Datu Damaso Bayawan of the Manobo Apao Descendants Ancestral Domain of Mt. Apo (MADADMA) was one of the Lumad leaders who was involved in the conduct of local consultations and signature campaigns at the height of oppositions (1988-1991) against the construction of geothermal plants in Mt. Apo.
“In hindsight, I can say that we were right about our position. Currently, we have farm-to-market roads which are useful to our farmers, electricity, and of course, educational support for our children. We now have scholar graduates who are professionals like engineer, teacher, and lawyer. In fact, two of MAFI’s employees who were former scholars are from our area,” he conveyed.
Datu Damaso got involved with MAFI as a board member from 2006 to 2016. He took part in screening and deliberating on scholarship applications from MADADMA area, given that 20% of MAFI scholarship slots were allotted to the association. He also monitored MADADMA scholars’ performance and decided on issues affecting them.
According to him, MAFI provided materials for the construction of a water system and supported the conduct of the Alla’o To Sandawa (Day of Sandawa), a festive annual celebration of tribal leaders and elders at Barangay Ilomavis. Both MAFI and MADADMA also worked together in planting thousands of Tinikaran seedlings near the summit of Mt. Apo.
Considering MAFI’s financial condition in the recent past, the datu helped in explaining to the Energy Development Corporation the need for supplemental budget, thereby resulting in the release of additional P2 million subsidy for the foundation.
In terms of MAFI’s cultural heritage program, the datu emphasized the need to ensure that their Manobo culture and traditions will be sustained towards the next generation. “We should focus on concrete initiatives, such as keeping our customary laws and using our Manobo language. We urge the parents in our community to use our language in talking to their children. We should likewise continue our indigenous customary practices, like children’s respect for their parents and elders,” he emphasized.
Datu Damaso A. Bayawan
MADADMA Chairman
