President Rodrigo Duterte (middle) is flanked by his daughter reelectionist Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte (5th from left), his youngest son Davao City Sebastian Duterte, unopposed candidate for Vice Mayor, and local bets of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago during the party’s miting de avance for Davao City local candidates at the Almendras Gym in Davao City on Friday night, 10 May. MIndaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO
Although he recognized Bai Halila Sudagar, former Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative at the City Council of Davao who is now running as councilor of the city’s 2nd District under HNP, Duterte went on to say that the Moro and Lumad should be given at least one or two spots in every slate for all three districts to give them a stronger voice in the local council.
He said the local parties should invite the Moro and Lumad to join their lineup to provide all sectors in the city a better representation in the local lawmaking body to prevent conflict that might arise due to exclusion of a sector in the community.
“The next time, I would invite you to basin naay usa ka Moro kada distrito first, second, third, ug ang mga Lumad tagai pud ninyo pod bisan usa duha, aron katibukan sa syudad sa Davao may tingog (there should be at least one Moro in every district – first, second, third – and also the Lumad, give them at least two, so that the entire Davao would have a voice),” he said.
Comprising three legislative districts, Davao City has 11 recognized tribes, comprising six Moro tribes (Tausug, Maguindanaon, Iranun, Kagan, Maranao, and Sama) and five Lumad tribes (Klata, Ata, Ubo Manuvo, Matigsalog, and Tagabawa).
The President told members of Hugpong Alliance that most of them had already been given the time to lead and, as such, they should also give that similar chance to the Moro and Lumad so that they would not feel oppressed.
“Niadto, atong pamulitika kinsa kinakusgan, kinsa moda ngari, moda ngadto (Before, our politics was dictated by those who are powerful, who will lead here, who will lead there).[]
That was because we are trying to make, and organize Hugpong. Karon nga naa na ta sa poder halos, tagai ninyo og panahon ang atong kaigsoonang Moro, ang mga Lumad (Now that we are here, let’s give chance to our Moro and Lumad brothers),” he said.[]
