CAPACITY BUILDING FOR INDIGENOUS LEADERS  AND KEY ACTORS IN SIBULAN

Sibulan is an indigenous community constituted mainly by the Bagobo-Tagabawa, one of the indigenous communities who since time immemorial have been living around the southern slopes of Mt. Apo.  The 2007 National Census noted that Barangay Sibulan has a total household population composed of 490 households. As high as 98% of this population are descendants of those who first settled in this upland  area  of what is now Davao City.   It is part of the city’s Toril District

Despite being quite near Davao City, the inhabitants of Sibulan – like most of the indigenous people of Mindanao – continue to be plagued by poverty and underdevelopment.  The various levels of government and the different agencies tasked to deal with the social needs of the people (especially infrastructure, education, health and social services) have had very inadequate social intervention in the area that could truly benefit the lives of the Lumads in this village.

 The little that the State and its local expressions (the city government, its district representatives and some line agencies) have done are to pave the typical  farm-to-market roads that are quite primitive, assist in building barangay-level buildings for meetings, a local elementary school and the like. For all intent and purposes, the Bagobo-Tagabawa are left to their own survival.

MindanaWon

Dialogue in Diversity

 “ Magsinabtanay” understand one another! We call for the formation of Mindanawon consciousness and multicultural dialogue.

 We commit ourselves to a vision that we share with many-the flourishing of a consciousness among our communities with diverse identities. Diversity strengthens, rather than weakens, our solidarity for peace and justice in this land.

 We focus on Lumad cultural regeneration: the articulation of their aspiration and strengthening of their own initiatives. The Lumad have suffered the most and benefited the least in Mindanao history: caught in crossfire between warring groups, their sacred sites desecrated at the altar of development, their languages and laws ignore by the state, and their ways and wisdom remain misunderstood, even by those mean to help. Amidst all these, they continue to assert their dignity and destiny, and we wish to become part of their struggle.