The Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) has called out the Department of Public Works and Highways Upper Kalinga District Engineering Office for its proposed Kalinga heroes monument using the same artwork that was earlier removed from Bugnay, Tinglayan.
The CPA said such use of artwork featuring three local heroes of the Chico Dam struggle during the Marcos regime violates the intellectual property rights of the artists who conceptualized the marker.
In a statement, the CPA said the honoring of local heroes Macliing Dulag, Pedro Dungoc, and Lumbaya Gayudan was a pioneer initiative of the group, which recognizes and popularized the peoples’ victory against the attempt of the government and its corporate allies to exploit the region’s natural resources.
This was in response to the post of Kalinga Tourism Office Facebook account, which shows the proposed “Macliing Dulag monument” site featuring the design of the earlier metal panels from the demolished heroes monument erected by CPA in partnership with the indigenous peoples.
The group said aside from the issue of proper communication, credit and intellectual property rights, they are questioning the provincial government’s purpose in putting up a monument when the first one was dismantled for alleged encroachment of road right of way.
“By honoring our Cordillera heroes, do you recognize the Igorot activist tradition of collective action in defense of ancestral land and in defiance of state repression? This is the example that our heroes are known for,” the group asked.
UKDEO Assistant District Engineer Teodoro Owek said the plan will still undergo review.
“We do not intend to use that CPA design; it was just an idea of the architect for critiquing. The Bugnay people are suggesting a statue-like (design),” Owek said.
Last year, a notice from UKDEO said the monument is obstructing on the road right-of-way, thus it called for its voluntary removal or they will be forced to implement its demolition.
The notice came after the Kalinga PNP Advisory Council has recommended for the demolition of the structure for allegedly bearing anti-government inscriptions.– Ofelia C. Empian
April 27, 2024
