We must deal with the fact that the insurgency in the Cordillera is real; it is one of the challenges in the promotion and attainment of peace and development in the region. The Members of the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTG) are fleeing into our mountains and if not here in the community mingling with the people like locals.
I appreciate the fact that our government line agencies are incessantly working together looking for ways how to address this five-decade long insurgency.
Recently, the Cordillera Regional Peace and Order Council (CRPOC) passed a resolution adopting the "Dumanun Makitungtong" (Visit and Talk), under the said resolution, the members of the law enforcement agencies together with the representatives from Local Government Units (LGUs), religious sector, and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) to conduct house visits to known members of the Communist Front Organizations (CFOs) in order to encourage them to stop dealing with or supporting the CPP-NPA-NDF in the region.
The "Dumanun Makitungtong" strategy is no different from the 'Tungtung system' or the 'manuugudan' that we know-our indigenous way of settling and resolving conflicts through verbal form. I believe this strategy has been studied carefully and will be worked as it fits our Cordilleran Culture. It is still being performed these days in the different provinces of the Cordillera Region, and the people obviously choose it as their customary form of solving cases and conflicts since it is relevant and bound on mutual respect, understanding and cooperation among the parties.
Yet, I wonder why there are organizations that disparaging the strategy, by calling it a 'Tokhang Style'. It clearly spelled out in the resolution that the 'visit and talk' will be conducted not only by law enforcement agencies, but also with representatives from LGUs, religious sector, and NGOs to ensure appropriate justification and resolution. Saying it will be a tokhang style is a mere speculation and an attempt to besmirch the culture and tradition so enriched that Cordillerans proven effective among generations.
When we do the "Dumanun Makitungtong" just like our old ways, it has the potential of making CPP-NPA-NDF a thing of the past.
This article was shared with the Igorotage team by Gab Daguio, Baguio City.
Do you also have stories to share with the Igorot community? You can publish them directly when you create an Igorotage account or you can drop it at our email address. Learn more on how to publish your content on Igorotage.
