By Ivy Tejano
MATI CITY — The Muslim community celebrated on Monday, October 28, their Indigenous People (IP) Day in part of the celebration of the Sambuokan Festival 2019 in Mati City.
(Photo via Mati City Information Office)
The event was graced by Vice Mayor Glenda Rabat-Gayta; City Administrator lawyer Alejandro Aquino; Muslim Community Affairs and Development Office officer-in-charge Rashid Flores; Datu Morsalin Vicente, of the Kaagan tribe; Datu Saydani Lantong, of the Maranao Tribe; Datu Abdul Cader Abil, of Maguindanaon; Datu Tacbil Galo, of Samal; and the Muslim Community Affairs and Development Office (MCADO) staff.
Rabat-Gayta said this event is very memorable for the Muslim community and the entire city. She added that they will continue to work together, set aside the differences and focus on their common goal for the people of Mati.
The activity started with a float parade, food, and booth presentation and program proper in which the different tribes performed “kulintang”.
Kulintang is a modern term for an ancient instrumental form of music composed of a row of small horizontally laid gongs that function melodically, accompanied by larger, suspended gongs and drums.
The activity was participated in by the five tribes namely Kaagan, Maguindanaon, Maranao, Samal and Tausug.
The winner of kulintangan was the Kaagan tribe who took home the amount of P5,000 and Samal tribe declared as winner of float parade with the prize of P5,000.
“We would like to thank the City Mayor for her support on our activity, through her support and the rest of the LGUs employees we are able to perform and participate in the celebration of Sambuokan Festival,” Flores said.
The Muslim Day celebration was spearheaded by the Muslim Community Affairs and Development Office under the City Government of Mati.