BAGUIO CITY– National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Cordillera (NCIP-CAR) will be turning over its livelihood project on gong making to Indigenous Peoples (IPs) deprived of freedom this 15th of January (Monday) at the Baguio City jail.
Said livelihood project is part of NCIP-CAR’s IP cultural program funded by the NCIP central office initiated by the regional director, Atty. Roland Calde.
The NCIP-CAR gong making livelihood project was realized when the NCIP-CAR regional director, after securing a budget from the commission’s central office, appointed Gary Dongayao to head and come up with a livelihood program that will aid the IP inmates at the Baguio City Jail.
According to Dongayao, NCIP-CAR will be joining forces with Brotherhood of Reforming Orderly and Disciplined Detainees (BRODD) in pursuing said endeavor with inmates.
“Let’s not further deprive our IP inmates which they’re already are; instead let’s extend our arms by helping them generate income while they await the termination of their cases”, said Calde
Aside from the training, NCIP-CAR will likewise be handing over materials and tools to the inmatess for the gong making. “We hope to make this livelihood project for the IP inmates sustainable; that they will be able to sustain said project with minimal supervision coming from the commission”, added Calde.
“Through this project, reintegration of IP inmates to society will be forgiving and easy for they will have skills which they can use to start over”, said Calde. He added that they can likewise use these skills and knowledge which they will acquire while in detention and impart these to their respective communities.
“Gong makers in the region are only few; very few, that IP communities would have to travel to other provinces to have their gongs made. We would like to revive the indigenous practice of blacksmithing which includes gong making”, said Calde.
According to Dongayao, inmates under previous Baguio City Jail Warden Inspector Elvis Luis Danglose and his successor Crispin Milad Dornagon Jr., have been receiving orders from Local Government Units (LGU) around Baguio City and in the provinces of Abra, Mountain Province and Vizcaya.
As of this writing they have also received orders from Cordillera organization in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Inmates will be forging two types of gongs– one will be made using the traditional material, bronze, while the other will be made using steel.
Aside from gongs, Dongayao disclosed that inmates will also be crafting miniature gong keychains out of bronze to be sold as souvenirs.
Proceeds will be given to the inmates.**Rocky Ngalob
