‘Fight for our land’ – Pinoy tribal leader

Eufemia Cullamat

EUFEMIA Cullamat, a Manobo leader, visited Hong Kong recently to speak at the Tribal Filipino Sunday held in Central by activist migrant Filipino workers.

In an interview with Hong Kong News, Cullamat said she came to Hong Kong to appeal to Filipinos living and working in the city to help in their campaign to protect their ancestral lands.

“Ang gusto namin sana kung ano man ang ibinabahagi namin sa kanila, sana ibahagi din nila sa mga taga-rito sa Hong Kong.

“Ipaalam din nila upang maunawaan ng mga taga Hong Kong ang aming pakikibaka,” Cullamat, who hails from Suirao del Norte said.

She noted that as mining companies continue to look for more places to mine, their ancestral lands in the mountains are being threatened by these activities.

“Sa amin, partikular sa Caraga region, kung saan nandoon ang Surigao del Norte sa Claver, naroon ang mga malalaking mina.

“Sa ngayon dahil paubos na ang mga mina sa baba o sa kapatagan, siyempre pupunta na sila sa kabundukan kung saan naroon ang aming mga pinundar para sa kinabukasan ng aming mga susunod na henerasyon,” she said.

Cullamat added that Filipinos should cherish and protect the land and the environment because they give life and their destruction brings about climate change.