The first step to this lies in public awareness.

As people from the majority who do not live

their oppression everyday, it is critical to note that one cannot fight effectively for a cause they
are not fully aware of. It is thus of prime importance that we know their story of displacement
and diaspora, that we know the cause and their aggressors, and that we know their needs and
calls for action. Social media platforms, especially Lumad-owned ones like the Save Our
Schools Network and Ako Bakwit, are among the important platforms most in need of public
support.

Once we know of their plight, we can then turn our heads to the root of their oppression
and actively condemn them. For years, indigenous people have faced the threats to their land
and their lives due to private corporations who seek to take their land for economic gain, and
military forces that adamantly justify the violence they inflict by red-tagging them. We must know
cases like that of Sagittarius Mines Inc. and the role that government plays in subjecting the
Lumad to a life of diaspora — especially in the middle of a health crisis where they take
advantage of the people’s struggle to mobilize. We must be cognizant of development projects
that prioritize economic prosperity over indigenous rights and the state of the environment. This
demands us to be firm in our belief that any kind of economic development that stomps on the
rights of others is nothing short of privileged and vile, and that true development can only be
named as such if it does not exclude others in the process. This comes with sound government
response and well-implemented policies that offer them better protection from land-grabbing
and solidified assistance in catering to their basic needs.

These steps must also be accompanied by tangible means of supporting the Lumad in
the here and now. As the rest of the world struggles to adapt to the new normal, the threat of the
virus, hunger, and deprivation still looms for them in evacuation centers. To help them sustain
these urgent needs, the Save Our Schools Network and other organizations have opened calls
for donations for food, medicine, hygiene kits, learning resources, and cleaning supplies.
Several other fundraising efforts have also arisen and are in need of public support, such as the
Lumad students’ initiative to sell a photo book entitled “Scent of Rain, Sun, and Soil” — a book
that both celebrates Lumad culture and narratives and also serves as a direct means to provide
for their daily needs. These efforts remain integral to their survival while institutional support is
still being fought for on the negotiating table.