Aetas nomads, No More!

CITY of BALANGA, Bataan – Our indigenous people (IP) or aetas are no longer nomads, they now stay permanently in the community because they can now feel the support of the government to them, according to Board Member Danilo Salonga, the IP Mandatory Representative at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

BM Salonga stressed that, as of now they have more or less 2,000 katutubo all over Bataan, with Hermosa town having the most number of population and Pilar as the only town without indigenous people.

In his first term as Board Member of the Indigenous people, Salonga said that he is very happy on how Governor Abet Garcia supports him and the whole IP community.

He (Salonga) added that his programs include their ancestral domain, which he said are now in the process of titling with the help of Gov. Abet Garcia, while in education he emphasized that Gov. Abet promised to help the students to pursue their college education thru the “Iskolar ng Bataan.”

As per health program is concerned, he said that they have Aeta health workers in the community, who assist Aetas in the Rural Health Centers in the different towns and even have the Philhealth card if there’s a need for them to be hospitalized.

Aetas are now into livelihood projects according to Board Member Salonga. He cited the women group at Duale, Limay that thru the help of Mayor Lilvir Roque and the Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI), who are into Salabat tea and banana chips making, while other IP’s are into tree planting assisted by the DSWD Region III with their 4P’s program.

BM Salonga said that he always consults the tribal leaders of the different towns during their monthly meetings, wherein they evaluate their programs as well as the other needs of the different IP communities.