It is clear in the dictionary that discrimination is defined as the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of ethnicity, age, sex, or disability. So what is the issue in Benguet regarding the dismay of some locals against Honourable Congressman Eric Yap who is not born or raised in Benguet, running for his second re-election?
Congressman Yap was happily welcomed by Benguet People with wide open arms, with no opposition or objection, when he was appointed to take over as Congressman of the Province when the late Honorable Fongwan died in 2019. We was joyfully accepted, he was not discriminated.
Congressman Yap moves freely in Benguet, even to the depths of far flung areas of municipalities of Benguet. He enjoys walking around the hospitality of Benguet people with no threat or criticism from locals about his physical, sexual, age, or racial background. He is not discriminated. In fact locals appreciate him even those who oppose him now.
Congressman Yap can avail any services or provisions that locals of Benguet enjoy. Congressman Yap is not discriminated. In fact, he is buying properties as much as he can freely all at his disposal. Congressman Yap is not discriminated. He is with all the power and provision.
So what is the issue with locals regarding his bid for second re-election? A considerable portion of Benguet population has now noticed that the hospitality that was extended is being abused and used in some ways for the locals to be discriminated in their own land. Discriminated by means of them not being given the chance to govern their own province. Discrimination by means of giving all the funds and creating projects or programs which are interpreted by a portion of Benguet people as intended to amuse and hold the people of Benguet.
Local aspiring leaders and their supporters have now stood up to say that enough is enough. Thank you Congressman Yap for your service and generosity. Thank you for looking after our people and province when our own Congressman Fongwan died. We welcomed you on your appointment and supported you on your second re-election. We let you enjoy the hospitality and tranquility of Benguet but is now time for you to go. To return to your town where you are needed by your own community. Let Benguet people govern their own people and province, their way. Indigenous people like people in Benguet have their own ways of living and its politics that need to be protected and preserved from the elements of corruption and other bad influences of their outside world.
Honourable Congressman Eric Yap is not discriminated, the people of Benguet and local aspiring leaders are the ones discriminated, and with those mouth-watering provisions, will “ULAW” the vulnerable and tranquil Benguet people and not given the chance to govern their way for their own land and people.
I attended church today. As I held my child and put her up on my shoulder for her to have a better view of the praise and worship, it made me close my eyes and reflect for a moment.
Am I being fair? Help me God.
I then promise to state my real intentions, for the enlightenment of our supporters, for the people of Benguet and to our 2 respected leaders. To hopefully unconfuse the already confused.
Am I Anti-Yap?
No. I do respect and acknowledge the initiative and effort of our beloved Congressman Yap for the progress of Benguet. It is not easy for a stranger to win the hearts of people. Congressman Yap did all the ways and means he deemed necessary to win the people of Benguet. I am just a simple iBenguet but may you listen to my sentiment as a Pro-Benguet towards the end of this statement.
Am I Pro-Tagel?
No. I am being political but not partisan. I have promised to be such when I established TCC. That is why we did not solicit from Politicitians for our charity works so that we will not be influenced or attached to them. My postings might in some ways favour VG Tagel’s camp but it was not my intention.
So what do I mean for being a Pro-Benguet?
I simply mean that while I strongly encourage Benguet having a leader amongst its people, I do not disrespect the appointment of Congressman Yap when our own Congressman Fongwan died. I do not discount that he won the mandate from people who voted for him when he ran for his first elected term in 2022. I do not disregard the projects and initiatives he made for the Province of Benguet the scholarships and grants he extended to the sick. I want to simply ask that he may honestly tell the people of Benguet that his time was all coincidentally favoured by the generosity of Duterte’s Build Build Build Program, with him being appointed as the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations in the House that helped him secure huge funding, that his terms have been compoundedly favoured by the generosity of Raffy Tulfo and ACT-CIS Partylist. May he honestly speak to people of Benguet that it is indeed be difficult for any future Benguet congressman to get the same funds and will be difficult to do what he has done. Not because of the inability of any future congressman but because their circumstances may never be the same. May he honestly speak to people of Benguet that his favoured term of office should not be used to despise past and future congressmen because there circumstances are not on the same playing field. May he speak to people of Benguet that past Congressmen also did their best to serve with the available resources at hand. This will help settle the minds of Benguet people who have the same thinking as me, a pro-Benguet. We are normal territorial creatures who do not want to be threatened and undermined by a “stranger”. Some humans beings have that kind of trait and so with some Benguet people most especially those who have dreams of leading our own people. I hope you understand that. It is nothing against you, it is just a call of nature, of being iBenguet. May you use this opportunity, to pass your wisdom to our own aspiring leaders. I am sure that this will be a more valuable legacy of yours for Benguet people than the rocknetting projects.
So why don’t I campaign for VG Tagel to be the next Congressman?
While I strongly prefer having our leader amongst our own people of Benguet, I do not want to be a partisan and be attached to a politician. I do believe that VG Tagel have the capability to be a congressman same as Congressman Yap. May this controversy be a challenge to him and our future leaders that the people of Benguet have now seen the difference. You may not be able to surpass what Congressman Yap has done but I am sure that showing the people of Benguet your dedication and commitment to service will win their approval.
What do I want from iBenguets?
While Benguet people have seen differences of the works of Congressman Yap compared to our past congressmen, may they realise that it is unfair for them to dismiss and disregard the effort and hardwork of our own officials. They made hardwork to make Benguet as what it is today. May they realise that if it was Congressman Yap who served during the time of our previous congressmen, he might not be able to do what he has done now.
I hope and pray, that whoever wins as Congressman of Benguet this election will do their best for the people of Benguet and not for their own political and material interest. That whoever wins will take the lead in creating a law that will establish free healthcare for all Filipinos; that cancer patients will not have to beg for their chemotherapy, kidney disease patients will not have to beg for their dialysis, that all medical and diagnostic procedures are free for all Filipinos without having to go under the mercy of Congressmen and politicians. That all allowances and funds of congressmen and senators are consolidated into one to establish a free social and health care system for Filipinos where it continues from generations to generation without the threat of being discontinued or disrupted by politicians who will win over other politicians.
That our Congressman will lead in drafting a law that will seek to educate farmers and gardeners in the proper use of pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals used in farming. This may pave a way to study the effects of fertilisers and chemicals to the health of consumers, or its relation to the notable kidney disease that have markedly increased within the population. This may also pave a way to help introduce to farmers the technologies and advances in agriculture that will minimise the use of expensive chemicals used in farming. To create an effective law that will protect the livelihood of farmers from the abuses of middle man merchants, smuggling or illegal importation of similar crops produced by Benguet farmers. To create law that will seek to provide welfare or compensation when affected by calamities.
That our Congressman will pave a way to legislate welfare of small scale miners that aims for the protection, or provide alternative for their livelihood.
Again, laws that shall provide permanent benefits to Benguet farmers and miners throughout generations, not from gimmicks of each passing administration.
Filipinos are tired already of Filipino political system where poor people are used by politicians to cling to their power. We can never move for progress if each congressmen and senators are given allowances and funding for projects of their liking. This system is very prone for corruption and abuse. It was created for micro-government among politicians.
I am aware, I am just nothing. Who am I to tell our 2 respected aspirants my thought and my words? I am just saying all this as a pro-Benguet. Iyaman to all who have understood, supported and shared the same sentiment. Likewise, dispensar to all who may I have offended. Happy Palm Sunday and Vote Wisely on May 12. God bless us all.
Just few hours after her cryptic post, a retired St Lukes Hospital Nurse, her husband former Sagada Town Mayor James Pooten Jr and 2 other relatives die in a car crash, just a week after their arrival in Canada; adding to the more than 10 Filipinos who died involving car accidents in Canada within the last 10 years.
It is a tragic death for retired St Lukes Hospital Nurse (Quezon City) Cymbeline Joan Lumpias-Pooten, Former Sagada, Mt Province Town Mayor James Bagano Pooten Jr, who just arrived for holiday visit in Canada. Prior to the accident, Cymbeline posted a cryptic post on her Facebook account with a “days are numbered” which seem to show she had a premonition of the tragedy. Died alongside with them in the accident are their 2 other relatives, Arlene and Jacob Padalla. May God rest their souls.
In October 2023, a newly wed Filipino couple, Jonathan Lopez and April Viernes, were killed by a suspected impaired driver. In June 2018, 50-year-old Filipina Isabel Soria was also killed in by hit-and-run in Ontario. In November 2014, four Filipinos were also killed in a car accident in Alberta, Canada. The next month, December, 2014, another three Filipinos workers including also a newly married couple returning from their language class were killed in a highway crash.
In March 2012, four Filipino temporary workers also died in a car crash when their SUV were struck head-on by a Range Rover travelling on the wrong side of the road.
We can call them bakla, bading, shokla, antey, tita and even SIR, or tomboy with respect, confidence and acceptance. There had been no problems no matter how we call the LBTQs in the Cordillera. It’s because they never demanded respect from the community, instead they feel already well-privileged to be accepted in a conservative Cordilleran environment. They gained our natural respect.
LBTQs, most especially the bakla or gay, are not a discriminated or disadvantaged fraction of the society in the Cordillera. They live normal lives and in fact a lot of them have become a valuable member of a family, organisation or a community. A lot of LBTQs have good education and have successful careers in various industries or economic sectors.
LBTQs in the Cordillera do not behave nor feel entitled because they understand how to deal with normal or straight people, same as how others treat them as a member of the community. They also recognise the fact that there are other people who they need to offer respect, those people who believe that there are only 2 genders created by God, male and female. They understand that respect goes both ways. Respect is never demanded, but gained.
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Photo credits: Jude Bacalso, Pepita and IgorotHost
Session Road, Baguio City- has become the art street of the Philippines, not because of historical artistic obras of known artists but for serving as an open medium for everyone to express their artistic minds thru visual and performing arts. Despite the traffic problems, the City Government of Baguio has opened Session Road to the public since 2019, free of Motor vehicles, to allow locals and tourists to enjoy walking around the historic downtown road free of pollution and as a venue for visual artists, musicians, performers as well as start-up businesses to try their products or services.
Every Sunday, Session Road becomes a festive venue for locals and tourists to enjoy listening to music buskers from solo and band performers, street chalk artists, living or human statues, business stalls and other interesting acts.
Although the downtown road is open to such activities, participants are currently regulated which will maintain quality of performers as well as safety, peace and order. One is by not allowing subversive performances or artworks that will stir the public such as depicting current divisive issues or criticism on the government.
This setting is a unique signature attraction of the City of Baguio as it may be impossible to replicate it elsewhere in the country due factors that are distinct to the city. These factors include the high influx of locals and tourists as spectators or artists and cool weather which very conducive and safe inspiring environment.
“Gawin mo yan sa Mindanao” is a comment we see on social media which confuses readers on what it really means. Knowing most people from Mindanao who migrated to Baguio are entrepreneurs, we could understand it as, like in this picture, “buy one, take one.” Although it is obvious that the comment has a double meaning.
Whatever it means, it is up to the reader to interpret. They might mean inviting content creators in Mindanao who’s contents they don’t like and aim to give the lessons of life or it could be a truly invitation for the person to do such thing in Mindanao.
We see this comments on contents with themes that are seem to be not acceptable to the culture of Mindanao such as sexy dancing or other contents that they consider as non-sense.
In return, fast-thinking netizens outside Mindanao will find similar content creators based in Mindanao such as that individual who died because of doing mukbang and put their comment, “nasaan yung comment na Gawin mo yan sa Mindanao?”
Any how, life is everything in social media. It is up to the readers and users to understand contents and comments.
Ilocanos and Igorots, being regionally close to each other, have a lot in common. They share commonalities on their language hence they can understand each other. They also share the same attitude towards animals. They don’t discriminate dogs, from goats, pigs, cows, cats, chicken, carabao, etc. They treat them all the same and equal.
This is true when visiting Baguio most especially in the 1980s to 1990s. When Igorots go to the lowlands to visit relatives or friends, the nice smell of a goat will add to the warmth hospitality and interaction of the Ilocano host and the Igorot guests. The same thing when an Ilocano visits an Igorot friend or relative in Baguio, most especially during the cold seasons, the Igorot host will make sure there’s a warming experience for his Ilocano guest. This is by bringing the guests to visit dogs at Sagada Lunch.
Either way, both appreciate each other’s hospitality. They don’t discriminate each other, instead they will be equally appreciative to each other. In fact, everytime they visit each other, they are both happy seeing any of their pets, be it a dog, cats, pigs, goats, etc.
However, todays rhetorics have changed everything. Ilocanos and Igorots were taught by strangers and foreigners to treat dogs as man’s best friend, cats as something with 9 lives, etc. Civilisation taught Igorots and Ilocanos how to be discriminatory towards animals.
Additionally, Philippine History shows no serious tribal war between Ilocano and Igorots. They can jokingly mock each other but not the point of causing fatal injury to each other. Even the spoiled brat members of Samahang Ilocano and Igorot Wakad gangs in schools in the old days, they both behave like big dangerous gangs but they are actually nothing but just the same pulutan boys.
Take note: Please read this article with a little bit of art, and not too serious. The intention was to make you smile. No animals were hurt in making this article.
Igorots are proud to be Igorots. Tagalogs are proud to be Tagalogs and so as Ilocanos, Cebuanos, etc. So why not being an Aeta? Aetas are an indigenous people inhabiting the central and southern Zambales. Let us help the Aetas be proud to be Aetas. They are just the same as ours. They were just introduced to civilisation behind us. They can also become to what we are now!
It has been obvious on some comments on our previous article that so many people have bad connotations about Aetas. Some were even so reserved to write or speak the word Aeta. That’s not different from being a racist!
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “Aetas are an indigenous people inhabiting the central and southern Zambales mountains in Zambales, Pampanga, and Bataan provinces of the Philippines.” Aeta are just same people as you! Aetas are humans and are no less than anyone! You should proudly address them as Aetas, with respect and confidence!
If you are afraid or reserved to say the word Aeta, you are RACIST!
It,s only in America and the Western world where racism exist where calling someone “Black or Coloured, or White” is branded as racist.
Igorots are the champions of defeating racism. The word Igorot has long time been a racist and discriminatory word of non-igorots but we defeated it by owning it instead and making it a brand. Other Filipinos can no longer think they are superior than us Igorots. Ironically, we Igorots now sometimes take so much pride and think or act as if we are better tribe than others; and that is not good. Aetas, Igorot, Ilocanos, Tagalogs, and all Filipinos are just the same Filipinos. We all eat rice by our mouth and excrete it by our anus!
Let us help Aetas be proud to be an Aetas! and that’s our Aeta Challenge!
Malacañang has declared July 15 a special non-working holiday in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). But how was this region of freedom, autonomy and cultural diversity created?
CAR is commemorating its 35th founding anniversary on July 15 after it was created through Executive Order 220 which was a result of successful peace talks with the local armed group – Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) led by former priest Conrado “Ka Ambo” Balweg. CPLA is a break-away group from communist People’s Army (NPA) which is also the merger of Abra Province’s Tingguian Liberation Force in 1986, forming the Cordillera Organisation with the aim to fight for self-determination of the people of Cordillera.
The Philippine national government thru former President Corazon Aquino initiated talks with the rebel group in September 13, 1986 at Mt Data Hotel, Bauko, Mt Province. Adopting the local practice of “bodong” (peace talks), the parties went thru “sipat” (exchange of peace tokens) that led to the issuance of the EO creating the Cordillera Administrative Region in preparation for becoming an autonomous region. This is called the 1986 Mt Data Peace Accord.
In 1999, Conrado Balweg was assasinated by the NPA.
CPLA agreed and signed with the Philippine Government on July 04, 2011 for its closure or dissolution; bringing the rebel organisation to disarm and reintegrate into the mainstream society. Today, any rebel group left in the Cordillera are factions that are only fighting for their personal interests and not for the people of Cordillera.
Aetas of Itogon are the Real Pure Blood Filipinos and so as Igorots, Mangyans, Tausugs, and other Indigenous Tribes of Luzon, Visayas & Mindanao. They are the original inhabitants of the Philippines. The looks of Miss Glenda and Miss Karen Davila are the result of inter-racial mixture of Filipinos and foreigners.
Modern Filipinos found in Central Luzon and Visayas such as in Manila and Cebu are descendants of indigenous tribes that had inter-racial mixture with foreigners who migrated or colonised the country, such as Chinese, Malays, Spanish, Japanese and others. This happened even before the year 1500s when Philippines was first discovered or found by European Sailor Magellan. This means Filipinos in Manila and Cebu came to civilisation many centuries before indigenous Filipinos of the mountains and outskirts of the country were discovered.
Real Pure blood Filipinos like the Igorots of the Mountains of Cordilleras remained pristine and were just introduced to civilisation probably in the late 1800s. The Aetas of Central Luzon were lately discovered or introduced to civilisation probably in mid 1900s. Even if they were almost just recently introduced to civilisation, they are now almost of the same transformation with the other Filipinos in the cities who were earlier brought to civilisation.
If all indigenous tribes were discovered and introduced to civilisation at the same time with those in Manila and Cebu, the looks of Igorots, Aetas, Mangyans, Tausugs and other indigenous people will be the same or far better than the looks of Miss Glenda or Karen Davila.
Nevertheless, races of people, indigenous or mixed-race, have their own beauty. The looks of people should never be used to discriminate one from the other. Each race and culture have their unique beauty and identity.
P.S.: There are no Aetas in Itogon. Title is just a Literary Art. Aetas and Igorots are both indigenous peoples with respective culture, history and beliefs.
THE CORDILLERA CONNECTION 