MANILA – The Tribal Communities Association of the Philippines (TRICAP) on Tuesday filed its Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila pushing for the rights of all indigenous peoples (IPs) and for having at least one holiday to commemorate their history and culture.
“We have to give importance also to indigenous communities by giving us one day holiday. IPs, yan ang yaman ng lahing Pilipino (IPs, they’re the treasure of Philippine identity),” Tricap chairman and first nominee Ernanie Calica told reporters in an interview.
Calica, who is Igorot by blood, said although there were other party-lists representing IPs, “they were not really working for the sector they represent.”
“They are not really working for the sector they claim to represent. We are here to do the right thing,” he added.
Calica said he would also like to correct the injustices and discrimination being experienced by IPs, especially in relation to displacement of some groups due to mining activities.
“Our brothers in Surigao are being displaced because of mining. These mining areas are part of ancestral domain of these indigenous communities and we’ve been fighting for,” Calica said.
Tricap Partylist is an organization founded by the late Datu Congressman Joseph Sibug.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will accept CONAs and certificates of candidacy until October 17. (Azer Parrocha/PNA)
