The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has turned over a set of “Project Epanaw’s” three Coffee Table Books (CTBs) to the Philippine Ambassador to the United States of America (USA).
The turnover, held on Dec. 3, is in line with NCIP’s thrust to continuously promote the Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC) / Indigenous Peoples (IPs) of the Philippines,
NCIP, in an official statement, said that “Project Epanaw” seeks to pay tribute and memorialize the identities and rituals of the IPs. It also aims to highlight the importance of protecting their Ancestral Domains.
A set of “Project Epanaw” contains three CTBs: the first one being “Pagkilala” (Recognize), showcases the profiles of the ICCs/IPs. The second CTB, “Paggalang” (Respect), features festivals and rituals that ICCs/IPs practice in relation to important events such as birth and death, agricultural cycle, and the sacred profane. Meanwhile, the third and last CTB, “Pagtaguyod” (Promote), contains tourism destinations, protected areas, critical infrastructures, and natural resources in Ancestral Domains.
NCIP said that the CTBs were produced during the pandemic by its personnel from Central, Regional, and Field Offices, as well as ICCs/IPs, It was formally launched on March 14, 2021.
The CTBs were handed to the Philippine Ambassador to the USA, His Excellency Jose Manuel “Babe” del Gallego Romualdez at the embassy of the Philippines in Washington, D.C. USA located at Bataan street corner 1600 Massachusetts Avenue, New Washington, USA.
During the turnover, Romualdez expressed gratitude to the NCIP for receiving a set of the CTBs “which will surely be put on view at the Embassy,” adding that he further hopes for more engagement and partnership in assisting the consulate in its goal to promote awareness on Philippine culture to the world.
Meanwhile, NCIP noted that both parties expressed commitment to expand their “support for each other’s mandates to promote the IPs of the Philippines, being the first peoples of the country, worthy of recognition as the foundation of Philippine culture.
NCIP also noted that several projects geared towards promoting the IPs of the country were also discussed including the possible partnerships with other agencies to carry out policies on the “enhancement of positive image” of ICC/IPs to the international communities. (Charie Mae F. Abarca)