THE Tuwali tribe of Ifugao, an indigenous group in the Cordillera Administrative Region of the Philippines, has declared Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go as its “adopted son” in a ceremony held in Barangay Busilac, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya on Saturday, April 1.

Together with Tam-an Banaue Multipurpose Cooperative (BMPC), members of the Ifugao Tuwali Indigenous Cultural Community in Nueva Vizcaya, including the Ifugao Badbaddang Organization, united to recognize and appoint Go as a member of the Tuwali tribe in accordance with a resolution.

Go was given the name “Aliguyon,” which means a brave warrior who has never been defeated in battle and is known for his speed even without eating, sleeping or resting.

“I am grateful to the Tuwali tribe for declaring me as an ‘honorary son’ of their tribe, and recognized as Aliguyon, which means a great and a caring leader,” the senator said in a statement.

The title is named after an Ifugao hero based on the story of “Hudhod ni Aliguyon,” who is known to be a brave leader of his tribe.

As part of the ceremony, Go was made to wear their tribal attire including a scarf, sash, belt, head piece, spear and blade.

The Tuwali tribe is an indigenous group in the Cordillera Administrative Region of the Philippines, known for their rich culture and traditions.

The formal adoption of Go as a member of the tribe coincided with the 32nd annual general assembly of the Tam-an BMPC where he served as a guest of honor.

According to Jose Tomas Sr., founder and chief executive officer of Tam-an BMPC, it is only fitting to call Go as Aliguyon because of his fast and seemingly tireless service to

Filipinos, as if he never sleeps or rests.

The recognition also comes at a time when the government is making efforts to provide better support and services for Indigenous Peoples (IPs).

Former president Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) 139 granting death and burial benefits to barangay (village) IPs’ mandatory representatives (IPMRs) in 2021, recognizing their contributions to their communities.

“There is a need to recognize the invaluable contribution of the indigenous peoples mandatory representatives in the barangay through, among others, the grant of benefits enjoyed by similarly situated officials, pursuant to the concerted and overall efforts of the government to provide assistance to local officials,” Duterte stated in the EO.

Additionally, during Duterte’s time as the vice mayor of Davao City in 2012, the local government passed the Anti-Discrimination Code, making it the first local government unit in the Philippines to have such a policy in place.

This was a landmark achievement in promoting equality and protection for marginalized groups, including the IPs.

“The government’s efforts to provide support and services for indigenous communities, such as the granting of death and burial benefits to barangay IPMRs, is a testament to our commitment to uplift the lives of every Filipino, regardless of their background or origin,” Go said.

“We must always strive to protect our Indigenous Peoples. We must preserve and promote their cultural heritage, and ensure that it remains an important part of our national identity,” he added.