In light of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Children, Indigenous women shared that the sector continues to experience discrimination and a lack of representation in a forum.
The forum, Voices of Resilience: Confronting Violence Against Indigenous Women, tackled the lived experiences of Indigenous women through various key speakers from Lumad Mindanaw and Sabokahan Youth.
Lumad Mindanaw member Bai Adelaida Matucol highlighted the persistent struggles of Indigenous women, emphasizing the lack of representation of IP women in government initiatives.
“Karon sa atoang kasamtangan na nahibtang, kinsa man karon sa barangay ang nahimong leader na women? Nya IP? Wala… Asa ra man taman ang katungdanan sa IP women? Naa ra gyud sa gamay nga posisyon. Bisan man gani dinha sa purok, dili man mapili gihapon si IP women. Kung piliun ang usa ka babae, di pud siya mudawat kay maulaw. Kay mahadlok i-bully,” Matucol said.
Matucol also expressed her frustrations with her experiences of discrimination in availing government services such as healthcare.
“Sa health, adto ta sa panglawas, mga herbalists kasagaran ning mga IP women pero pag abot sa mga medisina, pag abot sa pag angkon sa mga serbisyo, adto’g hospital didto sa Davao Regional Hospital. IP kay bulingit, dili dayon tagdon… Pero katong dili IP na niabot na limpyo, mao to ang gitagad.”
“Ang mga serbisyo sa gobyerno na dapat pantay ihatag sa tanang katawhan, regardless of tribe, gi-deprive pa gihapon mi. Bisag asa na aspeto, gi-deprive,” she added.
Sabokahan Youth Vice Chair Kat Dalon also shared similar experiences of difficulty in terms of social services reaching far-flung communities such as theirs.
“Muabot sila didto sa among mga komunidad [military war tanks, company tractors, etc.], pero dili muabot ang serbisyong sosyal. Naka-dako ko, na masaksihan na ko ang mga uncle na ko na nangamatay sila na bisan kausa, wala gyud sila katilaw ug ospital.”
In rural areas like Dalon’s hometown of Magpet, the nearest hospital is three hours away, and in other parts of Davao del Norte, medical facilities can only be reached after a 3-5 day walk.
Dalon also emphasized the importance of Indigenous people’s right to education in combating systemic violence experienced by their communities, underscoring the need for grassroots advocacy and institutional reforms.
“Lisod kaayo nga katungod nato ang edukasyon pero kinahanglan magpakaluoy sa among pamilya, magpakaluoy sa among mga katigulangan didto sa munisipyo, didto sa probinsya para mangayo ug eskwelahan. Nga responsibilidad man sa gobyerno na maghatag ug edukasyon sa iyahang katawhan kay mga Pilipino man sad mi, taga-bukid lang mi.”
“Para sa amua, ang maka-kat’un magbasa, ang magka-kat’un magsulat…usa siya sa pinakataas na porma sa pagdepensa sa yutang kabilin. Ing ana kamahingdanun ang edukasyon para sa amua,” Dalon reiterated.
During Duterte’s administration, 216 Lumad schools in Mindanao were shut down, leaving over 10,000 students without education—a situation Dalon highlighted in her call to uphold Indigenous people’s right to education.
The forum also served as a photo exhibit to honor the late Bai Bibyaon Ligkayan Bigkay, who was the first female leader in the history of the Manobo tribe who advocated for their rights to education and established the Salugpongan Ta Tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Center Incorporated in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.
Ateneo Public Interest and Legal Advocacy Center (APILA) Director Atty. Romeo Cabarde emphasized the importance of creating a safe space for dialogue to empower IP women and advocate for policies and actions that challenge the roots of violence.
“This conversation is more than just an event; it is a space for reflection, of dialogue, and of action. It is a call to confront not only the visible forms of violence but also the structural and cultural forces that perpetuate these injustices.”
“Indigenous women are doubly marginalized because of their gender and their identity as Indigenous people. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that their resilience is matched with systemic change, ” he added.
The forum was held at the Media Room, Xavier Hall, 8/F CCFC Building, last November 18.