The 2022 Elections is the first election for indigenous peoples in the Oyango tribal community, Iriga, Camarines Sur, to be able to vote. Previously, the majority of the Oyango tribal people could not vote due to administrative constraints.
“Many people here cannot fill out registration forms as voters because they cannot read and write. Many of them also don't have birth certificates or any residency documents, so they can't fill out registration forms,” said Jo, a member of the Oyango tribal community who represents indigenous peoples in Barangay Santa Teresita (4/28).
Jo then shared that the suffrage of indigenous peoples throughout the Philippines was championed by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). NCIP has helped children in indigenous communities obtain birth certificates so that their existence is recognized by the state. NCIP also provides literacy education to indigenous peoples.
However, some indigenous peoples still face challenges to participate in the 2022 Elections. There are still indigenous peoples who can't read and write and don't have any resident documents, so they can't register as voters.
“234 residents in the Oyango indigenous community have not yet registered as voters. Meanwhile, 131 others have been registered as voters,” explained Jo.
The former chief of the Oyango tribe, Pedro Sintilias, said that the Philippine Election Commission had never visited the Oyango indigenous community to provide socialization and education on elections. Only candidates in local elections come to them personally to campaign. Most election information is obtained from the radio. Few of the Oyango people own a television.
“Never had a Comelec come here. We get news about the election on the radio. There have been candidates for governor, mayor, and city council who came to introduce themselves here, but didn't ask what we needed,” said Pedro.
To participate in politics, the Oyango tribal people use intermediaries as a liaison between outsiders and tribal members. Jo's existence as a Barangay member is important to advocate for the rights of community members.
