Indigenous communities are one of those groups that require more support to promote their rights and preserve their culture. Nowadays, many advocates are banding together to fight for what they deserve and work for their community’s development. As the saying goes, “everything starts within ourselves,” thus their community will be the starting point for their progress and preservation of what they already have.

Roberto Capispisan Jr., an Indigenous People (IP) in San Rafael, Donsol, Sorsogon, demonstrates his commitment to promoting the rights of IP.

He began serving as the community’s chieftain in 2002 and was appointed the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) to the barangay council in 2019.

For more than two decades, he has advocated for the rights of the IP, particularly the preservation of their ancestral domains. This gained support from the barangay local government unit, and the resolution was made.

Because he was determined to promote the rights of IPs, he was elected as the municipal IPMR Federation president in 2022, allowing him to continue his advocacy not only for his community but also for the whole town of Donsol.

In 2003, Roberto became a community volunteer for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan—Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program. His passion for volunteerism has remained to this day, helping to complete a number of subprojects such as Pathway Improvement, Amenities for the Child Development Center, and Communication Devices.

Being an IPMR and a community volunteer shows Roberto’s dedication to helping their community.  He saw volunteering at KALAHI-CIDSS as a previlege because it allowed him to learn new things while also helping the community.

“Bali po nag-volunteer po ako para po makatulong po sa komunidad at isa na din po para matuto. Doon ko natutunan kung ano yung mga proseso ng KALAHI-CIDSS. Isa pong malaking karangalan po na maging isa po akong volunteer ng KALAHI-CIDSS, Roberto shared. ”

[I volunteered to help the community as well as to learn. There, I learned the process of KALAHI-CIDSS. It is a great honor to become a volunteer of KALAHI-CIDSS.]

Roberto initially experienced difficulties as a community volunteer because he did not know how to communicate well with others. He also found it difficult to participate in the activities such as training and seminars of KALAHI-CIDSS because their barangay was far from the town.

As a result, he had a tough time encouraging the residents to join as a community volunteer. However, he did not give up. He held on to his desire to help the community and urged his co-volunteers to continue volunteering.

“..noong first time po kasi yun talaga ang pinakamahirap na magkakumbinsi ng community volunteer. Kasi po, noong panahon nga po na iyon na mahirap yung access namin sa bayan. Ang pa-seminars sa KALAHI-CIDSS, sa bayan po mismo… kaya yung ibang volunteer po parang [nagaalala] sila kasi kung walang pamasahe, he said.”

[At first, it was difficult to encourage the residents to become community volunteers because we did not have easy access to the town. The seminars of KALAHI-CIDSS were conducted in downtown Donsol, so the other volunteers were hesitant due to a lack of money for transportation.]

Those challenges did not succeed in stopping Roberto from pursuing his desire to help the community.  He continued his path as a community volunteer, demonstrating that he could overcome any hurdle while remaining the community’s voice. He successfully carried out his roles and responsibilities as a community volunteer and a representative of the IP community. He proved that being an IP does not prevent him from pursuing his passions.

Roberto has accomplished many goals, particularly those for their barangay and IP community, and he continues to hope for a community that will help one another and engage in every activity or project that they will undertake. He is looking forward to a community that will collaborate for development.

“Bali po sa komunidad po, ang masasabi ko lang po is patuloy lang po na makipag-cooperate bilang volunteer. Kasi po as a volunteer po doon tayo matututo. Ako dati wala talaga akong ano [alam], as in zero po. Wala akong alam, nahihiya ako na makipag-usap. Dahil po sa KALAHI-CIDSS na [develop] ko po yung sarili ko… na kaya po pala.”

[To the community, I can only say to continue being cooperative as volunteers. Because as volunteers, we can learn. Before, I knew nothing, as in zero. I was too shy to talk. Because of KALAHI-CIDSS, I was able to enhance myself. I discovered that I can.]

Written by: Alexandra H. Burce