Three indigenous people (IP) leaders in Agusan del Norte’s town of Las Nieves assumed their posts as IP Mandatory Representatives (IPMRs) of their respective villages on Thursday.

The IP leaders from the Manobo tribe – Manigaon Rodrigo Una of Barangay San Roque, Bae Remedios Rosaseña of Barangay Katipunan, and Manigaon Vister Buhoy of Barangay Bonifacio – took their oath administered by Mayor Karen Rosales as IPMRs.

Facilitating the ceremony were Myrna Libao, the town operations officer; Cierona Cotar-Molaan, the acting officer of the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP)-Agusan del Norte, and lawyer Fritzie Lynne Sumando, the NCIP-13 (Caraga) legal officer.

In a statement Friday, Rosales thanked the three IP leaders for accepting the responsibilities of representing their tribe at the barangay-level law-making bodies.

“As barangay IPMRs, you will bridge your communities and the people to the local legislative council,” Rosales said.

She also told the new IPMRs to prioritize the pressing needs and concerns of the IP communities in their barangays.

In return, Hawudon Tandawon Armando Una, the municipal IPMR, also thanked the Las Nieves town and the NCIP for facilitating the assumption into office of the three IP leaders.

“Now, the Manobo tribe in the three barangays will have voices in the local council. Thank you for the continued support to the IP communities,” Una said.

He noted the important roles of the IPMRs in bringing the programs and services of the government to the IP communities.

After the oath-taking ceremony, Una received from the town 400 seedlings of various kinds of fruit trees.

The seedlings are intended for distribution to the Manobo farmers in Barangay Marcos Calo as part of the town’s agricultural development program. (PNA)