Outline

Title: Binnadang: Living our Igorot Values

Topic: The Binnadang Culture of the Igorot People

I. Salutation and Greetings.

Good morning to everyone, to my friends, ladies and gentlemen, and to our Igorot
brothers and sister good day.
Vck,mj
II. Expression of elation and gratitude for the invitation.

I feel humbled to be tapped as your Guest Speaker. From the bottom of my heart, I
would like to express my deep gratitude for the trust and overwhelming love
you’ve granted.

III. To start with let me ask you a question.

What comes into your mind when you hear the word Binnadang?
To answer it, Binnadang is a Kankana-ey term for cooperation. It could also be
synonymous to the Tagalog word “Bayanihan” which refers to the spirit of communal
unity, work and cooperation to achieve a particular goal.

IV. “Living our Igorot Values” is definitely important this time when the young
Igorots, our children, are embracing the world of hi-technology. Hi-technology
can either build or break them. There is a need to remind them and even ourselves
of our Igorot values so that we would always find good direction in our lives.

Our Igorot values helped us achieve development milestones in our Igorot land.
These values were imbedded in our culture and again, let me stress that this
conference provides us the opportunity to go back to these values as some may
have forgotten them.

The Igorots are tied together by a similar set of cultural practices and
beliefs. They highly value nature and they believe that their gods reside in
objects such as "trees and in the mountains" (Jernegan,42). Another
distinguishing feature of the Igorot tribe from Northern Luzon are their vibrant
pieces of clothing. Their headpieces are composed of feathers and they often take
with them ornate pieces of wooden weaponry. Igorots are known for having many
values on their own, as said they are known for being connected with each other.

V. One Igorot value that is note-worthy is having high regard to common good!
Despite our individual weaknesses, we all react and are always ready to offer a
helping hand to a brother/ sister in need. It is this innate goodness that forced
you to help a fellow Igorot in need, in distress. I urge you to continue
nurturing that innate goodness. Life here maybe hard but it is definitely harder
back home. Therefore, you expect that there will be more people, who like you,
will do their best to come here, even with uncertain future. Help them as even if
they will not come back to thank, just delight with the idea that you have helped
a soul find its way to a better life.
Binnadang, a culture that was embedded in the hearts of every Cordilleran has
come to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the frontliners risk their
lives in the battleground, other brave men and women have chosen to work as one
to ensure that each frontliner will never be left unarmed.

Conclusion:
All of us were affected with the Pandemic, we were isolated and told to stay at
home thus some of us were not able to sustain our daily needs. With this time our
binnadang culture again was highlighted when the Igorot people initiated to help
others and donated some goods to other places that was lock down and to those
people who are in need. Not just only in this time of pandemic but we also had
the heart to help those kababayans who were affected with the typhoons. This
value of us is very precious and we must know how to propagate it and not to
preserve it. As said by Joseph O. Bernal, our cultures must not be preserved but
to be propagated.