NCIP pushes for connectivity in indigenous communities

THE NATIONAL  Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) is slowly pushing for internet connectivity among indigenous communities amid the prevailing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health crisis.   

NCIP Chairman Allen Capuyan said the commission is working with the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) to ensure that indigenous peoples (IPs) are given digital opportunities especially within schools and other learning facilities.

“If I am not mistaken also sa programa ng ating DICT priority po ang ating tinatawag na internet or Wi-Fi through satellite ay priority itong mga lugar ng mga katutubo (among the priorities in DICT’s program is what we call internet or Wi-Fi through satellite for IPs in remote areas). So, this is a work in progress na programa ng ating pamahalaan (program of our government),” he said in a radio interview on Saturday.

Even before Covid-19 spread across the country, Capuyan said the NCIP was already pushing for the use of technology to reach out to IPs and their communities.

“Kasama po sa ating adbokasiya ang pag-reach out sa kanila ng iba’t ibang mga pamamaraan. Gusto ko po sabihin na bago pa man po tayo nagkaroon ng ganitong sitwasyon, ginagamit na namin sa NCIP ang tinatawag nating ‘taking advantage of our technology’ (Part of our advocacy is reaching out using different ways. I want to say that even before this situation occurred, we at NCIP were already taking advantage of our technology),” he said.

He emphasized the need to use technology as a connecting platform to ensure that IPs are not left out from the dissemination of health information.

“Noong nagkaroon tayo ng new normal ay nagkaroon tayo ng tinatawag na engagement or connection through technology sa iba’t-iba nating mga pamayanang katutubo (When we entered into a new normal, we had what we call engagement or connection through technology in different indigenous communities),” he said.

He said NCIP officials have even scheduled meetings with IP leaders via video conferencing through Zoom.

“Several times na tayong nagkaroon ng meeting through Zoom ng iba’t ibang leaders na matatanda at kabataan sa iba’t ibang panig ng Pilipinas. So, doon natin isiniwalat at ibinabahagi iyong mga iba’t ibang klaseng alituntunin na gustong iparating sa kanila ng ating mahal na pamahalaan (We have had several meetings through Zoom with different leaders, young and old, in different parts of the country. And that’s where we shared different types of regulations that the government wants them to know),” he said.

Jason Roy Sibug, president of national indigenous people’s organization Tuklas Katutubo, meanwhile, acknowledged that while IPs are also among the marginalized groups vulnerable to the pandemic, they have done their fair share in following quarantine protocols to minimize catching or spreading the disease.

“It is nice to think about how indigenous communities also cooperate with the government to curb the spread of the virus by being disciplined, avoiding to go out of their homes, wearing face masks, and other regulations such as social distancing),” he said.

Sibug said the bayanihan spirit (communal unity) is also alive among the indigenous communities.

“Marami sa mga katutubo ang naging bahagi sa pagsugpo ng pandemyang Covid. Iba sa kanila ay hindi humihingi ng ayuda dahil nga sa kanilang katutubong komunidad, na may sapat nang pagkukunan ng pagkain (Many of our IPs are part of efforts to curb the pandemic. Some of them do not even ask for aid because their community has enough sources of food),” he said. (By Azer Parrocha)