In honor of National Indigenous Peoples Month and the 28th commemoration of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), the Awati Ti-KAPE Community Development Program—jointly spearheaded by Mindoro State University and the Municipal Government of Mansalay—successfully held a week-long initiative titled “Kape, Kalikasan, at Katutubo.” The series of activities highlighted the integral connection between local coffee farming, environmental stewardship, and the empowerment of Mangyan communities.
The week opened on October 20 with the land preparation of the coffee demonstration farm in Sitio Tangkulang. Sixty dedicated volunteers, led by the Community Development Coordinators of Panaytayan, came together to cultivate the groundwork for a sustainable community-centered coffee initiative.
On October 21, eight representatives from the Cavite State University–National Coffee Research, Development, and Extension Center (CavSU-NCRDEC) paid a courtesy visit to the Municipal Mayor of Mansalay. The discussion focused on collaborative strategies to elevate local coffee production and strengthen the municipality’s agricultural capacity.
The momentum continued on October 22–23, when the Awati Ti-KAPE team, alongside delegates from CavSU and the Mansalay LGU, facilitated a two-day capacity-building and knowledge cascading session in Sitio Tanawan, Brgy. Panaytayan in Mansalay. Members of the Association of Indigenous Farmers of Coffee, Coconut, and Cacao received hands-on training on improved farming techniques. To extend community support, a feeding program and food pack distribution were also conducted.
A major highlight of the celebration came on October 24 with a tree planting activity, where 117 coffee seedlings were planted in the Tangkulang demo farm through volunteer efforts in partnership with the Community Development Coordinators. The day also featured an IPRA Law awareness campaign, a leadership training session, and a commitment signing reaffirming the community’s pledge to uphold and promote the rights of Indigenous Peoples under Republic Act 8371.
The event concluded with another round of feeding and distribution of food packs, encapsulating the program’s strong spirit of solidarity and community care.
Through “Kape, Kalikasan, at Katutubo,” Awati Ti-KAPE continues to champion sustainable agriculture, cultural empowerment, and meaningful partnerships—planting not just coffee seedlings, but hope, knowledge, and stronger ties among the people of Mansalay.
Source: FB / Awati TI-KAPE Community Development Program
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