BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) of Mountain Province is funding another research of the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC) concerning the attitudes and perceptions on cultural arts as basis for policy-making.
The signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Provincial Government and MPSPC for the research project that is entitled “People’s Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Cultural Arts: Basis for Public Policy” was held, today, November 5.
According to MPSPC College President Rexton F. Chakas, the Provincial Government and MPSPC are one in the mission to preserve and promote the cultural identity and heritage of the people of Mountain Province. He thanked the PLGU for supporting the research endeavors of the college and for recognizing the role of the academe in policy making.
He shared that among the goals of the college in the course of going thru several stages of accreditation to elevate its current status are proofs of collaborations with external agencies and external funding particularly in research and extension.
It can be recalled that another collaboration was recently inked between the PLGU and the MPSPC for a research on public safety as reference for policy formulation.
“When government agencies agree to show support by providing funds for our research and extension endeavors, one of our goals is fulfilled. We also come to the realization that we can work better and produce more results when we have partners who can work with us,” Chakas said.
Meanwhile, the college President further thanked the offices of the Provincial Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative, the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) and the Department of Education for committing to assist in the gathering of data for the study.
In his message, Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. extended his appreciation to the MPSPC for supporting the advocacies of the Provincial Government; particularly, the promotion and protection of cultural identity and indigenous knowledge, skills and practices of the province.
The governor expressed his view that the people of the province have the intergenerational responsibility to nurture cultural heritage and values and instill consciousness for the protection of rights against indiscriminate use and alterations of the people’s cultural traditions.
“We believe that with the conduct of the study to provide the foundations, we can craft a responsive policy through the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on the protocols for performing cultural arts aimed in the promotion of the cultural identity and for the protection of our rights against misconceptions and misinformation,” the governor remarked.
Moreover, the MOA signing was witnessed by Provincial Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative Tomas B. Tawagen, NCIP-Mountain Province Provincial Officer Wilson K. Kalangeg, MPSPC Vice President for Research and Extension Development Annie Grail F. Ekid, Office of the President Chief of Staff Dexter Lingbanan, and other MPSPC personnel. By ERWIN S. BATNAG