ABUCAY, Bataan: An Aeta native sworn in Friday to become the first indigenous people mandatory representative in the municipal council of this municipality.
Jay -R Caragay Reyes, 37, took his oath as member of the Sangguniang Bayan of Abucay before Mayor Robin Tagle and witnessed by some members of the Ayta Magbukon Tribe from Barangay Bangkal. Reyes’ father is an “unat” while his mother is a “kulot” or Aeta native.
For still unknown reason, no member of the Aetas was selected for a municipal council seat in Abucay in past administrations despite a law giving mandatory representation to IPs.
“Salamat kay Mayor Tagle at sa bayan ng Abucay sa pagtanggap sa akin bilang kinatawan ng IPs. Si Mayor Tagle ang kauna-unahang mayor na tumanggap sa isang IP na mapabilang sa SB ng Abucay. Sa pagkatagal-tagal, sa wakas natupad na,” Reyes said.
He also thanked the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and his tribe.
The new Aeta town councilor said that the Ayta Magbukon Tribe for which he belongs is composed of 152 families in Bangkal, an upland barangay of Abucay.
From this tribe come the Magbukon Choral Group , a group of singing Aeta children who are invited by the provincial government and the provincial tourism office during important occasions.
Reyes said they derive their livelihood from cutting and selling buho, farming and hunting.
He said that he will see to it that their ancestral domain is protected. “Napakasarap na kilalanin ang aming karapatan sa ancestral domain na sa datos ng NCIP ay umaabot sa 25,000 hectares kasama ang kabundukan sa Abucay.”
