LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The provincial government of Pangasinan, along with four organizations recently forged ties to jointly carry out an advocacy for the benefit of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the province.
A manifesto of commitment signed by key officials of the provincial government, Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPO) / Pangasinan PPO EVA, Local Councils of Women (LCW) – Pangasinan Chapter, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Pangasinan and JCI Lingayen Liberation II, jumpstarts the ‘Aliguas Indigenous Peoples ed Pangasinan’ (Support Projects Implementation in Indigenous Peoples Communities in Pangasinan).
The said IP advocacy enjoining the five parties which was inked on July 22 at the Capitol beachfront is a collaborative undertaking for the pursuit of programs and projects in line with the development thrusts, ideals and principles on public service by the collaborating institutions / organizations.
Governor Amado I. Espino, III, who was represented by Provincial Population Officer Ellsworth Gonzales, extended his reassuring support to indigenous tribes in the province made evident with the various programs his administration has sustained for the socio-economic welfare of IPs in Pangasinan.
Gonzales, who lauded the tie-up as ‘a rapport which binds the IP advocacies of the collaborating parties’, said the provincial government continues to conduct programs which seek to benefit IPs.
Few of these, he said, include the grant of financial aid to IP groups in the province that avail of the Livelihood Assistance Program of the province, and the offering of scholarship grants to IPs under the Pangasinan Provincial Scholarship Program.
Expressing gratitude for another gesture of support for IPs, NCIP Pangasinan Provincial Director Enrique Delos Santos, hailed the signing of the manifesto of commitment as a ‘milestone undertaking.’
“This would mean that aside from the support IPs receive from various groups today, we look forward for more blessings,” Delos Santos said.
Also signifying full-support to the collaborative IP advocacy were: Pangasinan PPO Director Ronald O. Lee, JCI Lingayen Liberation II President Andrew Botulan as Non-Government Organization partner, LCW Pangasinan Chairperson Marilyn S. Sison and NCIP Pangasinan Director Delos Santos.
The commitment signing was held, following the staging of the 1st Batik parad Pangasinan ‘tri-advocacy event’ which was organized by JCI Lingayen Liberation II in partnership with Pangasinan PPO and the provincial government.
By Dexter A. See