One of the sources of livelihood for the Indigenous Pangasinenses in barangay Barlo in Mabini, Pangasinan is charcoal making.
One of them is alias ‘Arlo’ from the Kankanaey tribe.
Even though he suffers from a large wound on his foot, he continues to earn a living.
As the sun rises, he climbs the mountain to make charcoal.
Upon reaching the mountain, he immediately cleans his charcoal oven and then lights it up and fans the flames.
‘Arlo’ and his family have been living in Barangay Barlo for twelve years.
Although he knows that charcoal making is strictly prohibited, he says it is the only way he can support his family.
He says he does not cut down trees and does not harm the environment; instead, he helps it by planting bamboo during the rains.
He wishes to plant vegetables on the mountain, but their problem is that they have no source of water.
As the sun sets, he descends from the mountain with one and a half sacks of charcoal.
He will sell this for three hundred pesos.
He considers himself lucky if he can sell it immediately.
According to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the mountain where the indigenous people live is not ancestral land.
According to their shared census, 57 families or more than 300 individuals live as indigenous people there.
According to Attorney Phobe Apayyo-Parrocha, Legal Officer of NCIP – Pangasinan, “Some ask for assistance, we also help them check the documents and guide them on where to go and what the procedures are, we assist them and do research.”
“We can’t achieve complete satisfaction because we appreciate that the government has many limitations, especially regarding resources. we cannot address all their problems easily, but they know that they are better off now than before,” Enrique Delos Santos, PhD, Director of NCIP – Pangasinan added.
They are willing to give up charcoal making as long as they are provided with alternative livelihoods and medical services by the provincial government.
For this reason, the First Spouses League of Pangasinan, under the leadership of First Lady Maan Tuazon-Guico, will conduct a Christmas lighting with a purpose project aimed at creating a donation drive.
Here, all assistance will be fully distributed to Pangasinenses in need, especially the indigenous people.
**VALERIE ANN DISMAYA