BAGUIO CITY – Dap-ay Discourse Uno was unveiled at the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary (PBTS) in Guisad during the 11th Congress of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA). The first book published by Northern Media Information Network (NMIN), the book was authored by Benedict P. Solang and edited by Lucia B. Maranan.
Solang’s introduction explained the book “is a collection of papers on the dynamic social change in the Cordillera, from the perspective of the Cordillera indigenous people as national minority asserting self – determination and as Filipinos aspiring for national democracy. It is a progressive activist view of history and social change for the people of the Cordillera. It is also a story the local Igorot identity and worldview that advanced to the national Filipino identity and consciousness.”
In the foreword Joanna K. Carino wrote, “(the book) gives recognition to the national democratic movement in the region with its advocacy for indigenous peoples’ rights that have upheld positive values. (It) draws the parallelisms between the communal indigenous values and activist values, such as the communal spirit of serving the people, community before self, simple living and frugality, the nurturing of land and resources, democracy and egalitarianism, and the collective defense of land and territory. All of these positive values persist because they are timeless, they are useful and relevant for all times, and are building blocks for the socialist perspective of the national democratic revolution.”
Joanna further promotes that “Readers will gain valuable insights into the national democratic movement in the Cordillera region, addressing the complicated reality of indigeneity, class, and nationality.”
The author, Benedict P. Solang, is “a KankanaeySagadaIgorot Filipino. His formative boyhood was with the Sagada dap-ay. He has AB Anthropology and Masters in Environmental Planning (MEP ) from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Q.C. He worked in government research and city planning, also with the Episcopal Church of the Philippines (Bontoc) on development planning and social action, then mostly with Cordillera NGOs and peoples organizations. He asserts being an activist for genuine people’s development, indigenous peoples rights and human rights, for national democracy and socialism, and for a world without discrimination.”
Dapay Discourse Uno is available at the Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC), the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) offices, and at the Northern Media Information Network (NMIN). For more information please get in touch with mobile number 0917 701 2256 or email northernmedia.nmin@gmail.com.
By press release
