Decabobo Ancestral Domain, Coron, Palawan

Chairperson Rosemarie Sanicoy, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative Asencio Carpiano, and Apung Dakulu Rogelio Novero lead the distribution of emergency food relief to the Tagbanwa members of Decabobo Katutubong Tagbanwa in the Decawewe ancestral domain in Coron, Palawan. This relief is in response to the difficult times that Calamian Tagbanwa families experienced in the wake of community quarantines brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Buyus, Becatan, and Dipalirung are small island communities, included among the 8 communities in Decabobo ancestral domain. The families residing in these small islands, counted at 238, were selected to receive the emergency food relief, especially since they have an extra challenge in purchasing dry goods from the stores in town.  

Depelenged Ancestral Domain, Concepcion, Busuanga

Volunteers helped out in repacking rice for the emergency food relief. Chairperson Prudencio Calis of Katutubong Samahan ng Depelenged (KASADEP), the main Indigenous Peoples Organization leading the processing of their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT), waited with other community members in this small island community of only 74 families. Members also volunteered their labor and boats for hauling the food supplies from the town of Concepcion to the island of Depelenged.

Bay Estrilla Calis Apuen is one of the elderly persons in Depelenged island. She stamped her thumb mark as proof for receiving the emergency food relief. This means a lot to her and other elderly Tagbanwa who found it difficult to find food during the community quarantine because of the mandated age restrictions of those allowed outside their homes.

Lakdayan Ancestral Domain, Cheey, Busuanga

Community members of the Lakdayan ancestral domain actively lend a hand in the repacking of the emergency food relief. A drizzle persisted while their fellow members patiently waited for the distribution within the grounds of the Lakdayan Elementary School.

Samdhana Community Facilitator Reunald Salva oriented the community about the emergency food relief. The food relief assistance from The Marion R. Weber Family Fund of RSF Social Finance was extended to Lakdayan, though the community is not a site for the project on “Sustaining Women and Youth Initiatives for Resilience” which the MRWFF-RSFSF is currently supporting. Lakdayan belongs to the same unified ancestral domain claim with Decabobo community, where the said project is being implemented.

Santiago Aiso, was one of the 166 Tagbanwa families, and members of the Tagbanuas of Lakdayan Community Development Association (TALACDAS), who received the relief. Santiago is one of the Manig-erekelen or Elders of the community.