From the mountains to its seas, from native animals to variations of ethnic groups, the Philippine archipelago is known for its diversity. With more than seven thousand islands, it is rich in both natural resources and culture. Scattered all across its lands are the indigenous people who are its occupants which date back to the pre-colonial period. They are inhabitants of areas that are difficult to access and nurturers of their ancestral domains.
Since the Indigenous People or IP are outnumbered in population, they are often the marginalized sector prone to prejudices. The great interval between social classes and culture caused others to view IP as uneducated with odd and unorthodox practices. But nowadays, people from those groups are stepping up to break the stigma. As representatives of a silenced culture, they act as defense and communicators of what solutions fit best for their people.
Teddy Baguilat, a senatorial aspirant from the Tuwali tribe of Ifugao and Gaddan tribe of Nueva Vizcaya is breaking cultural misconceptions. A proof that people from that sector are knowledgeable of overseeing regulations and governance. With his previous experience as a former mayor and a former governor from the Cordillera Region, he seeks to be an adequate representation of the marginalized sectors of the government.
If one observes the common profiles in the Congress, they are usually the elites, celebrities, and handlers of big and established businesses. Laws that are formulated around the personal interests of those politicians could be damaging for the Indigenous People. Teddy will serve as the IP’s voice and creator of progressive bills if he wins a position in the senate.
The senatorial candidate has a different approach to campaigns. Through wearing the traditional Ifugao attire called “bahag” or loincloth, he showed his pride as a descendant of the North’s rich culture. Gaining inspiration from the late Speaker Monching Mitra who refused to shave his mustache until the late Dictator Marcos was removed from his Presidency, Baguilat told a similar agenda. With a mohawk hairstyle, he vowed not to cut it as corruption in the Philippines still exists. The long hair serves as his reminder to keep on fighting against graft and corruption. Determined to be a steward of radical change, he is a supporter of human rights who strongly oppose the death penalty, police brutalities, and discrimination of the marginalized sector like IP. He also promotes free college education, mental health education, indigenous education, LGBT rights, legalization of divorce, and others.
There are social, economical, environmental, and cultural issues that the natives have been suffering for the past generations. But since they lean towards the traditional practices and ideologies, they are viewed as irrelevant on the subject of politics. People in Congress or lawmakers do not have any firsthand experience to such issues that they can only go far as to apply “band-aid” solutions. The country needs more individuals who address the root cause of problems and represent the minority, like Teddy Baguilat.
For a more progressive state, no one should be treated less and left behind. Everyone is just as significant as the others since each has its role in protecting the country’s welfare. Voters should start considering leaders from different backgrounds. And with the start of a new era, Filipinos must choose candidates with genuine intentions and realistic plans of action.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of POLITICO.PH
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kristine Mae D. Cruz is a senior student of Communication at Far Eastern University-Manila and is currently an intern at Brown Bag Communications Inc. under PageOne Media. As a student, she has developed skills in research and writing articles for websites and magazines. Writing has been a passion of hers as well as the occasional binge-watching of historical documentaries. With media as her line of industry, she intends to seek the truth and create unbiased content as a representative of the Fourth Estate.
Photo credit: Facebook.com/teddy.baguilat