28/10/2025
#๐
๐๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐ฏ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ || ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐: ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐จ-๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐
In celebration of the United Nations and National Indigenous Peoples Month, the community of Matina Biao proudly honors Hon. Norma V. Furog, a proud Bagobo-Klata leader, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR), and Barangay Kagawad, whose life and service exemplify the theme of this yearโs celebration, โWeaving Culture, Enriching Future: Empowering Indigenous Communities as Bedrock of Sustainable Development.โ
Serving also as the Chairperson of the Barangay Education Committee, Hon. Furog has dedicated her leadership to bridging the wisdom of her ancestors with the aspirations of todayโs youth.
Her unwavering commitment to education and cultural preservation has strengthened the partnership between the Barangay of Matina Biao and Matina Biao National High School, paving the way for programs that empower Indigenous learners and promote Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd).
โAng kultura ug edukasyon kinahanglan mag-uban,โ Hon. Furog said. โKay kung kaila ta sa atong kaugalingon ug sa atong gigikanan, mas klaro nato makita ang dalan paingon sa kaugmaon.โ (Culture and education must work together. When we know who we are and where we come from, we can clearly see the path toward our future.)
Her story reflects the ideals of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997, now celebrating its 28th year, a law that recognizes the rights, dignity, and ancestral heritage of Indigenous cultural communities across the nation.
Hon. Furogโs leadership embodies these principles through her dedication to inclusive governance, cultural advocacy, and empowerment of the Bagobo-Klata people.
โDili lang kini bahin sa pagrepresenta. Kini bahin sa pagpanindugan para sa akong katawhan, sa paggiya sa kabatan-onan, ug sa pagpanalipod sa among kultura,โ she shared. (This is not just about representation. It is about standing for my people, guiding the youth, and protecting our culture.)
As the nation observes National Indigenous Peoples Month and the United Nations' observance of unity and sustainability, Hon. Furogโs story stands as a living testament to the power of culture in shaping a just and inclusive future.
โSa among tribu, gitudluan mi nga maghiusa ug maginabuhianay. Sa among kalahi, among makaplagan ang kusog; sa among kultura, among makaplagan ang tumong,โ she added. (In our tribe, we are taught to live in harmony and help one another. In our diversity, we find strength; in our culture, we find purpose.)
Indeed, her life and leadership embody the heart of this yearโs celebration: Weaving culture to enrich the future and empowering Indigenous Peoples as a bedrock of sustainable development for the nation.
Writer: John Relle U. Palmera
Source: Cluster 6 Information Office
