The Subanen tribe has established its first self-financed Ancestral Domain Management Office (Admo) in Barangay Conacon, Zamboanga del Sur, providing a dedicated center for gatherings and activities that support the indigenous community.
In an Inquirer report, the facilities, which took two years to complete, were funded through royalty payments from TVI Resource Development Philippines Inc. (TVIRD), which operates a mining tenement in the tribe’s ancestral domain. Over the past four years, approximately Php 50 million in royalties have been allocated for community development projects.
Located 10 kilometers from the town center, the Admo serves as the administrative hub for the tribe, alongside a sub-office in Barangay Dipili. These offices cater to the needs of the Subanen people and facilitate community discussions on their welfare.
A key feature of the Admo is a Php 2.5-million training center within a five-hectare estate in Conacon. This center includes a session hall, an eight-room pension house, and a convenience store on the ground floor. Additionally, the tribe has launched a social enterprise that operates a plant nursery and offers catering services.
Tribal chieftain Timuay Lucenio Manda said that these new facilities make it easier to convene community members and address tribal concerns. When not in use for tribal affairs, the training center and pension house are available for rent, generating additional revenue for the community.
Manda noted that the tribe carefully planned the use of their royalty funds to maximize benefits for the community. In line with the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, indigenous groups receive at least 1 percent of the gross output from mineral extraction within their domain, which the Subanen have utilized for infrastructure and social services.
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) praised the Subanen for their financial independence and sound management of royalty funds. Regional director Maribel Idiang highlighted that the Bayog tribe is the first in the region to establish a self-funded Admo without government assistance.
The establishment of the Admo and the tribe’s development efforts highlight the Subanen’s commitment to self-sufficiency and community progress. By leveraging their resources effectively, they continue to enhance their economic stability and improve the quality of life for their people.
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