The Ang Koalisyon ng Indigenous People (AKO IP) partylist filed its certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) for the May 2022 elections on Monday, Oct. 4, as it seeks to build a university for Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
AKO IP was the first partylist group to file CONA on the fourth day of the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC).
Atty. Gil Astudillo Valera, chair of AKO IP, said he is happy to file his candidacy so that IPs from Luzon, and Visayas, and Mindanao will finally have representation in Congress.
"Matagal na pong naghihirap ang marginalized sector ng Indigenous People, sila ay karaniwang nasa kabundukan, hindi napapansin ng ating lipunan at gobyerno (The marginalized sector of IPs has been suffering for a long time, they are usually in mountains, unnoticed by our society and government)," Valera said.
"Magmumungkahi po kami na magkaroon ng unibersidad ang mga katutubong Pilipino. Lahat po ng katutubo, kahit hindi 85 yung kanyang grade sa high school, kahit 75 lang, basta gustong matuto pa at magkolehiyo ay tatanggapin natin at bibigyan ng pagkakataon (We will propose a university for Indigenous Filipinos have. All Indigenous Peoples, even if their grade in high school in not 86, even if it's just 75, as long as they want to learn more and go to college, we will accept them and give them opportunity)" he added.
Valera also noted that 80 to 90 percent of IPs are unable to go to college.