Lumad students form lines for a flag-raising ceremony at the Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Center, which a tribal leader claims the military wants burned for being run by communist guerrillas. KARLOS MANLUPIG / INQUIRER MINDANAO (File)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥斕鼶avao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio鈥檚听听against Salugpungan听or lumad schools听are听all lies meant to insult indigenous people鈥檚 (IP) resolve to learn, Bayan Muna Rep. Eufemia Cullamat said on Tuesday.
Cullamat, a Manobo tribeswoman from Surigao del Sur, lambasted the presidential daughter鈥檚 bid to completely terminate the permit to operate of Salugpungan schools in Davao City.
鈥淎ng pahayag听ni Mayor Sara, na pawang panlilinlang at kasinungalingan hinggil sa mga paaralang lumad ay isang malaking paglapastangan sa pagsusumikap naming mga lumad na makapag-aral sa gitna ng diskriminasyon, tumitinding kahirapan at walang puknat na militarisasyon laban sa aming mga komunidad,鈥� Cullamat said in a statement.
(Mayor Sara鈥檚 statements, which are听mere听deception and听lies听against听Lumad schools, are an outright travesty to our听plight听to seek education amid the discrimination, poverty, and听militarization we are experiencing in our communities.)
鈥淚to ay insulto sa aming pagsusumikap na tugunan ang pagkukulang ng gobyerno na bigyan kami ng edukasyon at ng iba pang batayang serbisyong panlipunan,鈥� the neophyte lawmaker added.
(This is an insult to our resolve to fight the government鈥檚 inability to provide appropriate education and basic social services for ourselves.)
Sara announced on Monday that their City Peace and Order Council submitted on March 19 to the Department of Education (DepEd) a resolution requesting that the permit to operate possessed by 11 Salugpungan schools in Davao City be terminated and canceled completely.
The mayor called the alternative schools 鈥測et another ploy to solicit pity and money from the public while advancing their propaganda against the government鈥� and 鈥渦seless鈥� since it would 鈥渘ever be recognized by DepEd.鈥�
Sara also claimed a former Salugpungan student informed them that the school are 鈥渢eaching students how to use firearms, apart from them being indoctrinated with anti-government propaganda.鈥�
But Cullamat belied all these and pointed out that the schools鈥� relation with DepEd had been good in the past years. The congresswoman also said these lumad schools aim to teach IP students modules appropriate to their tradition and culture.
The House member also said these attacks against progressive schools aim to invalidate their right to education so they could easily be victimized by large听mining corporations destroying their lands.
Cullamat also听lamented how听Sara听chose to peddle听lies听instead of听supporting lumad communities鈥� struggle to attain education.
In July, the DepEd shut down 55 lumad schools in the Davao region allegedly for teaching 鈥渓eft-leaning ideologies.鈥�听
READ:听DepEd shuts down 55 鈥榣umad鈥櫶齭chools
The former students of the schools are now being reintegrated in regular DepEd schools, according to Sara. /jpv
READ:听CHR asks DepEd to 鈥榬eassess鈥� closure of 55 鈥榣umad鈥� schools