidential bet has also been openly endorsed. Legarda has at the onset of the campaign already announced her supprt to KATRIBU partylist due to its environmental advocacy.

He added, “The lumads’ active participation expressed our desire to have a voice in Congress and to partake and contribute in bringing about genuine change against the prevailing corrupt and immoral governance.”

Described as the first cultural meeting de avance held and participated in by a big number of lumad tribes, KATRIBU takes pride in having highlighted the real issues and problems of lumads.

In its Meeting de Avance, KATRIBU highlights the success of its electoral campaign especially its 12-day journey tagged as the “Panaw sa Lumad Alang sa Yuta, Kinaiyahan ug Kulturanhong Kaliwat” wherein more than 80 volunteer lumads participated in its house to house campaigns, rallies, voters' education and mock polls and other campaign activities.

“The said journey tagged as Panaw is an alternative campaign as it has proven that goons, guns and gold alone do not make or break an electoral campaign. The panaw is the unity of various lumad groups with the main objective of bringing to the forefront the voice of the genuine marginalized lumads,” said Diarog.

The Meeting De Avance featured grassroot lumad leaders’ messages and testimonies, cultural performances from lumad cultural groups Tubad from North Cotobato and lumad advocates theatre performing groups such as KATHARA theatre collective. #

FOR REFERENCE:
DIOLITO DIAROG