For the October-December 2017 period, IAG's project with Unicef has already covered three of the five Maguindanao municipalities targeted for mobilization and capacity-building activities. Our work mainstreaming the issues of indigenous youth and children in the Indigenous Political Structure and Local Government Units in terms of planning and budgeting continues in 2018. Our Program Manager for Indigenous Peoples, Ms. Jo Genna Jover, gives us a glimpse of how this project is being undertaken.

 

October 25, 2017 to November 2017: Community Mobilization

 

•The project team conducted courtesy visits in the 5 municipalities covered by the project in Maguindanao, namely: Upi, South Upi, Ampatuan, DBS and Datu Odin.  The Local Chief Executives of these LGUs openly accepted the project and expressed full support because they believed that the project can greatly benefit the indigenous peoples of their respective places.  In concrete terms, the LGUs pledged to provided counterpart on venue for the meetings and training activities.

 

•Aside from the municipal mayor, the project team also discussed the project with the indigenous peoples’ mandatory representatives (IPMRs) who are considered to be the focal persons that the project will have to engage during implementation.  The IPMRs also expressed their support to the project.

 

•Tribal leaders, youth organizations and indigenous Peoples organization (IPO) also pledged support to the project.  It was agreed to form a 25-members of (Sounding Board) representing IPS, IPO, Youth organization, tribal leaders from 3 municipalities in helping IP children and youth giving a strategic direction in mainstreaming their issues in the Indigenous Political Structure (IPS) and LGU.  It will meet once in every quarter.

 

•On November 18, 19 and 23, the project team conducted focus group discussions/consultation workshops involving 98 IP children and youth from the 3 municipalities where the youth and children have identified priority issues confronting them and the priority agenda. The priority issues identified by the youth and children are the following:  Early marriage and pregnancy, poverty, child labor and out of school youth, no knowledge about TJG and IPS, as well as IP rights.

 

November 2017-December 2017: Capacity Building

 

•On December 3, 9 and 10, the project team conducted orientation on Local Government Code to 172 IP children and youth from 3 municipalities of Maguindanao in order for them to have knowledge on the functions of local government units.  During the activity, the participants shared that it was their first time to know all about the Local Government’s functions as defined in the Local Government Code.  They further expressed that knowing the functions of LGUs will help them in making crucial decisions particularly when it comes to electing good leaders for their community. They were thankful to IAG and UNICEF for conducting such kind of activity.

 

•On December 16-17,  51 IPMRs and 15 IP youth jointly conducted study session on the IP situation in ARMM, women and children situation and IPRA 8371. Both the IPMRs and the IP youths expressed that it was also their first time to have been given formal orientation on IPRA or RA 8371 and the national and local guidelines in the selection process of IPMRs.

 

The same activities will be conducted in the remaining two target municipalities for the next period.