REFERENCE AND RESEARCH BUREAU LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICE

PROGRAMS FOR THE BUGKALOT TRIBE

I. THE BUGKALOT TRIBE1

The Bugkalots, also known as Ilongots, are found within the quadrilateral boundaries of three provinces namely: Nueva Viscaya, and . The present Bugkalots live in no less than 46 widely scattered municipalities and barangays in the towns of Dupax del Norte, Dupax del Sur and Kasibu in Province; Nagtipunan in Quirino Province; Maria Aurora and Dipaculao in Aurora Province. Records show that the Bugkalots arrived during the early part of our history. Presently, they inhabit the easterly central part of the Caraballo and Sierra Madre Mountain ranges. Composed of several sub-tribes which are belligerent against each other. The sub-tribe found along the banks of the Casecnan river is the Italon tribe whose members are of regular built and with Mongolian features, narrow slanting eyes and aquiline nose. The same characteristics are observed among the other groups known as Abacas, Ipogos, Tamsis, Dakgans and Kadakayans, of Ditale, Dipaculo and Bayanihan, Baler, Aurora. The Kadayakans speak fluent Tagalog aside from their own dialect due to the influence of the Tagalogs of Aurora province. Those found along the rivers of Bua and Tubo, a part of Conwap (Guigin) valley, and Kasibu, Nueva Viscaya are of Ilokano culture and dialect.

Generally, the Bugkalots are of small built, fair to dark skinned, and are known to possess a bad temper. They dwell in elevated huts made of wood planks topped with dried cogon reeds. They are primarily hunters with little knowledge of farming or livestock raising. For this reason, they live a nomadic life, moving from one place to another where their hunting activities can sustain them.

Presently, no less than 5,000 Bugkalot head families reside in the aforementioned provinces. Although they live far apart from one another, their linguistic similarities, customs and arts show that they belong to one distinct group. Known for their colorful attire, musical instruments and artifacts which are shown in their blow-up pictures in museums patronized by foreign tourist in eastern and western Europe. Their popular festive dance is called baleleng. Their more hideous ritual which rallies all Bugkalots, male and female, is seen in the buayat, which they do not show to the Christians.

1 KATUTUBO Directory, OSCC (NCIP) Library (1996)

1 II. LAWS ON INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COMMUNITIES/INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (ICCs/IPs)

1. Sec. 17, Art. XIV, 1987 Constitution

Sec. 17, provides:

“The State shall recognize, respect, and protect the rights of indigenous cultural communities to preserve and develop their cultures, traditions, and institutions. It shall consider these rights in the formulation of national plans and policies.”

2. RA 8371 – The Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997

Sec. 3, (k) of said law, provides:

“National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) – refers to the office created under this Act, which shall be under the Office of the President, and which shall be the primary government agency responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies, plans and programs to recognize, protect and promote the rights of ICCs/IPs.”

III. DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR THE BUGKALOTS

1. The Bugkalot Special Development Region (BSDR)

The BSDR was a proposed government agency of the defunct Presidential Assistant on National Minorities (PANAMIN) to assist in uniting the warring sub-tribes of the Bugkalots for their mutual benefit. Given its very limited resources and informal personality, the most significant and noteworthy accomplishment is its capability in checking to a great degree the growing peace and order problems among the Bugkalots due to constant inter-tribal clashes and internal feuds. To date the BSDR continue to exists even without a legal status and governmental authority as an informal forum for the pacification of tribal wars through inter-tribal conferences for peace, unity and pacification.2

2. Proposed Measure for the Bugkalots

House Bill No. 22267 filed February 7, 1989 during the Eighth Congress by Congressman Carlos Padilla was intended to implement the provision of the Constitution to ensure the preservation of the indigenous

2 Programs and Development Division, NCIP, March 18, 2003

2 cultural communities through the development of their cultures, traditions, and institutions. The proposed law ended at the Senate.

3. Present Development Programs for the Bugkalots

Under the NCIP, the programs, projects and activities implemented for the Bugkalots in Region II, 1999-2002 are:

YEAR PROGRAM/PROJECT/ACTIVITY IMPLEM RESULT ENTED 1.Socio-economic Development Programs 1999 1.1 Livelihood: Large Cattle Dispersal -Implemented in Dimabuno and Dipaculao, Aurora -Coordinated activity with the Department of Agriculture (DA) 1.2 Infrastructure: Tribal Hall -Funded the project with P80,000 in cooperation with the Agriculture and Irrigators Development Project Office (AIDPO) 1.3 Educational Assistance -Assisted 31 Bugkalot students in their application for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) scholarship -Department of Agriculture (DA) Casecnan Social Measure Unified Fund (CSMUF) Education Assistance: Bugkalot students received P5,000 each per semester 2. Health 1999 2.1 Ambulance Service -Assisted in the transportation of Bugkalot patients from their communities to different hospitals for medication and treatment -Medical doctors rendered free consultations to walk-in patients and medical treatment with free medicines -Referred Bugkalot patients to the 2.2 Consultation-Treatment Department of Health, Rural Health Units, Government Hospitals, DSWD, for free treatment, confinement and assistance 2.3 Referral of Patients -Made tie-up activities with DOH, LGUs and NGOs for medical and dental treatments of Bugkalot patients 2.4 Medical/Dental Mission -Extended medical services in San Pugo, Mutawid andNagtipunan in coordination

3 with the RHU in the area -90 Bugkalot children patients were immunized 2.5 Immunization 2002 -Free immunization of DPT, BCG, Hepa B, OPV, Vitamin A were administered to the different Bugkalot communities.

3. Technical Assistance 2001 -Assisted the Bugkalots II in the organization, management and preparation of book of accounts for Agriculture and Irrigator’s (AI) community cooperatives. -Extended technical assistance to the Bugkalot elders and community leaders in the preparation of letters of request and resolutions to government offices for development projects and its fundings. 4. Promotion of Cultural Integrity 2002 4.1 Research and Documentation -Research and documentation were conducted on the cultures and traditions of the Bugkalot tribes. -Continuous assessment of Ancestral Lands claim for Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claims of the Bugkalot tribes. 5. Empowerment of Indigenous Peoples 2002 (Bugkalots) 5.1 Information Education Campaign -Conducted an on-going information education campaign that started in the Bugkalot Barangays in Siquem, Anona, Cuyapo, Dupax del Norte, Salinas, Bambang, Nueva Viscaya and Kayapa. -Coordinated the information education campaign with the LGUs in the areas inhabited by the Bugkalots.

(CULTURAL COMMUNITIES: PROGRAMS FOR THE BUGKALOT TRIBE)

RRB/LRS RHAB/PEP/toe 3-25-03

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