SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) – Members of the Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) and Indigenous Peoples’ (IPs) groups in Region 1 will mark this year’s celebration of the Indigenous Peoples Month and the Enactment of Republic Act No. 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Reform Act of 1997 (IPRA) in Malico Elementary School, San Nicolas, Pangasinan on Wednesday.
 
The celebration anchors on a theme: “25 years: Fulfilling the Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Bridging the Gaps Through ICCs/IPs Convergence with Partners and Stakeholders to Ensure Economic Sustainability  and Security in the Ancestral Domains.”
 
Lawyer Harriet Abyadang, regional director of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in Region 1, said the local title of the celebration is “25th Jubilee of IPRA: Lambak Ed Region 1.”
 
Expected participants of the event are all IP mandatory representatives, IP elders, IP youths, and various IPs organizations/tribes from the four provinces of Region 1, national government agencies (NGAs), local government units, and other partners and stakeholders.
 
“As an ally and collaborator in nurturing and sustaining our indigenous cultures, we are encouraging all the participants to wear an IP - inspired attire during the event,” she said.
 
The festivity is highlighted with a tribal thanksgiving ritual to be followed by a community breakfast and solidarity walk in the early morning on Wednesday.
 
The other significant highlights of the event are the presentation of the milestones of the 25 years of IPRA in Region 1, cultural presentation of the tribal groups in Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan, solidarity messages from the different tribal leaders in the region and NGA officials,  oath-taking of the officers of the Regional IP Youth League and IP games. (JCR/AMB/FGL/PIA Region 1)