NCIP trains Mamanwa IPs of Surigao Norte on financials, bookkeeping
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte (PIA) — As part of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)-Surigao del Norte’s implementation of the Integrated Area Development Approach in Implementing Culturally-Relevant Economic Program (IADDA- CREP), a training on financial literacy and simple bookkeeping was recently conducted for members of the Mamanwa IP community in Barangay Magtangale, San Francisco, Surigao del Norte. As part of the program’s second component on social enterprise development, the training is expected to strengthen the financial management and entrepreneurial capacities of indigenous cultural communities/indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs) as they pursue sustainable livelihood development.
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) Surigao Branch Manager Jesily A. Rejuso and Daphne Corraine V. Ramos shared practical knowledge on financial literacy, savings, budgeting, and responsible financial management.
Jessa Mae I. Bando, community officer-in-charge of the NCIP Malimono Community Service Center, also presented updates on the implementation of the IADDA-CREP.
She highlighted the progress of the program’s first component on Agrotechnology Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP)-dased development which focuses on strengthening sustainable agricultural production while preserving and promoting the traditional knowledge and practices of the Mamanwa community.
Meanwhile, Engineer Macoran V. Jacob, San Francisco municipal agriculturist, presented the technical designs for the goat and duck barns to be constructed under the program’s first component.
The presentation guided the IPs who will serve as carpenters for the construction of the goat and duck barns, ensuring the structures will be built in accordance with the approved plans and technical specifications.
Through this initiative, NCIP-Surigao del Norte continues to empower IPs by enhancing their financial literacy, enterprise management skills, and agricultural capacities.
On behalf of the Mamanwa IP community, Datu Rhanie said, “I want to express our deepest gratitude to the NCIP in Surigao del Norte for bringing this vital training on financial literacy and bookkeeping directly to our community. This training has given us the practical skills we need to manage our funds wisely and keep accurate records of our hard work. It ensures that our livelihood projects remain sustainable for the generations to come.”
This effort of the agency reflects the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s commitment to promoting sustainable, culturally responsive, and community-driven development that strengthens the economic resilience and overall well-being of the Mamanwa IP community in Barangay Magtangale.
The Integrated Area Development Approach in Implementing Culturally- Relevant Economic Program is a flagship initiative of NCIP strategically designed to empower IICCs/IPs by helping them harness, protect, and manage their ancestral domains. The initiative focuses on specific, actionable goals within ancestral domains, such as economic development, capacity building, and localized implementation. (SDR, PIA Surigao del Norte with a report from NCIP-SDN)