Palaw’an takes post as Palawan’s 3rd IPMR

The third Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) to the Provincial Board of Palawan took her seat as an ex-officio member on Feb. 11.

Purita Seguritan, a 66-year old Palaw’an from the southern Municipality of Dr. Jose Rizal, took her oath today, before Vice Gov. Victorino Dennis Socrates and witnessed by the members of the legislature and visitors at the Session Hall, Legislative Building in Capitol Complex.

She replaced Joel Lumis from Tagbanua Tribe who is already a regular member of Municipal Council of Aborlan after winning in the last Local and National Elections.

Seguritan, who was born and raised in Candawagan, Rizal town has an 85 percent Palaw’an blood and 15 percent Tausug from her mother side.

The new IPMR secured her Certificate of Affirmation (COA) from National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) last Jan. 20 and should have become a Sangguniang Panlalawigan member last week but was postponed due to the lack of a quorum.

After having lunch with her colleagues in the Provincial Board, she proceeded to the IPMR office to meet and talk with the staff.

“Sa panukala ko, hindi ko lang kanina nasabi [sa sesyon ang ilan sa mga plano ko ay] ‘yung mapunuan [ang] lahat ng barangay at munisipyo ng IPMR para madali ang padaloy ‘yung galing province hanggang sa barangay,” Seguritan said when interviewed by the local media.

As for their municipality in Jose Rizal, she happily shared that out of 11 barangays, there are only three (3) barangays left that have no representatives in their respective barangay councils.

In her first speech as the newest member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the first lady IPMR of Palawan introduced herself that she was a former member of Indigenous Peoples’ Political Structure (IPS) of their barangay and helped the tribe members’ needs.

Seguritan added that she also served as the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator of Rizal for two years and during Martial Law period, she was elected as councilor of Bgy. Candawagan that lasted for eight years.

The ex-officio member narrated also that she is a graduate of a four-year course in college. She took BS in Public Administration, major in Management at Palawan State College (PSC), now Palawan State University (PSU).

With the privilege, after being selected as the next IP Mandatory Rep in the provincial level, she extends her gratitude to those who helped her, especially, according to her, the leadership of the Municipalities of Aborlan, Narra, Sofronio Española, Quezon, Brooke’s Point, Bataraza and Balabac.

She likewise assured everyone that she will do her best to fulfill her responsibilities and to help the municipalities of Palawan, particularly the plight and concerns of their fellow indigenous peoples in the province.