By Feliece Yeban, TVIRD Vice President for Social Commitments
(Editor’s note: This blog refers to the Reunification Ritual held in late August last year between leaders of TVIRD’s host Subanon tribe. The article on the reunification “Tribal leaders reconcile the past, unite for the future” can be viewed here.)
The author, right, congratulates Jose “Boy” Anoy after he was bestowed the title of timuoy (chieftain) of Siocon following the customary rites of the Subanon indigenous people of the Pito Kodolongan or Seven Rivers of the Zamboanga Peninsula.
The reunification of the Siocon Subanon leadership is a lesson in peace building. I cannot say that peace is complete but the tribal leaders have taken a bold step to set aside differences for the greater good of their tribe in Canatuan, the host community of our Sulphide Operations in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte. Clearly they have realized that the road to lasting peace is by way of genuine socio-economic development. The reunification signifies the tribe’s taking control of the process of defining development on their own terms without TVIRD and civil society organizations pulling them towards different directions. Stakeholders external to the tribe are expected to respect the tribe’s chosen path towards lasting peace. The leaders have entered the peace process with their integrity intact, spurred only by their desire to serve their community. This is not a story of compromises. This is a story of leaders making difficult choices for the good of their people, and of outsiders letting go and respecting what is internal to the tribe.
The leadership of Timuay Boy Anoy will definitely be tested. The main challenge for him is his ability to foster solidarity among the leaders and members of his tribe and, most importantly, his ability to convince them of the most efficient and effective way to manage their royalty and assets for the uplift of the quality of life in their community. I have no doubt of the Timuay Boy’s integrity, but development is everyone’s business, not just his.
Visitors to TVIRD’s website can view a two-part audio-visual presentation on the Subanon Reunification Ritual. The presentation was produced by the Mindanao Examiner, which covered the event:
|