Members of several Indigenous Peoples group here Wednesday gathered at the Ibaloy Heritage Park to celebrate for the first time the World IP Day.

Members of the city council belonging to IP groups led by vice mayor Faustuno Olowan joined Onjon ni Ivadoi members as well as members of the Kalanguya and Kankanaey IP groups in the festivity where funds from the city were made available only last Monday during the city council regular session.

“It has been five years since the city council acted on the proposal of councilor Arthur Allad-iw to celebrate August 9 as World IP Day,” said both councilors Benny Bomogao and Isabelo Cosalan, Jr., who both danced tayao as other locals, mostly Ibaloys from Tuba, Itogon, Bokod and Tublay, beat on the gong and the solibao.

Later Cosalan tried his hand on the solibao.

Bomogao said that funds were made available only last Monday for the celebration were cows and pigs were butchered and shared by those available.

He said that it will now be an annual event even as Cosalan noted that the world celebration was started in 1982.

Soledad Go praised the IP youth as she said that they will caery on the rich local tradition.

IP Mandatory Representative Maximo Edwin, Jr. further called on the other IP groups to join them in the celebration in the future as the Ibaloy Heritage Park is open to all IP members.

“This is an onjon not just for Ibaloys but all IP groups. I’m just happy that we started its celebration now, nearly five years after the ordinance was passed,” said Edwin, who vacated his post as president of the Onjon ni Ivadoy recently after his investiture as IPMR and city councilor last February. Pigeon Lobien