MALIBONG, Abra — The district-wide people’s organization TADEK (Takderan Aywanan ti Daga, Ekolohiya ken Kultura) recently concluded its 3rd general assembly on January 15, 2006 in Brgy. Buanao, Malibcong, Abra province. Over 100 delegates coming from the villages of Lat-ey, Buanao, Adugao, Umnap and Cob-coba attended the assembly.

TADEK hosted the 21st Cordillera Day celebrations in Buanao with over 5,000 participants, including those from other regions and aboard. This activity has been a significant achievement for TADEK which was organized in 1999 through the Cordillera Peoples Alliance. The assembly is held every two years.

After the organizational assessments, the General Program of Action (GPOA) was reviewed to integrate action plans deemed necessary. The new Executive Council was elected, with the officers coming from the five villages. They are: Constantino Latawan (chairperson), Severino Bulaay (vice chairperson), Corason Apaling (general secretary), Melba Sagaok (finance officer), and Nestor Brillantes (press relations officer). Also elected are the representatives from each Barangay. During the activity, CPA’s Education Committee gave inputs on the national and Cordillera situations.

Since its establishment, TADEK was able to execute educational discussions and trainings with the assistance of CPA’s member organizations. It also passed a resolution to the Municipal Council requesting for a hunting schedule (panaglasag) for the people of Bangilo district, which was eventually granted. One of the most significant accomplishments of TADEK is how its officials and members the TADEK collectively maintained and strengthened their organization despite limitations, such as in finance.

Since 1999, the elders of Bangilo have played an integral part in the organization, which was well-noted in the assembly.

Tribal Elder Ama Sannadan, together with other community elders, gave words of encouragement and wisdom to the new set of officers, that is, to defend and struggle for their ancestral land from the domination. # Samuel Anongos