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Dangtalan, Puapo now part of Guinaang-Lubuagan bodong

BAGUIO CITY (Mar 1) — The bodong (peace pact) forged in the city between the Guinaang and the Lubuagan tribes now include the Dangtalan and Puapo people, who the tribal elders say, belong to the Guinaang tribe.

After almost two hours of deliberations whether or not to include the Dangtalan and Puapo, both tribes agreed during the second celebration of the bodong hosted by the Guinaang tribe in San Carlos Heights on Feb. 20.

“They are our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters,” said Benny Lingbawan, of the Guinaang tribe who holds the peace pact of Lubuagan, “Dara mi dayta, isunga maawatan yo koma. Saan tay’ koma a mangisina nu di ket manginayon tayo ta manaagi tayo.” (They are our blood (relatives) so I hope you understand. We should not isolate. Instead, we should include). Lingbawan asked his counterpart from the Lubuagan tribe to include the people from Dantalan and Puapo.

There are existing bodong between the Lubuagan and Dangtalan tribes and between the Lubuagan and Guinaang tribes in Kalinga. Among the things the city bodong holders considered included the absence of physical boundaries between the i-Guinaang and i-Dangtalan in other urban areas outside of Kalinga.

“As far as Baguio and Benguet are concerned, they cannot be separately identified,” said Atty. Elorde Lingayo, chairperson of the Kalinga Bodong Convenors’ Group (KBCG). He said to prevent mistakes of creating unnecessary problems that may destroy the bodong, the tribes consented at the inclusion.

Lingayo also pointed out that there is no physical difference between the Guinaang and Dangtalan. He said that they speak the same language. It is the Pasil River in Kalinga that physically separates the territory of the Dangtalan from the Guinaang.

Aside from the Dangtalan people, all those who have been related by affinity with both tribes are included in the rules of bodong. They have to be acknowledged by the bodong holders to be included in the terms of the bodong, according to Lingayo.

Meanwhile, in Kalinga, a Bodong Congress initiated by the local government units will be held in Lubuagan from Mar. 4-6. Lingayo is optimistic that the congress will tackle the case of Christian Malaggay, which caused the collapse of the Kalinga bodong between the two tribes.

The Baguio-Benguet bodong congress will be done after the Lubuagan bodong congress, Lingayo announced.

Around 500 joined the celebration in San Carlos Heights here in Baguio. # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS

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