Ugly, shameless Redtagging

Gina Dizon 

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- I long wanted to talk about red-tagging. Finally, I stumbled on a link I long wanted to have as reference in a happening left unpursued two years since the incident.    
    In the recent Provincial (Mountain Province) Consultative Assembly (PCA) Meeting of the National Alleviation Poverty Commission-Local Affairs Coordinating and Monitoring Service (NAPC-LACMS) Sept 23, I finally came to know why the Montanosa Press Club Inc (MPCI) was not included among the special bodies of the Provincial local government Unit of Mountain Province for the term 2020-2022.
    I chair the MPCI, an accredited organization with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Mt Province. Registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), MPCI is composed of information officers from government agencies and local government units and private media practitioners.
    As an accredited civil society organization (CSO), MPCI was identified among nine groups called to a meeting by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Provincial LGU through the office of the Provincial development and planning office (PPDO) in August 2019.
    That, in pursuance to CSO participation in governance with the passing of the DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-72 which states  “good governance is vital in the pursuit of excellence in public administration and development.”
    This DILG circular recognizes that in forming a sustainable foundation of good governance, it is not enough to concentrate on developing the internal capacity of local governments. ”It is equally important to develop and strengthen partnership with CSOs in order to empower citizens to articulate their needs as they participate in the decision making process, program planning, implementation and monitoring at the local label which can increase the responsiveness and efficiency of local governments in delivering services.”
    What more, the local government code of 1991 provides for the “establishment of people’s organizations, non-government organizations, and the private sector to make them active partners in the pursuit of local autonomy, and to directly involve them in the plans, programs, projects, or activities of the local government”.
    More so, man is a social being who participates in communion with others made more foundational in an indigenous culture which encourages the collective participation and involvement of people belonging to a community.
    With that, a meeting was called August 2019 by the DILG and PPDO with the nine accredited organizations, MPCI included.     The nine organizations then identified their preferences for special bodies they want to be part of. The MPCI as a media organization opted for membership to the provincial peace and order council (PPOC) much as it wants to inform the public of what transpires in peace and order issues and updates in the Province and the provincial development council (PDC) much as MPCI wants to inform the public of development agenda of the Province. 
    The DILG-PPDO led meeting then forwarded as recommendatory the results of the CSO meeting to the provincial governor for his final approval.
    Whatever happened along the way, not one of these two councils had MPCI been appointed by the Provincial Governor except as a member of the economic and social committee of the PDC while the other eight accredited groups were appointed to special bodies including the provincial development council (PDC), provincial peace and order council (PPOC), local health board and the local school board.
    This despite the MPCI having been accredited by the SP. And this despite recommendatory results of the prior DILG-PPDO-CSO meeting.
Nonrepresentation
    This, despite expanded provisions found in MC2019-72 favorable to CSOs increasing their membership in the special bodies based on existing laws. Said circular provides for representatives of non-governmental organization shall constitute not less than one fourth (1/4) and increased to one half (1/2) of the membership of the organized local development council.
    This despite an increase among CSO representation to special bodies.
    Expanded provisions found in MC2019-72 favorable to CSOs increasing their membership in the special bodies. Said circular provides for representatives of non-governmental organization shall constitute not less than one fourth (1/4) and increased to one half (1/2) of the membership of the organized local development council.
    Membership in the local development council must represent the women sector at least 40% of the fully organized council composed of women as prescribed by RA 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women. That meant increase in membership among women to male dominated local councils.
    Membership of indigenous peoples as per the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) and farmers as per the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) also involve the inclusion of concerned sectoral representatives.
    So I wondered why MPCI, a legitimate SEC registered organization and an SP- accredited association  with objectives to inform and be a partner to community building was not appointed as a member to at least one local special body as the law encourages and provides representation for.
     I asked former PPDO officer in charge Concepcion Wangdali who then led the CSO-LGU meetings why MPCI was not identified to any of the local special bodies despite its accreditation and I got vague answers. Asked Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan the authority to appoint persons to local special bodies and I got vague answers till I persisted in asking and the governor hinted that I was reportedly a communist, an activist, an answer which was as hazy much as it was not elaborated, an answer seemingly having been forwarded by persons whom I cannot conclude till the time came for its revelation.
    Finally, here’s Joecan Basan of the PPDO and focal person of the PCA-NAPC-LACMS, and in the recent Sept, 23 meeting said I was not appointed as a representative to a special body because of me having been subjected to background investigation. A follow up conversation with Joecan got me the answer that said background investigation pertained to that conducted by the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army.
    Whatever background investigation left me uninformed of whatever it was that got me red-tagged. Whatever it was, that left me not confronted and denied in representation.
    What’s the point of this persistence? Could a person or an organization be red-tagged without any confrontation nor charges filed without a day in court? Because if such is so, such derail laws and regulations, violates basic human rights and due process, denies participation and representation.
    That was in 2019.  Yes, two years till now which denied MPCI representation in the PPOC or PDC and exercise its CSO participation to good governance as what DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-72 and the local government code of 1991 call for.
    That was clear red-tagging. An ugly violation to one’s human rights without affording due process to hear someone. Ugly much as it hits one on the back and does not face a person red-tagged upfront nor charge one of her or his supposed offenses if there is any and provide the accused a day in court or a venue to answer specific charges against one redtagged.
Indeed, it’s red-tagging. Cowardly and paranoid because red-tagging is that-ugly and shamelessly encompassing. A shameless appropriation to one’s life, rights, disposition, without confrontation nor inquiry and due process.
    Often without substantial proof, red-tagging is done by government supporters and state officials against activists, academics, students, journalists among others.
    Philippine jurisprudence has defined red-tagging as the “act of labelling, branding, naming and accusing individuals and/ or organizations of being left-leaning, subversives, communists or terrorists (used as) a strategy by State agents, particularly law enforcement agencies and the military, against those perceived to be 'threats' or 'enemies of the State.”
    Redtagging is again I repeat, ugly and obnoxious as it appropriates one’s person, conclusive without basis and assumptive bereft of courage and  transparency to confront one or charge one in court. For how could I be a “threat or an enemy of the State” to derive from the definition of red-tagging. Funny.
    Even accusing one as a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) does not hold as valid ground as an illegal act. Communism is not illegal in the Philippines after Republic Act 1700 or the Anti-Subversion law was repealed in 1992 via RA 7636. For even Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that mere membership to the CPP is not a crime "unless overt criminal acts are committed."
    But the decriminalization of communism in 1992 did not stop authorities from red tagging and arresting individuals as part of its anti-insurgency campaign, with charges ranging from illegal possession of firearms and explosives, to kidnapping and murder. That is, to have a credible accusation, charge one with an overt act to make red-tagging substantial.  
    I was redtagged, apparently for possessing an activist mind as I searched my mind for answers if ever there was an overt act I may have done to be red-tagged dragging the organization which I represent. If there is such a repressive and arbitrary political environment practically letting one short circuited and irregularly discredited, this is it.
    Where red-tagging takes from one possessing a belief to an ideology then the reciprocal means to address should be a healthy debate of the belief or ideology of another. From an ideology springs activism, a bulwark for the common good, for precious democracy, siding with people’s interest and welfare. A belief to an idea or an ideology as a persons’ right to exercise one’s mind, free will given by God, for a longing for humanity, for the common good.  For isn’t common good the way and the direction of governance. Otherwise, what is governance for?
Activism    
The activist wants the common good. I would like to think anyone wants the common good, isn’t it. Unless one thinking for one’s personal good only is the end of existence of life which is unfortunate should it be so.
    Let me elaborate further. For people are not born and reared the same way, did not go to the same school, did not read the same books for I must have read Ayn Rand and the redtagger must have read Barbara Cartland if ever you did  though we both must have read Bannawag, did not have the same friends and relatives and parents,  had diverse situations of growing up, do not have the same minds nor think the same way, had differing amounts of money in one’s pockets, had differing works and experiences, had differing struggles and difficulties in life and differing perspectives in how one thinks and sees life and have differing IQ (intellectual quotient) and EQ( emotional quotient). And with the diverse background and orientation, evolved differing beliefs and reason for being. That is, one cannot take another’s existence and appropriate for one’s self. Shame on you.  
    To be blunt, you redtagger did not feed me since birth till the present nor sent me to school and you were not part of my joys and difficulties in life. And you did not pay my loans or electric bills or fares to my travelling destinations. I owe you nothing.  Shame on you..
    Worse, I am shocked to find out that me and my person meant MPCI. Me getting red tagged does not automatically disrepresent the organization here which is MPCI. It’s a shame that MPCI has not been given the chance to be represented in any of the special bodies because of the its chairperson getting redtagged.
    The chairperson is not the organization. The chairperson is a member of an organization composed of many members. To those who earlier founded MPCI, you will be saddened how MPCI was treated this way. 
    Two years which had not been maximized and concretized as what the law calls for. Again, I repeat, because of ugly, cowardly, paranoid, unfounded redtagging.  
    What is the issue here as far as peoples organizations or rather CSOs are concerned relative to intentions of the PCA-NAPC-LACMS.
    Redtagging CSOs and POs defeat the very purpose of the law which calls for them in community participation and local governance. Redtagging prevents organizations and the members therein on their involvement to local development, threatens their security to life and movement, leaving one short circuited and arbitrarily denied of rights to participation. Individuals redtagged belong to organizations who exist for public interest thereby threatening public welfare. Redtagging therefore is anti- good governance, anti-development, anti- community, anti- people and anti- rule of law.
    Now here’s the PCA meant to provide a platform to address basic social sectoral issues. The PCA is composed of sectoral organizations from the women, youth, children, migrant workers. Indigenous peoples, fisherfolks, labor, persons with disabilities, (PWD) farmers and urban poor. The PCA then is supposed to be in defense for these sectoral groups much as that is its mandate and state for being.
    That is, to uphold even redtagged persons and groups whether they belong to activist groups or not. For activist social groups and individuals are progressive, committed to public interest and welfare, and critical to government if power is abused. Welcome to the 21^st century, a millennial state of pluralism, democracy, a state of letting a thousand flowers bloom, of progress and peoples’ participation to their development and the progress of the community as one.   
    Fast forward 2021. Redtagging continued where ‘persons of interest’ were identified among Sagada-based activists and other activists in Mountain Province’.  The Charlie Company of the 54rth Infantry Battalion of the PA during the dialogue held early this year did not clearly answer questions why identified persons were called ‘persons of interest’ and why redtagged persons were invited to a meeting conducted by the municipal mayor. As noted, the Charlie Company  “do not know” and referred the question to “higher headquarters’. Otherwise such is malicious, false identification or systematic propaganda.

link here 

Dap-ay Malingeb’s anahaw roofing and 8 mandalas

By Gina Dizon

SAGADA MOUNTAIN PROVINCE- Host dap-ay Malingeb  has a new look witnessed on the conduct of the annual Tangeb di Babayas (closing of wedding celebrations) or Begnas di Tangeb di Ogas  (closing of the rice harvest season) last July 22 by dumap-ay (members) of the 12 dap-ay of central Sagada.

A roofing made of insulated anahaw, two giant statues by the front side, painted walls and an extended mosaic designed dance floor with eight mandalas that intrigued the Sagada public.

A different look from what it was before it got remodeled recently this second quarter of the year, the dap-ay was then made of GI roofing, unpainted cement walls and no giant statues at the front side.

The GI roofed dap-ay in the ‘90s replaced the older dap-ay made of ‘gu-un’ (cogon) roofing and wooden plank walling. Said replacement was then a project of the then Office of National Cultural Communities (ONCC) before it was nationally called National Commission of Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

             Sagada which must have been of cogonal terrain before the American Period, ‘gu-un’(cogon) was the material used for the construction of dwellings before as noted in old pictures.  ‘Gu-un’ must have been the material used in the making of dap-ay Malingeb the first dap-ay by Biag, the legendary founder of Sagada. And/or it may have been other indigenous material then at that time.

And, the first dap-ay must have been a much smaller hut than its size now but as years went by and changes of replacing the ‘gu-un’ went by must have increased a little bit bigger till it reached its size now, surmised Irenius Tauli, elder of dap-ay Malingeb, in an interview.

And so it was told that Biag came from Bika, from the hinterlands of eastern Abra then went to the Ilocos to avoid invasion of headhunters. Not wanting to be Christianized, Biag found his way to Sagada and established the first dap-ay in Malingeb followed by dap-ay Bilig and Pikong in Demang built by his two children Bandowa and Konyap and eight others in the old settlements of Dagdag and Demang and eventually one in barangay Patay. 

And so other dap-ay were built by others as Biag found three men- Ganga, Peng-as and Puse-  when he first came to Sagada before the Spanish period said elders Jaime Timpac , Jesse Pelayo from dap-ay Maballay  and Joseph Guitilen Capuyan from dap-ay Lukong of Demang.  

             And so it was noted that the climate then was cold  and so was built a low lying hut for sleeping quarters called ‘abong’ built near the ‘amlangan’ section where the stone-seats and  ‘padao’ (totem poles) were firmly planted. The ‘padao’ signified that heads of invading buso (headhunters) from other places were cut off by ‘dumap-ay’ warriors and these hung on the poles to signify victory.

The sleeping quarters called ‘abong ‘ and the ‘amlangan’ compose the dap-ay. And men would come together from time to time to commune and talk about important ili concerns while warming themselves around a bonfire.

The dap-ay embeds the cultural  fabric of economic, social, political and educational activities done in the  immediate ili (community). For one, when the begnas, an agricultural feast  is decided  when it shall happen among other  activities.

The young boys learned values of respect to elders, honesty, industry, and ‘inayan’ or ‘lawa’ are inculcated to them while they do chores such as gathering firewood to keep the fire burning at night or massage the feet of older men using sticks in a foot massage called ‘kolkolis’.     

‘Inayan’ is the indigenous interpretation of the universal saying/teaching of Jesus Christ to “do unto others what you like others do unto you”. For it is ‘inayan’ not to do harm to another lest harm shall befall any member of the family when harm is done to another. 

Sukyab

From time to time the weathered roofing of the dap-ay got replaced with fresh ‘gu-un’ as done in a practice called ‘sukyab’ or ‘sekyab’ for the new ‘gu-un’ to prevent rain from seeping inside the sleeping quarters. 

              A practice that got ignored or not anymore practiced as the dap-ay roofing was changed to GI sheets by ONCC in the ‘90s.

Elders Guitilen Capuyan of dap-ay Lukong of Demang, Jesse Pelayo and Jaime Timpac of dap-ay Maballay of Dagdag said many of the dap-ay of central Sagada then had been burned by matchstick- playing children before these were changed to GI sheets and wooden walls to concrete.

Other dap-ay in other parts of Sagada had also been changed to GI sheet roofing and cemented walls.

So for quite some time, the practice to ‘mensukyab’ got ignored with already installed GI sheet roofing of the 12 dap-ay of central Sagada.  And must be so with other dap-ay of the whole town where the roofing had been changed to GI sheets.

The dap-ay of the old settlement of Fidelisan of northern Sagada has also been changed to GI sheet roofing. 

What more, ‘gu-un’ is ‘manmanu’ (not so much to find) much as cows graze the mountains and these burned with the occurrence of forest fires, elder Archie Sumedca of dap-ay Matuba of Dagdag said.

             With the equally persistent burning of mountains and the changing of flora into other plants and trees, cogon has been not so visible in the mountainsides not only in Sagada but in other mountainous areas as well.

Though Forester Christopher Bosaing of the Community Environment Natural Resources Office(CENRO) said there is still cogon but these do not grow long due to the burning of mountains.  

Comes now Malingeb having opted to change the GI roofing to anahaw sourced from warm weathered Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte and Quezon province.

Anahaw is more durable with a 20-year life span as compared to a 5-year durability of ‘gu-un’ before it shall be changed again said Aldwin Ayban a dumap-ay of Malingeb and who supervised the replacement to anahaw roofing.

And to prevent the anahaw from fire threats, the material was covered with insulated net, Ayban added.

A much commented issue in social media, changing of the roof to anahaw stirred the question of what ‘heritage’ means with some sending the question of why not use ‘gu-un’.

            Anahaw is ‘ananga’ in our dialect, that material which people in our place then used to cover their heads and back from the rain, Tauli added.  

Anahaw gets ‘closer to what heritage means”, he added.

Heritage

With the advocacy of and legislative enactions passed in national laws and local ordinances on heritage, a conscious query on what is heritage prompts people to know what the ‘old’ is to be preserved.

            The question on what was the traditional material of the dap-ay roofing came in time with the recent passing of the heritage ordinance on man-made structures by the Sangguniang Bayan of the municipality of Sagada as approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and transmitted to the SB on June 25 this year.

The SB defined ‘heritage’ as the “traditions, achievements, beliefs, culture and the like that are part of the history of a group, community or nation”; and man-made structures to strictly refer “to any building or edifice either made of stone, wood, grass or materials or any combination thereof intended either as family or public shelter, community congregation, and or gathering coupled with the noble intentions of its use and purpose.”

As broad as it is defined, heritage includes the intangible aspect of the culture of a people distinguished from the tangible physical structure which is the material form.

Purist- critic netizens from Sagada say the cogon or gu-un roofing of the dap-ay has to be preserved.               And that there should be no changes in the roofing, walling, and everything of it. For that structure shall tell what heritage of what it was before. For indeed, what is a story to tell if there is no historical structure to see.

Former Sagada vice mayor Richard Yodong suggests that one structure be restored to have the look of the old ‘gu-un’ roofed dap-ay so to refer to what materially was the historical structure before the dap-ay now were replaced to GI sheet roofing and anahaw.
Yodong exhorts on the responsibility of the dumap-ay to look after the upkeep of their respective dap-ay. 
Among the 12 dap-ay of central Sagada, some are dilapidated while others are maintained. Some are visited most of the time while others obviously are abandoned by the look of the  dilapidated abong itself or some celllophane wrappers strewn at the dap-ay's pantew (frontyard). One needs physical relocation for the dap-ay to be moved away from a curve at the roadside as it shows hazardous location as noticed elder Guitilen of dap-ay Lukong of Demang.    

The Heritage Act of 2009 or RA 10066 differentiated tangible from intangible culture.
Said Act referred “tangible cultural property” to cultural property with historical, archival, anthropological, archaeological, artistic and architectural value, and with exceptional or traditional production, whether of Philippine origin or not, including antiques and natural history specimens with significant value.

Tangible cultural property includes ‘built heritage” to refer to "architectural and engineering structures such as, but not limited to, bridges, government buildings, houses of ancestry, traditional dwellings, quartels, train stations, lighthouses, small ports, educational, technological and industrial complexes, and their settings, and landscapes with notable historical and cultural significance."

Much commented issue in social media heavily participated by netizens from Sagada and other members in three Facebook group accounts- Save Sagada, Sagada Dap-ayan and Sagada Reports- was the use of anahaw vs the use of traditional cogon as the roofing, and the stone flooring of the extended section to remain rather than a flooring with a designed mosaic.

Here, the intangible cannot be separate from what is tangible considering the nature of what is being questioned- that of the dap-ay or abong which houses the sleeping quarters and educational space for young boys which as obviously seen is integral in the overall meaning of dap-ay.

With the change of  ‘gu-un’ to anahaw has raised spirited questions of “ay waday dap-ay di Ilocano” (is there a dap-ay of Ilocanos) overheard from young boys who were heavily discussing in a store.

Restoration being a vital part of ‘conservation” refer to “all the processes and measures of maintaining the cultural significance of a cultural property including, but not limited to, preservation, restoration, reconstruction, protection, adaptation or any combination thereof by the Heritage Act of 2009.”

Where an old material has weathered and where that old material may not be available anymore goes into practical remedies such as the availability of  GI sheet or anahaw bringing up the question of what is the extent of restoration.

Throughout varied periods in time, availability and practicality of materials had been demonstrated in the restoration of the dap-ay roofing from ‘gu-un’ to GI sheets to anahaw.

             Should there have been GI sheets in the olden times, such may have been used as roofing of the dap-ay, elder Bisogong  Badongen of dapay Maballay said.

Sagada elder and writer Benjamin Longid says ‘depending on how it is rendered, the dap-ay can be not too far a departure from the past while providing space for its present functions. A table miniature of an old dap-ay can be made to educate the younger generation and visitors so they can have an idea of that simple institution that has helped shape our values.”

Nethertheless, Malingeb elder and former Sagada mayor Thomas Killip emphasize the strengthening by the community of the “intangible role or function of the dap-ay referring to values system, traditional rituals, practices, social gatherings even if the physical look of the dap-ay is changed’  

             “Intangible cultural heritage” as defined by the Heritage Act refers to the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills, as well as the instruments, objects and artifacts associated therewith, that communities, groups and individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage, such as oral traditions, languages and expressions; performing arts; social practices, rituals and festive events; knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; and traditional craftsmanship.”

            To this differentiate from “intangible cultural property” to refer to the peoples’ learned processes along with the knowledge, skills and creativity that inform and are developed by them, the products they create and the resources, spaces and other aspects of social and natural context necessary for their sustainability.

And so the people of Sagada practice their cultural ways since then passed down by elders who actually performed these. One of which is the begnas, an agricultural feast capped with playing of gongs and dancing. 

Though for this July begnas called Begnas di Tangeb di Babayas does not customarily observe dancing as done in the other begnas celebrations.

In the pursuit of cultural preservation, “the nation’s cultural heritage, its property and histories, and the ethnicity of local communities shall likewise endeavor to create a balanced atmosphere where the historic past coexists in harmony with modern society. It shall approach the problem of conservation in an integrated and holistic manner, cutting across all relevant disciplines and technologies."

“Artistic imagination can be given free rein but within the framework of conservation for posterity, shouldn’t that be of primary consideration?” exhorts  Benjamin Longid, a descendant of Ganga yas Labanet (AGL) one of the old family- ancestries of Sagada.  

            And with a relatively new heritage ordinance of the municipality considering the issues raised in the innovations done by dap-ay Malingeb, raises queries on implementing rules of the code or ammending the heritage code itself for one, on what alteration means or who is the ‘proper authority’ in deciding what restoration or improvement of a cultural structure is.

The Umbon

The ‘dumap-ay’ per dap-ay are obligated to take care of their own dap-ay either when to ‘sukyab’ their roofing or come together and decide on issues that affect them.

This including where to get support from projects they want to do with their dap-ay and other activities they want conducted.

And so upon request by the Malingeb ‘umbon’ to businessman Alfonso ‘Boy’ Yuchengco Jr, long-time friend of Sagada, the ‘umbon’ asked for support for the installation of the anahaw roofing of the abong and the enhancement of the extended dance floor.

Commonly called Boyu, Boy Yuchengco Jr is the son of philanthropist - businessman Alfonso Yuchengco who supported the building of the new St Mary’s School in 1979 after the old pine wood-made school was razed in1975. 

How the restoration came about emphasized the role of the ‘umbon’ or the ‘pangbon’ referring to the ‘dumap-ay’ or members of the dap-ay.

Aptly, as Demang elder and tourist guide Aklayan Aben said “ay daida baw” (its up to them) or elder Badongen of dap-ay Maballay of Dagdag said, “sha met nan ikkan da” referring to the umbon of Malingeb's consensual agreement when asked on their comment on the replacement of the roof material to anahaw.

The ‘umbon’ for three consecutive times since the early months of the second quarter of the year had to come together and discuss the changes that happened, Tauli recalled.

Consultation being a prime and fundamental requirement on what happens in the dap-ay is a conscious practice to follow for the dap-ay is a collective composition of the ‘dumap-ay’.

Changing the roofing,the look of the frontage and the walling, and working on the floor mosaic was left to the decision of the ‘umbon’ to decide following the consensus method of coming up with a collective decision.

‘Nu ngan nan kanan nan tapina et sha nan maikkan’ ( what others say shall it be), said elder Jaime Capuyan, thereby placing great emphasis on what others say rather than what only one says.

For indeed, a dap-ay member from another dap-ay in Sagada or from another place to dictate or interfere in the affairs of a dap-ay not their own is frowned upon to follow cultural sovereignty and respect to another.

Where, as the colors and designs of tapis or wanes have their separate distinction from another culture or tribe so are decisions of one tribe as to their sovereign own.

And shall the municipality’s heritage ordinance qualify criteria of what heritage means? Tauli who is himself the secretary of Sangguniang Bayan of Sagada said, let ‘heritage’ stay as how it is worded and to be particularly qualified by respective members of the dap-ay.

So does that include the changing of the low lying one storey dap-ay structure now to a two- story building in the future for example to mean heritage?

“That would be a different building then”, Tauli said.

And what about those two big statues at the front side of the dap-ay?

Demang elder Joseph Guitilen Capuyan frowned on the sculptured human forms at the front side saying he has never seen ‘tinagtago’ (sculptured human forms) at the front side of a dap-ay.  And for wall paintings?  “kigad das sa” (that’s up to them”), he quipped.  

Malingeb elder Jaime Capuyan has a different opinion on the placing of the statue  at the front side of the dap-ay, saying in dialect,  ‘dati tako ay buso” (we are former headhunters).

The human form statues symbolically guard the dap-ay and the ili (community) from invaders.

And so history and the present says, the dap-ay locates the ‘padao’ placed in a circular arrangement where the cut-off heads of invading headhunters from other places were hung. 

The heads cut off by warriors and placed in totem poles was the practice during the head hunting days in Sagada, Bontoc, other places of Mountain Province, Abra, Kalinga and Ifugao. The cut-off heads placed in totem poles meant victory and that the ili shall be protected from invaders.

“The elders told us that the dap-ay itself where the ‘padao’ and the stone-seats are located should remain as is”, local artist James Wandag said.

And so the sacred part of the dap-ay remained as is, the padao and stone-seats intact as how these originally looked like.

The not so sacred part of the dap-ay referring to the extended dance floor was left to the imagination of artists who worked on the mosaic designed flooring.

Said flooring was a former pigsty eventually backfilled with river stones and levelled to become the dance floor.

Malingeb elder Jaime Capuyan sees there is nothing wrong with the mosaic saying “baken dakes’ (not bad) except that the carabao horns installed on the wall of the dance floor be taken down as there was no babayas (wedding celebration) that ever happened in dap-ay Malingeb.

Though other members of the dap-ay look at it differently.  Elder and barangay captain Edward Ayban said there was a time that lakay Omaweng, elder of Mallingeb dap-ay butchered two carabaos in the 1960s and hung these in one part of the dap-ay in observance of the ‘goliweng’.

Asked what ‘goliweng’ is Lakay Guitilen from nearby Demang recalled a star-like object which went on circular motions with a clanging sound installed high above one section of the dap-ay and for what purpose he did not know.

The Mosaic

The extended dance floor with designs of earth elements- sun, moon, plants, sky, waters, cultural artifacts and man- incorporated tiles and paint on the mosaic worked on a cemented flooring June this year.

Surrounded by eight mandalas in a circular pattern surrounding the shape of a lizard enclosed a ‘wising’-shaped geometric pattern enclosing a blue shaped circle signifying the earth and sky.

Called collaborative art by artist Bong Sanchez from Bauko and married to one from Ambasing, Sagada the work was done with other members of dap-ay Malingeb namely local artists James Wandag who co-conceptualized the mosaic. Other local artists and members of Malingeb came in to help namely Aspil Capuyan, Puclis Guitilen, with the two children of  Eril Bistoguey helped in grouting the mosaic with tiles and Sanchez and Wandag in painting the designs.

Curves and lines make up the mosaic with meanings etched in motifs mostly of which are earth elements, cultural artifacts and man.  

Around the central mandala is a wider shape showing the cultural ‘wising’ the sign for fertility. And so man and woman was created after the heaven and earth were made by God. Wising  was commonly used as an earring used by elders in the past.

Malingeb known to be a dap-ay for the ‘mamaleng-ag’ or the ‘mamakedse’ is commonly referred to as the dap-ay of businessmen and perfectly, as the wising is traditionally made of gold which means wealth.

Around the wising is the form of a lizard which symbolizes longevity.

Etched around the lizard form are eight mandalas signifying one set of gongs culturally played by men during occasions as begnas.  

Local artist James Wandag said the eight gong mandalas speak of harmony and resounding impact when all played as a collective team. In popular numerology, eight speaks of dynamism and balance.  

The traditional gong instruments are played during occasions mostly during joyful events- begnas, weddings, dangtey, and in contemporary times when there are graduations, conferences, meetings.

The ‘balbeg’ (spear) with its pointed arrow to the blue form in the middle of mosaic refers to direction- to earth and sky with the base of the arrow at the back of the head of a person with outstretched arms praising a higher being. Sagada culture worships Kabunian, local term for God. 

Sanchez said the person is reclining on the pole of a spear which finds below the figure of two persons in two separate round geometric shapes colored blue aquatic waters and green agriculture. Elements which naturally compose the spiritual and economic life of the Sagada Igorot.  

On the same handle of the spear towards the base of the motif is a ‘kalasag’ (shield) showing man and his cultural ways with linear motiffs of earth elements, cultural patterns such as weaves, and man all intertwined in what makes a community. Kalasag signifies defense and aptly, the upright practise and defense on community and culture.   

Sanchez and Wandag said some mandalas need pronounced enhancement pending ceramic art works by local potters Siegrid Angway- Rogers and Tessie Baldo.

The subject ‘understanding culture society and politics’ in senior high school makes this mosaic a perfect summarized art work of what the subject means, the beginning of creation, the intertwining weaves of nature with that of man and culture and valuing the earth.

Another part of the dance floor is a waiting space where a bench was installed with sculptured faces on the window part and where other mandalas are found on the flooring including the popular universal yin-yang symbol.  Sculptured art works were done by local artist and carpenter Jessie  Gaongen.

Though “one of my favorite images in my personal reflections, the Yin-Yang figure is misplaced and contributes nothing to affirm the dap-ay's identity”, Longid commented.

The mosaic in a wider meaning tells the material culture of Sagada. The land is worked on, waters are crucial in farming, and pigs, chickens and even dogs are offered to  Kabunian for bountiful harvest, fertility, longevity, prosperity, security and banning of disease.

Like what elder Jaime Capuyan popularly called Lakay Saime prayed during the Begnas id Malingeb  that the dreaded Covid virus shall not enter Sagada.

Begnas di Tangeb di Babayas

Begnas di Tangeb di Babayas (wedding celebrations) annually happens July after the Begnas di Ani (rice harvest in June.

The July begnas then closes the wedding celebrations done in May and the rice harvest in June.

Tangeb di Babayas is an annual event which caps the wedding season culturally held in May. Though there were no wedding celebrations due to the Covid pandemic, the begnas event went on as observed along with the Tangeb di Ogas or the closing of rice harvest.

Begnas di Tangeb di Babayas comes with Begnas di Latab or Begnas di Ogas (closing of harvest).

There are five regular begnas events done the whole  year round. The first called Begnas di Yabyab is done in November to signify the start of the rice planting season with the legendary ‘Bangan’ doing the first rice planting.

Rice seedlings were planted in December and eventually the ripened palay harvested June to July.

Begnas in Sagada is an agricultural feast held five times a year.

Begnas di Yabyab is followed by the second begnas in March to signify the construction of houses and milling of sugarcane thus Begnas di Lebek followed in May to signify Begnas di Tiyagew (dry season) and wedding celebrations.

And the cycle repeats again in November’s Begnas di Yabyab depending on the phase of the moon.

During the Begnas, the men clad in their G- strings and each holding a spear walk the pathway from river Tudey to the host dap-ay loudly chanting the ‘wawe’, shouts of men having began their walk from the river to the host dap-ay. Waters compose an integral essence of the agricultural feast.

The giving of wine, ‘tupig’ or sticky rice wrapped in sugarcane leaves, bread from women follow and these materially collected for the dap-ay. From the earth, earth’s products are offered and the ritual begins. 

The ritual implores Kabunian for health, procreation, longevity, prosperity, and good harvest for the people of the ili (community).

Malingeb’s new intros

The replacement of  ‘gu-un’ to anahaw roofing is not new on what dap-ay Malingeb has done in the past on its innovations to cite the "goliweng' and now the anahaw roofing and  mosaic designed dance floor. What is more to see in the near future?

James Wandag envisions the dance floor to serve as an educational workshop site where children can come together and learn what the culture of Sagada is. He also envisions the newly enhanced extension to serve as a venue where art works of Sagada artists- both children and adults can display their arts and crafts. And this to accommodate other dumap-ay of Sagada.

And so goes the song ‘It’s a new world’ by The Moody Blues.

Red tagging and the fight for land and life

Photo credits  to Ceres P. Doyo in her book Macli-ing Dulag - Kalinga chief defender of the Cordillera  

By Gina Dizon

SAGADA, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE – Pedro, an iSagada elder and farmer said, “ay ibaldog na ubpay nan kakailyan’ (so he places town mates in danger) when I told him that Sadanga Mayor Gabino Ganggangan said on Facebook that “Sagada and Besao seem to remain as the political base of the New Peoples Army (NPA) insurgency until now.”

Pedro like any other Sagada resident in his 30s and above are knowledgeable of Sagada having been an encounter site between members of the NPA and Armed Forces of the Philippines(AFP) which eventually led to the people having unilaterally declared Sagada a demilitarized zone in the late 1980s.

That was before and Pedro is saying there are no more NPAs in Sagada now so why the statement of Ganggangan.

It is unfortunate that the word war between Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) chairperson and iSagada Windel Bolinget and Ganggangan on issues of the mayor having waived food relief as an act of ‘arrogance’ apart from not having consulted the people of Sadanga as Bolinget claimed counter attacked by Ganggangan  on  questions if Bolinget  has consulted IPs on the latter's representations to international fora and progressed on to red tagging by Ganggangan.

The word war in a series of letters posted publicly on Facebook continued on with respective statements asserting that communities- Bontoc and Sadanga  Mountain Province,Tinglayan, Kalinga and the Tingguians of Abra - fought for their ancestral lands against the Chico River dam project in the late 70s and logging operations of the Cellophil Resources Corporation in Abra in the ‘80s.

On to statements of Bolinget saying that Ganggangan is a member of the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) known for their notoriety of squatting in Baguio and Ganggangan likewise saying CPA is linked to the “Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army (CPP-NPA).”

Red tagging pursued on and Ganggangan insinuated that CPA officers are members of the CPP-NPA with coincidental circumstances further dragging Sagada and Besao saying these towns are a ‘political base of the NPA.’

Pedro must be irked by Ganggangan’s statement.

Many a story has been that those accused of being communists, terrorists, or NPA disappeared in mysterious circumstances till now or died under violent conditions with the AFP as the strongly suspected perpetrators.

Some persons including Cris Batan and Robert Estimada, both workers of the Development Agency of Tribes in the Cordillera (DATC) were murdered in Bontoc, Mountain Province; James Balao of CPA disappeared in Benguet and until now his body has not surfaced, pangat leader Macliing Dulag of Tinglayan Kalinga was killed in his hometown, and others including the recent deaths of 14 farmers  in Surigao claimed by the police to be linked to the ‘CPP-NPA’, carry stories of having been murdered by the AFP and their integrated armed elements, the CAFGU.

While others were arrested and detained on charges of murder and other crimes.

They are community leaders strongly defending their lands from being dammed or mined, and staff of non-government organizations supporting communities of their resistance against projects aggressively implemented against the will of the people.

They are activists, full of dreams for a better community strongly in support of the rights of a people.

Innocent persons are either summarily silenced or threatened or arrested and peoples initiatives too, in community development. Fear is a factor and that is natural among people who are threatened.  

             Democracy and political pluralism, sadly is threatened with the many threats, arrests and deaths of activists. Human rights is  threatened with the very act of red tagging which places red tagged persons in danger of their security to life. It presumes a criminal act even without the benefit of due process in the courts of law on red tagged persons and groups who are vocal and active against the excesses and omissions of government.

Activists question excesses and omissions of government and forward what should be a better system. 

For one, corruption is at a high of the Philippines being the 113th least corrupt nation out of 180 countries according to the 2019 corruption perceptions index reported by the Transparency International and that’s 14  countries below  the 2018 ranking.

Unemployment reached 14% in 2019. A number of people don’t have jobs and to most are not receiving enough salary for their everyday needs so they go abroad for better pay. The Philippines also slid down one notch in the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Democracy Index for 2019, to 54th place.

             Why silence people on their political convictions and philosophies.  

Where one wants to be a communist is one’s right. Where one wants to be a socialist or a lennist, an animist or populist, a rightist, a leftist a centralist is one’s preference. It’s a free world and the Philippines is a democratic country.  

Society with its many political beliefs and ideologies is a sortie of initiatives of many kinds- protectionism, globalization, autonomy, federalism and so on and there is no standard set of what is politically or culturally good for this world. Even the much touted government-led globalization is now being criticized on big companies monopolizing trade and small entrepreneurs getting edged off the economic arena.

This world is not black and white blocks.  It’s a spectral rainbow of beliefs, ideology, culture, religion, and nature provides the answers to this diversity. A harmony in diversity. If government who takes charge of a nation’s leadership shall make it happen.

Political societies have progressed to levels of discourse and possibilities with people exercising their rights to free expression and assembly.

photo credits to Rappler 

Yet the Philippine government under the Duterte administration gone authoritarian declared war against the CPP-NPA and yet to resume peace talks with the armed group.  President Rodrigo Duterte declared the CPP-NPA a terrorist organization under the Philippines Human Security Act of 2007 (Republic Act 9372) in 2017 and tasked the justice department to file a court petition seeking to classify the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group, in accordance with the provisions of the Human Security Act.

            But communism is not illegal in the Philippines after Republic Act 1700 or the Anti Subversion law was repealed in 1992  via RA 7636. Even Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that mere membership to the CPP is not a crime "unless overt criminal acts are committed."

The decriminalization of communism in 1992 did not stop authorities from red tagging and arresting individuals as part of its anti-insurgency campaign, with charges ranging from illegal possession of firearms and explosives, to kidnapping and murder.

With this, the communists, the ‘CPP- NPA’ is the enemy of the AFP- Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and makes the country  adopt an ‘either you’re with the government or you’re not’ option of some sort. The Duterte administration does not distinguish what is CPP from an armed NPA group.

And CPA is accused by Ganggangan being linked with the CPP-NPA further accusing CPA officers as members of the CPP.

CPA, an alliance of 27 organizations spread out in the Cordillera region since its founding in 1984 works with people in communities. Surely, they must have met NPAs when they visit communities in the countryside, an NPA who may be a ka-ilyan or from other parts of the country.

An interview with a resident in the countryside said they meet NPAs who go to their homes for  a meal. And it must be that a CPA staff who happens to be in the community tell the NPA too, to stay out from the community as it would be dangerous to the people whenever there is an encounter between and among the NPA with the AFP.

Bolinget in an interview said “in the conduct of the armed conflict, civilians/non combatants must not be affected in accordance with international humanitarian law”.

NPAs in the country sides are not a surprise to be seen when they come down from the mountains and walk and talk amongst the people.

With the government’s fight against the CPP-NPA on their anti-insurgency program had always been a threatening stance on human rights. And people suffered. Including CPA workers and their officers aside from other suspected communist-linked peoples organizations as claimed by AFP. 

The very accusation of individuals and groups linkage to CPP-NPA kills free discourse and democracy, threatening the very  freedom and right to a belief on political and economic systems, threatening healthy community discourse and relationships.

The Supreme Court has defined redtagging as  “the act of labelling, branding, naming and accusing individuals and/ or organizations of being left-leaning, subversives, communists or terrorists (used as) a strategy...by State agents, particularly law enforcement agencies and the military, against those perceived to be ‘threats’ or ‘enemies of the State.

Commonly defined as the harassment or persecution of a person because of “known or suspected communist sympathies, the extensive history of red-tagging in the Philippines has led to the recognition of several formal definitions by the Philippine Government.

The Commission on Human Rights follows the definition laid down by the International Peace Observers Network (IPON), which defines  redtagging as an act of State actors, particularly law enforcement agencies, to publicly brand individuals, groups, or institutions as...affiliated to communist or leftist terrorists.”

Individuals and organizations who have been red-tagged are “vulnerable to interception and recording of communication, detention without charges, restricted travel and personal liberties, examination of bank records, and the seizure and sequestration of their assets”, apart from  red-tagged individuals being vulnerable to death threats and violence.

Red tagging violates constitutional guarantees of presumption of innocence and thus allegations should be "tried before fair and competent courts." Red tagging by its very act places red tagged persons in danger of their security to life.  

Red tagging further saps energy on persons and organizations who support  communities. It becomes a negative factor on peoples development, people’s organizations being crucial factors of community development as even the law and government recognizes that.

Red tagging personalities and people’s organizations is plainly harassment and a violation of human rights and places red tagged groups and persons in danger and threat to their lives.

              Organizations, individuals people have been placed into the limelight of conflict and physical harm because of the  NPA-AFP war and issues have not yet been resolved.  

Peace talks is the way and it is the way to make peace in this seemingly military led, impoverished and corruption-ridden country.

Where customary practices imply or express, ‘tungtung’ and verbally expressing one’s disagreement with the other to come up with agreements have been proven measures to stop conflict and war.

             Otherwise, “ay ibaldog na ubpay nan kailyan” as Pedro said.