LINGAYEN–The provincial government led by Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. welcomed about 50 representatives of Indigenous People (IP) communities in northern Luzon at the Capitol Resort Hotel here on August 17-19 for the Phase 2 cultural exchange of Dungog Sang Tumandok nga Pamatan-on (Pride of Indigenous Youth).

The activity seeks to intensify the preservation of the cultural heritage of IPs in the Philippines and reawaken sensitivities of the young members on their distinct ethnicities.

Now on its third year, the gathering was sponsored by the provincial government of Capiz as part of the advocacies galvanized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for cultural communities in the country.

The Capiz provincial government delegation was led by Tourism Officer Al Tesoro while NCCA was represented by Mark Gregor dela Cruz.

Provincial Tourism Operations Division Chief Ma. Louisa Elduayan said the provincial government of Capiz selected Pangasinan as assembly area of the participants since the province is strategically located in Northern Luzon.

The provincial government of Pangasinan, for its part, has been active in reinvigorating and preserving the distinct Pangasinense identity through Espino’s brainchild “I Love Pangasinan” movement.

Under Espino’s watch, the provincial government provided an office for the IPs at the National Service building.

IP participants in the northern cluster were from the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Kalinga, Abra, Benguet, Mountain Province, Cagayan, Apayao and Bataan while others from the central and southern cluster tribes were from Capiz, Bukidnon, Maguindanao and Zamboanga del Sur.

NCCA Executive Council Member Elnora Dudang is in officer-in-charge for the Pangasinan-Bolinao cultural group. (PIO/Mark Gerry Naval Oblanca)

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