HIGAONON TRIBAL LEADERS AND MSU-NAAWAN: Strengtening Ties Towards Educating The Tribal Communities of Misamis Oriental

For many years now, the Mindanao State University – Naawan Campus, as part of its cultural awareness and community extension program, played its vital role in trying to preserve and respect the tribal traditions of the Higaonon tribe and in bringing unity among the tri-people groups in the northern regions of the island of Mindanao. Moreover, MSU-Naawan envisions to provide quality education especially among the underprivileged people in the province such as the Higaonon - an indigenous tribe distributed over the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon, This institutional support of MSU-Naawan towards the Higaonon tribe is now finally made more evident through the offering of scholarship programs to the Higaonon youth.

The idea of providing a standard yet affordable education to the educationally-underprivileged Higaonon youth was conceptualized by the tribe’s respected leader, Datu Kailingan Cesar G. Asapon. As a visionary tribal leader, Datu Kailingan aspires to provide the Higaonon youth with a competitive educational exposure in order to produce professional and educated leaders in the community, thus augmenting the socio-economic condition of the Higaonon tribe. With this aspiration, Datu Kailingan made initial negotiations with Prof. Henry E. Dejarme, the current director of MSU-Naawan’s extension program. Sharing the same vision with Datu Kailingan, Prof. Dejarme facilitated the initial meetings between the tribal leaders and the MSU-Naawan administration, headed by Mr. Jusie C. Roxas.



During the month of May 2010, the chancellor himself, Mr. Jusie C. Roxas, together with some academic leaders of MSU-Naawan, conducted a tribal visit and personal meetings with the Higaonon youth in the communities of Balingasag and Claveria, Misamis Oriental. The said visit proved to be successful after finally coming up with a mutual agreement between the Higaonon tribal leaders and MSU-Naawan administration to provide the Higaonon youth with a college education that produces professional leaders within the tribe.

Twenty-five Higaonon youth were identified as scholars; twenty-one (21) enrolled in the Technology program and the other (4) four scholars enrolled in the various baccalaureate programs.

This scholarship program is further realized through the unified support of Congressman Bambi Emano and the local government unit of the municipality of Balingasag; and through the traditional observance of “PAHINA”, which is a communal practice of shared efforts among the Higaonon community. The scholars are safely housed within the MSU-Naawan campus in a TOROGAN, a strong dwelling place made of huge wooden pegs built to resist typhoons and earthquakes. The Higaonon community unified their efforts and contributed their resources (food and building materials) in order to build a beautiful torogan, a safe shelter of the Higaonon scholars while studying away from their native place. The Higaonon Tribal Village was officially inaugurated on June 11, 2010, with Congressman Yevgeny Vincent “Bambi” Emano himself gracing the said momentous event. Other dignitaries present during the inauguration ceremony included Mr. Jusie C. Roxas, the MSU-Naawan chancellor; Datu Kailingan Cesar G. Asapon with some other Higaonon tribal councilors; Rev. Fr. Robert Kiunisala of IFI; academic leaders of MSU-Naawan headed by Dr. Proserpina G. Roxas and Dr. Helen J. Vicente; Prof. Henry E. Dejarme of the MSU-Naawan extension program; Kagawad Valmores of Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and Hon. Vice Mayor Dennis L. Roa of Naawan, Misamis Oriental. The Higaonon people further made the inauguration ceremony lively and informative as they entertained the witnessing crowd with their rituals, folksongs and tribal dances.

  

Indeed, the Higaonon scholars are determined to pursue their mission in MSU-Naawan: to finish college education with excellent performance. With the relentless support of its tribal leaders and with the sufficient accommodation extended by the MSU-Naawan administration, this mission of educating the Higaonon youth and producing professional leaders among the Higaonon community is a dream already coming true..