Tribal center opens in Surigao Sur town
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TAGBINA, Surigao del Sur (PIA) – The indigenous peoples (IP) community in Barangay Maglatab, Tagbina in the province of Surigao del Sur celebrated cultural empowerment with the turnover and inauguration of a P3.7-million tribal center.
Funded under the program on Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan – Indigenous People Community-Driven Development (KALAHI-CIDSS PAMANA IP-CDD) KALAHI-CIDSS PAMANA IP-CDD) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the project reflected the government’s deepening commitment to empowering indigenous cultural communities through participatory and inclusive governance.
More than just a structure, the tribal center is envisioned as a living space for cultural preservation, indigenous governance, and sustainable community building. It will serve as a venue for council meetings, tribal rituals, community learning sessions, and coordination among IP leaders.
Cultural justice
Tagbina Mayor Glaiza Jane P. Lanete underscored the significance of the center saying, “Kini nga tribal center usa ka simbolo sa gahum sa atong IP community. Dili lang kini usa ka estruktura, apan usa ka pundasyon alang sa pagpalig-on sa ilang kultura, edukasyon, ug panginabuhi. (This tribal center is a symbol of the strength of our IP community. It is not just a structure but a foundation for strengthening their culture, education, and livelihood).”
Dream fulfilled
One of the most resonant voices during the event was that of Hawudon Nelbbert Sahay, municipal indigenous peoples mandatory representative (IPMR), who advocated for the rights and welfare of the IP in Tagbina. With deep emotion, he said, “Words cannot express the joy we feel as members of the cultural community within the ancestral domain of the Manobo and Mandaya tribes, especially here in Barangay Maglatab. After many years of waiting, our dream of having a Tribal Center has finally come true. Through this project, we now feel that there is a government that truly recognizes, respects, and upholds our rights as IP.”
“We are truly grateful to our government, especially to the DSWD through the KALAHI-CIDSS PAMANA IP-CDD Program, and to the LGU Tagbina under the leadership of the current administration, for their enduring love, support, and commitment to our community,” he added.
Through community-driven development programs like Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA IP-CDD, IP are not just beneficiaries, they are active partners in building inclusive societies. By empowering the people of Barangay Maglatab to lead the planning, decision-making, and implementation processes, the program ensures that development is rooted in local needs and cultural values.
For the IP communities of Tagbina, the tribal center stands not only as a physical structure, but as a symbol of cultural resurgence, participatory governance, and a future where development leaves no one behind. (NGPB, PIA Surigao del Sur)
