The Dumagat are a Negrito group who have settled in the province of Aurora’s Pacific coast. They inhabit seven hundred square kilometers of dense forest on the eastern flank of the Sierra Madre mountains of northern Luzon, and their territory even extends to the western flank and the neighboring province of Nueva Vizcaya.
After Typhoon Dodong devastated their homes and livelihoods in San Luis, Aurora, at least 30 Dumagat families were forced to leave their ancestral domain in 2004. Fortunately, the Ilongot kindly lent a parcel of their ancestral land in Diamanen, Dipaculao, Aurora which the Dumagat now call their home.
They made the most of their environment by planting vegetables and root crops through slash-and-burn farming and by gathering freshwater shrimp and fish to sell to buyers in the town. However, their harvest was not enough and they sometimes had to resort to borrowing money in order to get by.
In 2018, Caritas Philippines under the Alay Kapwa Program launched a fundraising initiative to help the Dumagat indigenous peoples’ community in Dipaculao in partnership with the Social Action Centers of the Diocese of Zambales and the Prelature of Infanta-Aurora. They were chosen to be pilot recipients of the Lupa at Lambat Project which replicates the best practices on sustainable agriculture of the FARMFirst Program implemented by Caritas Philippines with the Diocese of Zambales for the Aeta community in Zambales.
The idea was for the Aeta of Zambales to share their learnings with the Dumagat of Aurora. When they themselves talk about their experiences it becomes more effective rather than having experts who are outsiders. The exchange of their own experience is the best education for indigenous peoples.
It’s been four years since the Lupa and Lambat Project began, and it is finally on the road to success. This project is helping 30 families realize their dreams of better access to food security and livelihoods, with the help of Team Caritas Infanta and Team Caritas Zambales.
A series of workshops were conducted in 2022 to give them a basic understanding of sustainable agriculture, as well as to teach them the diversified integrated farming system and bio-intensive gardening technology. Since their training, they established a model farm for their seedlings and planted a variety of vegetables in each of their own plots. They have also created organic fertilizers and pesticides, and have eliminated the slash-and-burn farming technique.
Last January 21, 2023, the Tiangge sa Parokya was launched at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Dipaculao, giving the Dumagat a chance to sell their goods in a reliable location on a regular basis. The bazaar will be held every Sunday from then on.
“Lalo pong napakaganda na may pagbabagsakan na kami ng aming mga produkto. Hindi na namin kung saan-saan pa ilalako,” (It’s really good that we now have a place to sell our products. We won’t need to peddle everywhere) says Nonito Sabas, president of the Kapisanan ng mga Dumagat ng Diamanen.
Aside from the training, they also received two motorcycles with sidecars (kulong-kulong) which they can use to transport their goods from the mountain to the weekend market in the parish. “Halimbawa ako ay magpipitas sa bukid ko, may pagsasakyan ako, ganun din yung iba …malaking tulong po talaga sa komunidad namin yun, kasi karamihan po sa amin nagpapasan po talaga,” (For example, when I harvest from my farm, I have a vehicle to transport them, the same for others …it’s really a big help for our community, because most of us have to carry the goods) adds Nonito.
Perlita Guerrero, chieftain of the Dumagat community, says the project has tremendous impact on them, “Yung aming kakayanan bilang magsasaka ay na-eenhance po namin. Ang nakikita ko po pag nagtuloy-tuloy itong project ay ang pag-angat ng level ng kabuhayan namin. Sabi nga, kapag masipag ka at may tumutulong sa’yo, imposibleng hindi ka mag-level up.” (Our ability as farmers is being enhanced. I can see that if this project continues, it will raise our livelihood. As they say, when you’re hardworking and there are people who help you, it’s impossible that you won’t level up.)
“Nagpapasalamat po ang katutubong Dumagat ng Diamanen sa Caritas Philippines sa pamamagitan po ni Sir Ronel, sa kanyang mga kasamahan, kay Fr. Israel, sa kanilang mga kasamahan, kay Kuya Lando na laging nandoon sa amin para kami ay i-monitor. Wala po kaming pagsidlan ng katuwaan at pasasalamat, God bless you,” (The indigenous Dumagat of Diamanen says thank you to Caritas Philippines, through Sir Ronel, his colleagues, to Fr. Israel, his colleagues, to Kuya Lando who was always there to monitor our progress. We are very happy and grateful, God bless you.)
Lupa at Lambat is Caritas Philippines’ first model project using the framework of IP communities helping each other: katutubo para sa kapwa katutubo.
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