The indigenous people in the Philippines continues to live in their relatively isolated, self-sufficient communities, at the time when most lowland communities had already been integrated into a single colony under Spain in the 1700s and 1800s.
They were able to preserve the culture and traditions of their “ethnos” or “tribe” as reflected in their communal views on land, their cooperative work exchanges, their communal rituals, their songs, dances and folklore. Instead of hierarchal governments, each of these communities had its own council of elders who customarily settled clan or tribal wars to restore peace and unity.
But with the long years of colonial rule in the Philippines, from the 1700s to the early 1900s, and the influx of migrants into indigenous people’s territories may influences have been introduced that gradually changed the indigenous way of life
One of the idea that has been raised to pursue the importance of indigenous people’s history is the proposed Bangsamoro Basic law (BBL) which is currently being deliberated in Congress, Senator Sony Angara called for the full implementation of the law requiring the teaching of Filipino-Muslim and indigenous peoples’ (IPs) history in both basic and higher education in the country.
Angara said the Integrated History Law, which he authored, is requiring the integration of history, culture and identity studies of Filipino-Muslims and IPs in the formulation of the curriculum for the study of Philippine history, including the writing, printing and other reading materials.
The law was enacted in 2016, but according to the Department of education, it was being implemented only in select schools mostly in Mindanao, at present. DepEd was urged for fast implementation of the law in all schools nationwide in order to create “a truly inclusive history that accounts for all Filipinos”
The President made his statement as he urged Congress to craft a Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that could overcome every constitutional challenge. “About the Muslim insurgency, I am really waiting for the product of Congress. But I have my own, it is Executive Order No. 10“.
By: Ellen Baluyot | Teacher II | Bataan National HighSchool| Balanga, Bataan
