The City Government of Davao distributed 174 sewing machines to various groups belonging to six of the 11 tribes as aid to livelihood and preservation of culture and tradition.
The first six associations selected under each tribe are the Waan Solo Parent EO-70 SLP Association, Doma Farmers Association, Bagobo Klata Livelihood Association, Ata Women Association of Paquibato District, Davao City RIC-IP Women’s Association and the Ovu Manuvu Tribe.
This is only the first batch of the distribution of 320 units of household sewing machines to members of the city’s 11 tribes.
Gabriel Nakan, Deputy Mayor of the Maguindanaon Tribe and Chairman of the Muslim and Indigenous People Affairs Council (MIPAC), said during the event that the provision of sewing machines was a meaningful and memorable act as far as they are concerned.
“Nalipay ko kay nakita nila nga naa diay capacity ang indigenous people affairs ug ang Muslim affairs, nga kaya nato mag sustain sa atong kinabuhi (I am happy that they saw our capability, the Indigenous People’s Affairs and the Muslim Affairs, that we can sustain our livelihood),” Nakan said.
He said he was happy that while only six groups were initially given the sewing machines, it is already a good start.
Nakan also emphasized the importance of forming associations by tribe because by doing so, they can easily engage in various organizations that may want to buy their products.
Lina A. Laurente, a member of the Bagobo Klata tribe, said that they will use the sewing machines to sew their traditional attire and also other things that can be used in the household.
Bagobo Klata tribe leader Erwin Adolfo said that the request for sewing machined is a consolidated suggestion by deputy mayors of the IP and Moro tribes. This, he said, could enrich the appreciation of the culture and tradition of the tribes.
“Ginabalik gyud nato ang kultura og tradition so one way of showing that one is sa atoang tribal attires mao nang gamit kaayo siya (We want to bring back the culture and tradition and one way of doing that is through our attires, so [those sewing machines] are useful,” Adolfo said.
Deputy Mayor of Kagan Tribe Michael Muhamad, in an interview with the City Information Office (CIO) said that he was thankful for the machines because it showed that the LGU prioritizes the concerns of the Moro and IPs.
“Dako na siya og tabang sa among tribu because ma preserve man gud ang culture sa atong tribu and hopefully, dili lang unta ma limit sa associations ang beneficiary, unta ang community in time unta matagaan pud (This is a huge help for our tribe because it can help preserve our culture and hopefully, hopefully, his kind of program will not only be limited to associations but that the entire community could also benefit from it),” Muhamad said. CIO
