HIGHER EDUCATION. A Mangyan graduate wearing traditional garb is seen in this undated photo receiving his diploma after earning his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree. The town of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday (Nov. 14, 2023) inaugurated a dormitory for the exclusive use of Mangyan students. (PNA file photo)
SABLAYAN, Occidental Mindoro – The municipal government has honored the first settlers of this province by constructing a dormitory for Mangyan students who have temporarily left their mountain villages to seek higher learning in the town’s schools.
“Mangyan” is an umbrella term that refers to several indigenous peoples (IP) communities in the province.
Mayor Walter Marquez said on Wednesday that the dormitory is intended to serve as a residence and learning hub for Mangyan youths, especially those who briefly served as “little government officials” during the National Indigenous Peoples' Month in October.
The facility was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, just in time for the celebration of the province’s 73rd foundation anniversary.
"It is a symbol of paying homage to our first inhabitants, the Tao Buid and Alangan Mangyans, and recognizing their participation in the progress and development of Sablayan, by giving their children a decent dormitory right near the colleges where they are enrolled," Marquez said in an email to the Philippine News Agency.
He recalled that in October, several Mangyan youths served in counterpart roles to the mayor, vice mayor, members of Sangguniang Bayan, as well as heads of the departments and divisions of the municipal government.
"We pay tribute to them by keeping their children at the mainstream of education, responding to the call of the modern times while keeping their culture and tradition intact. We promote awareness and appreciation of the IP’s rich cultural heritage and history, particularly the Mangyans of Sablayan," Marquez said.
The “little government officials” were given gifts like school supplies and an amount of money solicited from the employees of the offices they were temporarily assigned.
Marquez said the local government is currently funding the education of 98 Mangyan college students.
Meanwhile, Norman Novio, municipal administrator, said the dormitory will help ease the struggle of the Mangyan students, who have to walk over four hours just to attend classes in town.
He said the dormitory was not the first effort to provide temporary housing to Mangyans studying here.
Last year, the Sorok Uni Foundation Inc. also inaugurated the Sorok Inawa Panaynep Dormitory in Sablayan, behind the Inawa Panaynep Elementary School.
In partnership with the provincial government office, Sangguniang Bayan of Sablayan and Uni Group of Companies, it was meant to house 55 Mangyan students from Sitio Kimali and Sitio Kabinga.
“Since the 1950s, there were undertakings like that (housing for IPs), except that this time, instead of the 'damuong' (non-Mangyan youth) who are academically intelligent, we chose the Mangyan students because October is a month for indigenous peoples,” Novio said in another email.
Located at the heart of the province, Sablayan is the largest municipality in the country in terms of land area at 2,188.80 square kilometers. (PNA)
