From Under This Hat: Unities must be respected

By KATHLEEN T. OKUBO
www.nordis.net

“Unjon” literally translated from the English word “union” was chosen to name an organization of Baguio-Benguet natives. Their convening elder then emphasized the importance of standing united or of being united as a people, “no one should be quarreling (angry arguing)” she said, “ayshi e menbakbakhal (pangkep ni bohday, ni pilak et nu ngaran e panbakbakhalenjo…)”.

It was also articulated that they as Onjon agree to put together a simple but meaningful annual thanksgiving celebration on the Ibaloy day. Though many of them (in its organizational meeting) then did not even really know why it had to be every year on Feb 23, no one wanted to question the authority the respected convener commanded from her ka-et (her people) and they were very happy anyway, that there now is an Ibaloy Day and an Ibaloy heritage park. A token granted (which was lobbied for and worked for by the elder’s nieces & nephews) by government to rectify the historical injustice suffered collectively by the Philippine national minorities, indigenous peoples. In this case, the Ibaloys in Baguio-Benguet.

This respected elder, in so many words, repeatedly raised that Onjon means to encourage or foster unity among the local Ibaloys. And, that the Ibaloys work and use the park to further their unity to achieve what is good for the people and not only for the individual. Or use the organization or the park to further selfish individual ambitions.

In earlier consultations among the Ibaloy clans in Baguio, it was unanimous that a space should be requested from the city government for them as the natives of Baguio and Benguet in the city to maintain and use as a gathering place to practice their traditional cultures et pan aadivayan and where they may put a monument in recognition and to remember their ancestors who fought against foreign colonizers (centennial heroes), and for their people to be equally represented in national and local governance. The city granted the area which their elder chose within the ancestral land of her forebears that is now the city’s central park, this on the condition that there will be no permanent buildings or commercial structures in the Ibaloy heritage park (as it is a law that covers all public parks). For its landscape construction and maintenance the group would take charge.

In this past eight years since its inauguration, what has been done to improve the park for people to be able to use as “pan aadivayan” and common meeting place for the Ibaloy community and the public with gardens and pine trees can now be seen, visited and enjoyed or critiqued. I expected to find a comfortable nook to rest or read a book; an ambiance of warmth, welcome, free open space to breathe in, build friendships – traits which the Ibaloy is described to have by other peoples who visit and know little of the Igorots. It is what it is, the park in the care of an Ibaloy group under the Onjon.

The founding principles of this group were built on the aspiration of building unities within the ranks of the Ibaloys to best move forward in this excessively commercialized individualistic society, and not to spawn disunity or divisiveness and mediocrity. One need not have exposure to organizing work to recognize that corruption and individualist opportunism at any degree within any group defeats all the goodwill, its objectives and goals set from the beginning.

As the Ibaloy keeps saying as their way of settling grievances by the tongtong or pantatavalan to draw decisions by consensus, or collective decision, then it should be done (pantatavalan sha et asas sha nu guaray pandokdoko e) and, the consensus drawn is held sacred – repected. If there is corruption and opportunism, an honest to goodness audit and activity report is standard and required of the elected officers to the council of elders (and not to themselves!) who shall make decisions on its merits.

For the Ibaloy community’s sake those power hungry, income generating opportunists using the group name to jockey for government positions or eke out some income, get out. It is not honorable or dignified to be destroying the unities built from the start. If there aren’t any then please straighten up and be genuine with your voluntary service and be trustworthy in the service. Nor does anyone even the NCIP, have the privilege to use Unjon or any Ibaloy group to discredit the Ibaloy people’s consensus drawn in the November 4, 2016 Baguio Ibaloy Assembly to select the first legitimate Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative for Baguio. # nordis.net