IP youths donate learning materials to remote Iligan community

ILIGAN CITY — College student volunteers from the Higaonon ethnic group in the city brought school supplies, books, clothes, and basic health services to children in remote Sitio Limunsudan, Barangay Rogongon, on Oct. 24, in celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) Month.

The outreach activity gathered young people from different communities, including Muslims and Christians, in an initiative aimed at giving back to the community and supporting the education of IP children.

The volunteers distributed school supplies and books donated by the Iligan City Public Library. Nursing students also offered free blood pressure checks to residents.

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Leading the initiative was Ahezel Timbangan, 21, an IP youth whose roots trace back to Barangay Rogongon. A fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing student at Adventist Medical Center College, Timbangan was joined by her nursing classmates in the outreach activity.

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She is also the president of HILIGANON, a group of young people committed to community engagement.

“This is our way of giving back to the community that has cared for us since birth, as well as our parents and ancestors,” Timbangan said.

Timbangan vowed to return to the community whenever they could, expressing her desire to serve the people of Rogongon as a nurse after completing her studies.

“We will keep coming back for as long as we can. When I finish school, I want to serve here as a nurse,” she said.

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READ: Legarda: Indigenous Peoples serve as pillar of nation

Books to encourage reading

Evan Baylon, city public librarian, said the initiative supports the celebration of IP Month in commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the passage of Republic Act No. 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), on Oct. 29, 1997.

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Baylon expressed hope that the children would make good use of the donated reading materials.

“I hope you will read these books. We will return with more books so that each child will receive more than just one book,” Baylon told the children.

The initiative aims to provide children in the remote community with additional reading materials to supplement the books already provided by their school.

READ: Thoughts on IP Month

Support for families

Bae Sally Dimdim, the tribal female leader of Limunsudan, welcomed the outreach, saying the visit and donations would help families who prioritize spending their limited income on food.

“Despite how far Limunsudan is, the community was given the opportunity to be visited and receive school supplies. This is a great help to parents whose income is mainly allocated for food,” Dimdim said.

For the young beneficiaries, the assistance offered not only practical support but also inspiration to pursue their education.

Eunice Jane Bayaon, a Grade 6 learner at Limunsudan Bayug Falls Elementary School, said she was inspired by the college students who traveled to their remote community to share their blessings.

“I was inspired by what the Ates and the Kuyas did. They (are still studying) and then came here to our mountain community, despite the long distance, to give us school supplies,” she said.

Dysabel Salusad, also a Grade 6 learner, expressed gratitude for the donations, saying the supplies would be useful in their studies.

“This is a great help to us because we can use these materials for our education. Although our school already provides books, these additional materials will give us more reading resources,” she said.

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The outreach highlighted the role of Indigenous youth in community development, demonstrating how education, volunteerism, and solidarity can help address the needs of children in remote communities, said Diodato Abungan, a tribal chieftain in Limunsudan. /mcm