Sarangani’s Blaan School of Living Traditions recognized by NCCA

By APRIL JANE C. UGSAD

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 6, 2014) — The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has recognized the School of Living Traditions (SLT) in Lamlifew, Malungon as one of the most successful SLTs in the Philippines through its cultural master and SLT coordinator, Helen Lumbos.

The award to Lumbos was given during the 2^nd SLT Summit held in Zamboanga City recently.

The summit gave credit to all cultural masters and implementers of SLTs and how they responded to slowly fading culture of IP communities.

“We highlighted the provincial government’s effort in protecting the cultural heritage of the Indigenous People (IP) through special programs, tourism development, and cultural development initiatives,” said Celito Terando, project manager under Sulong Tribu of the provincial government.

Also, the Lamlifew community took effort in gaining economic significance to sustain themselves by showcasing their food, dance performances, and craft produced though weaving which is an alternative source of their income.

Terando said that Lamlifew, beyond NCCA’s assistance, has become a cultural enterprise and then eventually became a cultural tourism site through the provincial government’s effort, in partnership with some private organizations.

Lamlifew community is a recipient of the ABS-CBN Foundation for cultural tourism and is now part of the Department of Education’s curriculum under the IP education program.

“We would like to thank Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon for the strong support to make this recognition to the province possible,” Terando said as he made the announcement in the Capitol.

Sarangani became a model for NCCA on how the province pushed to include the SLT in schools. The participants who attended the 2nd SLT Summit wanted to adopt the strategies and best practices applied by Sarangani to preserve its cultural heritage. (April Jane C. Ugsad/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)