ILOILO City – Four associations composed of Indigenous Peoples in Panay Island participated in the IPs Bazaar organized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI in Molo district here through the efforts of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in celebration of the IPs Month.

These associations were Leon Bukidnon, Calinog Ati Tribe Indigenous Craft Makers, Jordan Ati Community, and Nagpana Minority of Barotac Viejo. Each of the associations showcases their handmade and local products mostly made of indigenous materials.

During the event last October 18, the tribal chieftain or “pangulo” of the Nagpana Minority Group, Gregorio Elsosendo personally visited the Department to show his support to his fellow IPs and help promote their products from their community.

He added since then their group settled in Sitio Nagpana, Brgy. Lipata of the said town wherein they started planting native coffee in their 60 hectares land domain. Elosendo said the Local Government Unit of Barotac Viejo organized and helped them for their livelihood and later tapping other government agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to expand their source of income. In fact, through the DOST, they put up a coffee processing building.

Aside from native coffee, Elosendo said Nagpana is also known for its waterfalls, which made their place one of the tourist spots in Iloilo.

“We are now generating income from the waterfalls because we are collecting Php20.00 pesos per person visiting our place. Proceed is for the maintenance of the area,” he said.

The chieftain is also thankful to the Department especially the 4Ps Division for helping their less fortunate households to be beneficiaries of the 4Ps. He said the cash grants and other assistance given to them, particularly to the children are a big help to finish their education and be healthy. Elosendo added that the conduct of the Family Development Session (FDS) in their community also provides them with more knowledge about their health and other services that they could avail.

In return, the Ati tribe continues to strive to help the 4Ps staff and beneficiaries in maintaining the projects and keeping children in school and the families to improve their quality of life. The government assistance made them feel that they were indeed not left behind with all the economic improvements surrounding them.

“Yearly, we participate in this bazaar because this is in one way recognizing our group and being known to everyone of our existence. We are also sharing our culture and tradition with the mainstream so that they will know that whatever products we have here sustain the life of the Ati community,” he said.

Sitio Nagpana, Brgy. Lipata, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo was part of the Certain Parcel of Land of the Public Domain covering 938 hectares, which was declared by the late President Corazon C. Aquino on December 19, 1986, as Civil Reservation for Cultural Communities of Ati or the Presidential Decree Proclamation No. 56. /mgc(Written by SDA Focal Person Lobe Rose Chua)