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Padilla vows to uphold IP, Muslim Filipinos’ rights
As the lone representative of Muslim communities in the Senate, Padilla also vowed to make the committee’s discussions productive. (File Photo: Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB via Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)
MANILA – Indigenous peoples (IPs) should not be discriminated against and deprived of their ancestral domains and should be given access to government programs, neophyte Senator Robinhood Padilla said on Thursday.
Being the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs, Padilla stressed that IPs, just like any other Filipino, should also benefit from the country’s progress.
“Ang pag-aalaga sa ating mga katutubo at sa mga nauna rito sa bansang Inang Bayan Pilipinas, sa mga Muslim, ito po ang tinatawag nating totoong kalayaan. Sapagka’t hindi po natin pwedeng sabihin na meron tayong kalayaan dito sa bayan natin kung tayo mismo ay naging mga lokal na mananakop (Taking care of our IPs and our Muslims shows true freedom. We cannot say we are free if we play the role of local conquerors),” Padilla told the committee.
“Pagka hindi natin iniahon sa kahirapan ang ating kababayang katutubo at hindi nila tinamasa ang yaman nila sa sarili nilang mga lupa, ibig sabihin noon, wala pong kalayaan dito sa ating Inang Bayan. Naglolokohan lang po tayo (If we do not take our IPs out of poverty or protect their ancestral land, we cannot say we have freedom. We are just fooling ourselves),” Padilla said.
As the lone representative of Muslim communities in the Senate, Padilla also vowed to make the committee’s discussions productive.
“Kung kaya’t nararapat lamang na sila ay bigyan natin ng importansya na kasing-lebel ng iginagawad natin sa iba’t ibang sektor ng ating lipunan (Which is why they should be given the same level of importance that we give to other sectors of society),” he added.
The lawmaker, who was recently visited in his office by Aetas from Pampanga, went to Sitio Haduan in Mabalacat, Pampanga to find solutions to the indigenous group’s problems including finding a suitable place for them to sell their agricultural produce and building a farm-to-market road.
A warm welcome greeted the senator and his team, who crossed a hanging bridge in Haduan to hear about the indigenous people’s various issues.
May-May
August 25, 2022 at 8:25 PM
They practically shall do it. Everyone shall have equality. This is led by our own constitution, that no one shall be controlled by the government. We have our own choice and will. Indigenous Filipinos are no other than us; our ancestors were also possibly indigenous people. Yes, some of them we can see how poorly they have become, but who I am, who are you to judge them? I think if the government supports them, like giving access to our education, I think they are not in the wrong.
Joana Mendoza
August 25, 2022 at 11:05 PM
Nakakalungkot lang na meron talagang discrimination pagdating sa mga katutubo dito sa ating bansa..Isa sila sa mga mahihirap na tao at di naaabot ng sibilisasyon.Dapat pagtuunan ito ng pansin ng gobyerno.Salamat senator Robin Padilla..Push mo lang po adhikain mo tungkol sa mga katutubo.
Jessabell Advincula
August 26, 2022 at 1:43 AM
Senator is right like us IP’s rights must be in focused, they are one of Philippine’s rich culture and IP’s shows what our ancestors is. They must be given the enough rights as to us. I think it is the time for us to acknowledge and accept them in our community. Because as we all suffer from poverty and hunger they may also suffer and it might be harder for them since they only relay on their agricultural lands which is often destroyed by natural calamities and makes it hard for them to cope up and continue living normally unlike us that recieve government aid. They must also have that since they are also filipinos like us.
As for muslims no matter what your religion is we are all Filipinos and now is not the time to discriminate as the world continues to develop we must also learn to accept the differences of each other and interact with them harmoniously. We must be respectful and understanding enough to accept their beliefs and practices that we dont practice in our religion.
No matter what your religion or what kind of people you are everyone must be respected and treated well. Discrimination is an old bad habit that we must stop.