By observation and experience, I always find it simpler and more meaningful from the standpoint of “personal” history and exposure rather than from generalizations. To borrow Maushi Sanggoi’s words: “inductively yours to deductive, and back to inductive!”

So I shall introduce my topic by unfolding my genealogy — in which process you’ll have a glimpse of how I am one person among those “labeled”? “called”? or “honored”? as Minorities of the Philippines

Like everybody else, I had two parents — a father and a mother, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, 16 great-great grandparents, and 32 great-great-great grand-parents and so on. In ordinary language, e.g. a great-great grandparent will be one’s ancestor in the fourth parental generation.

If one of those in your parental generations belong to a tribe-minority, then you can claim presently — more or less — that you are a “minority” of this and/or that percent, if not a “pure” one.

In my particular case, I am aware of my other ancestries — towards the ninth parental generation; but I shall mention only those which qualify me to be a real, no-nonsense “minority.”

To be brief about it, I shall limit my self-genealogical identification only to existing family trees — or a “little bit beyond.”

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On my mother-side, one of the founding fathers is Pucay of Amlimay; he himself was derived from a Kalanguya father from Ahin of Tukukan (Ifugao) and a Mangalkali mother from the Loo Valley of Buguias. He begot Sandag who bore Aliw-iw, who begot my mother, Rosenda. In other words, ApoPucay is my MFMF (Mother’s Father’s Mother’s Father) or great-great grandfather, in that line or family “tree.”

On my mother’s parents’ side, I have three Iowak founding fathers:
Fermin Abance Cotlie (MMF) or my great grandfather from Bokod Central and reputedly of original Tonglo (Tuba); Bangkak Ngimol of Ambayek (mentioned in conquistador Col. Guillermo Galvey’s travels in el pais de los igorrotes) who is my mother’s mother’s mother’s father (or MMMF) or great-great grandfather; and Palangjos (one name) — my MFFFF or great-great-great grandfather from Kaowakan — somewhere north east of today’s Mt. Pulag.

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On my father’s-side is Anonang — myFFFF or great-great grandfather — himself a grandson of the “half-bred swordsman,” Sanggoi. Anonang was one of the Maksils (“warriors”) of Shekdan, South of the Ikebajans.

Although he was reputedly of “mixed” or “confused” ancestry, his buyot — followers or company — were the Irekdan Ibalois. In present-day Ba-diws, he is sung by the Kalangutans (Kalanguya-speaking “tribes”) as well as by the Ivadois.

The other founding father on this side is Agsawal III, my FMF or great-grandfather on my father’s matrikins. Agsawal III is the 5th or 6th filial generation or great-great grandson of Agsawal I — one of the siblings of Amkidit, the grand-chief of Tonglo in Fray Antonio Vivar’s 1760 Noticias. (Agsawal I had one son — Agsawal II, who settled in Hispanic-time Kabayan, and from Agsawal II was derived a great-grandson, Agsawal III).

Agsawal III’s ethnic roots and genealogy are seldom discussed in detail, except in the aforestated family line. So, if his patrikin ancestor were the I-Tonglo and his matrikins were the I-Kebajan, as is usually sung; it is, however, definite that his wife’s kindred were the I-Akkupan (now survived by present-day Acupan, a small sitio of Barangay Ampucao, Itogon) who later “mixed” with the Iowaks of the East (and Southeast) of Itogon.

From Agsawal III’s marriage to the I-Akkupan Dangaja, came forth nine children — one of them my grandmother (FM) Dohsai who, because of early widowhood, was re-married to my grandfather (FF) Sinizin — himself a widower by an earlier marriage in Acnal (now a sitio of Bila, Bokod, Benguet).

So with my grandmother (FM) having a total of six offsprings and my grandfather (FF) 10, my father (F) is supposed to be in-the-middle (or loved!) by 12 total siblings! i.e. grandma’s three on her own, grandpa’s seven of his own, then their own three (whenceforth comes my father), now scattered in the provinces of Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, and Nueva Ecija, as law-abiding citizens.

From a supposed, basic 32 ancestors, I have traced 12 “founding” parents starting with my four grandparents: Sinizin, Dohsai, Aliw-iw, and Paula. These are only my direct, “one-line,” lineal, consanguinal, relatives.

Now, must I accede to label myself a “minority,” even if my family-tree amounts to thousands of individuals? How much more if I include my collateral — still consanguinal —  kindred in Narra, Palawan; Valencia, Bukidnon; and in Midsayap, Cotabato!

(Note that I have mostly “accented” my genealogical tracking with ancestors who were counted as “Ibalois” or “married with the Ibalois”   — nai khait ni Ibaloi — even if their origins or ancestries were “not-pure.” I borrow the wisdom of reference from niece ApoLeileine C. who once said in a radio interview: “Yes, we come from several ethnicities but we always refer to ourselves plainly as Ibalois!”)

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So with my summarized kinship-tracking, do you believe I should feel to be a “minority” or simply an actual “minority” in a certain “minority” group — the Ibalois?

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But again, if numbers is the most foreboding criterion of the term “minority,” the Ibalois are either the largest or second largest group in Benguet province! Or even in Baguio-Benguet, for that matter. So, from that premise, the Ibalois are “majorities” in a “minority”province of the Philippines. (“Minority” province — is there such a term, de jure or de facto? Come on!).          

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So if logically, I could not correctly refer to myself as a “minority” on account of number, nor could I with the term “majority” on account of the same, then I am neither! But there is no term for that, it seems.
But clandestinely, why are we referred to as “minorities”? Because of cultural, linguistic, locative, etc., reasons?

The present minority, in cultural and linguistic criteria, are the Tasadays, “disco-vered” during the times of Apo Marcos and Apo Elizalde. The Tasadays number now about 30 individuals, more or less, only. But they are located in Cotabato, near the Majestic Mt. Apo, a mountain sacred to the Manobos and neighbour “tribes” which, for locative reasons, may disqualify said Tasadays to be called “minorities” as we the Ibalois and other Cordis in present application, use the same to “qualify” closest to that “criterion” of locative, for the reference of the term “minorities,” more than the other criteria!

So now, which is which? Shall we stop calling ourselves as “minorities” and just stick to our ethnic “identification as Ibalois, or Igorots, or Cordis? How or since when did we start deserving the term minorities? Am I, too, a singular minority desiring to point out the misuse or abuse of the term to fellow “minorities”?

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To review my own ethnic composition in relation to being a “minority”: I am a “minority” when I am with my Kalanguya kindred — even in blood make-up (thanks to grandpaw Pucay); I have three-fifths (total) Iowak percentage; one/32nd Kankana-ey admixture; plus other “mixtures”; and finally, the largest composition – including “cultural”: Ibaloi!

When I’m in Benguet or Baguio-Benguet, I am definitely a “majority”! In
Manila or elsewhere, I am just a “speck” of a minority Filipino “tribe.” So, what am I in the audience of World Nations: a member of the 16th-ranking largest population in the World with 87 million Filipinos?

What are we saying? You and I are part of a “majority” nation even if, in these Islands, we are called “minorities”? Terms are terms; as time “passes by,” so do the terms? But if time itself doesn’t need “a time” to elapse and could be therefore “constant,” must the players, too — who are “humans” — behave as though they’re time-itself themselves?