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The DOT's Philippine Experience Program visits the Center for Community Transformation Malungon Retreat and Training Center, highlighting the culture, traditions, and craftsmanship of the Blaans and Tagakaolos in the area.

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CCT Malungon

Malungon Center: Community helpers to culture promoters in Sarangani

"They should be proud of being Blaan and Tagakaolo. Yan lang naman ang gusto namin marating ng mga tribes sa Malungon, na proud na proud sila, na hindi nila ikinahiya ang kanilang tribo at ang meron sila."

"We really need to preserve and maintain our relationship with the tribal leaders. Hindi naman ako tribo, but I thank the Lord, that we really have the respect ng mga tao, ng mga tribo around me. My prayer is magiging vessel, maging channel, maging culture bearer pa rin ako, hanggang makamit nila yung gusto nilang maabot sa buhay. "

With the strengthened relationship they have built with the community and their tribal leaders, they humbly pray that they can continue to be a channel of blessing and vessel in helping carry forward the lives, culture, and identity of the indigenous communities.

The retreat center employs seventy percent of its staff from both major indigenous peoples' groups and instructs them to greet guests and visitors in their native tongues. These efforts to preserve indigenous culture caught the attention of the Department of Tourism (DOT) during a workshop for accredited centers, which are also promoting culture, heritage, and the arts as tourism opportunities alongside well-known spots like beaches."

Naquita grasps the weight of the responsibility handed to them when they were championed by the DOT as culture preservers, but they readily accepted it with guidance and direction from God.

"Kinabahan kami. Ang challenge talaga sa amin maipakita not only in our country, but sa whole world kung ano ang kultura ng mga Blaan at Tagakaolo. Ang uniqueness nila at ang mga God-given talents nila, na maexpose to at hindi nila ikahiya."

"We wanted them to become, sabihin na hindi nila kinahiya kung ano ang meron sila, at hindi nila ikinahiya yung kanilang tribo," says Naquita.

Based on their experiences in the area, the indigenous community tended to shy away and often faced stigma regarding their identity.

"Hindi nga sila nakikiharap sa mga tao, especially, meron kasi silang, hindi pa nawala sa kanila na (stigma) they are ignorant. Dapat tamang pag pronunce ng kanilang tribe na Blaan. It's Blaan, not B'laan. Yung B'laan sa kanila, parang ignorant, masyadong mahirap, poorest of the poor talaga, walang pinag-aralan, walang modo. Ganun ang pagkakakilala sa kanila."

Through education, CCT aims to empower the local community and to value their identity, emphasizing the importance of learning their mother language amidst the proliferation of the Cebuano dialect in the area.

"Kasi gusto namin maiangat, magiging love nila ang kanilang kultura. Kasi yung mga previous (generation) mawawala na yan, pag hindi nila ma-love yung kultura nila, wala na silang kaibahan."

The educational aid they have provided has produced professionals who are sometimes invited to speak before graduating students at their school.

The unique skills of the Blaans and Tagakaolos in weaving traditional fabric and producing accessories were seen as strengths of the community that should be showcased, while simultaneously providing income and sustainability to the indigenous groups. Bamboo crafting is also a vital resource for the tribal groups in the area

They soon discovered that children lack opportunities for education, so they focused on it during their early years in the area, according to the retreat center's executive director, Lalaine Naquita.

Eventually, the retreat center started to take shape, becoming a space for livelihood training for adults and a school for children.

Locals in their traditional attire welcomed delegates with music and dance and showcased products and delicacies at the retreat center. The center features a unique bamboo hall made by the Blaans, where they usually host their regular cultural tours.

The retreat center traces back to 2003 when parent organization Center for Community Transformation, a Christian-based NGO, first purchased land in Malungon. The organization saw the importance of immersing itself in and understanding the surrounding community, building relationships, and exploring how they can be of help.

Mark Demayo

ABS-CBN News

The Department of Tourism’s decision to include a retreat center that helps indigenous peoples in Malungon, Sarangani, as one of the stops for the SOCCSKSARGEN leg of the Philippine Experience Program came as a big surprise.The Center for Community Transformation Malungon Retreat and Training Center, which recently hosted more than a hundred delegates from various sectors and agencies through DOT,  highlighted the culture, traditions, and craftmanship of Blaans and Tagakaolos in the area.

The DOT's Philippine Experience Program visits the Center for Community Transformation Malungon Retreat and Training Center, highlighting the culture, traditions, and craftsmanship of the Blaans and Tagakaolos in the area.