BY: REDJIE MELVIC
M. CAWIS
Baguio, La Trinidad
host study visit of Asian
parliamentarians on population, RH, IP rights
BAGUIO CITY, Sept.
9(PIA)--- TheCcity of Baguio and the municipality of La Trinidad , Benguet recently hosted a cultural interaction and
study visit of parliamentarians from Asia and the Pacific aimed at exploring
the dimensions and intricacies of culture and religion as key considerations in
formulating and implementing population and reproductive health policies and
programs.
The
parliamentarians were delegates to the 29th Asian Parliamentarians’ Meeting on
Population and Development conference under the theme ‘ High Level Dialogue in
a Culturally Pluralistic Society’ hosted by the Philippines.
La Trinidad and
Baguio were chosen as the areas for the study visit for their
rich culture and traditions and the presence of strong support among the
local government units on population and development issues.
On August 28, the more than 20 delegates were welcomed
at the ‘dap- ay’ of the
Philippine Information Agency,
with the traditional “uggayam” by Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan.
The University of the Cordilleras Hapiyoh MI cultural group entertained the
visitors with Cordillera dances. It was followed by
interaction with the local media on the
different issues of the parliamentarians’ countries and the Philippines.
The next day, La
Trinidad Mayor Edna Tabanda led the municipality in welcoming the foreign
parliaments at the municipal hall. Ifugao Congressman Teddy Baguilat Jr. was the keynote speaker during the formal
meeting with indigenous people representatives and other guests from the
province of Benguet.
Baguilat, a known
reproductive health and IP rights advocate, gave a situationer on indigenous
peoples and critical policy initiatives that will promote and protect the
rights and welfare of IPs in the Philippines during the forum entitled
Population and Development Challenges of the Indigenous peoples communities in the
Cordillera Region in a Pluralistic Society at the La Trinidad Municipal Hall.
In his keynote
speech, he stressed critical policy
initiatives that will promote and protect the rights and welfare of indigenous
people.
The group had a
chance to conduct an immersion at the Barangay Bahong in La Trinidad where the
Ibaloi community treated them with the traditional dances and chants and
one-on-one interaction with the foreign parliaments together with the barangay
officials and several municipal officials.
Ms. Hitomi
Tsunekawa, Manager of APDA's international affairs thanked the hosts LGUs for their invaluable support
to the study visit.
“The issues that
the Cordillera people face today such as environmental degradation, migration
and lack of government services and poverty is similarly being faced by
Indigenous peoples in the Asia and the Pacific. But with committed
parliamentarians and local government officials. I firmly believe that
appropriate policies and resources can be mobilized to address these concerns,"
she said.
The Asian
Population Development Association (APDA) based in Japan and the Philippine
Legislators Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) organized and
hosted this gathering of parliamentarians to contribute in the on-going efforts
to accelerate the achievement of the International Conference on Population and
Development Program of Action (ICPD) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as
one of the key issues to find workable solutions to address population
challenges, while respecting different values in culturally different contexts.
(JDP/ RMC- Mariciris Julian and Juliane Detran PIA-UB Interns)
