Ifugao studes help build school office

By Jeremy M. Gawongna

LAMUT, Ifugao – Students of the Mayoyao, Aguinaldo, and Alfonso Lista Integrated Organization (MAALIO) collaborated to finish the construction of their office at the Ifugao State University (IFSU) main campus here.

MAALIO is a recognized ethnic student organization of IFSU.

With the target to finish the said office this school year 2012-2013, the MAALIO officers and members continue to engage in the changah, a cultural practice in the less developed Ifugao towns of Mayoyao, Aguinaldo, and Alfonso Lista that entails free labor wherein people in the community help one another to make work better, lighter and faster.

To raise fund for the office, MAALIO staged the Ipad, a cultural show featuring tribal dances and music, at IFSU’s Luis Hora Gymnasium on Sept. 25 and 27, 2012.

Gloria Likiyan, an indigenous knowledge researcher and an active member of the Akha’kha-emeh Cultural Performing Group in Mayoyao, provided the script that was revised for the show.

Ipad, according to the script, is a joyful wedding celebration in the three municipalities.

Jerome Mombael, a performer of traditional dances and music, also helped choreograph the show and motivated the MAALIO performers to prepare for a month.

The performers brought out the best of costumes and props borrowed from various barangays in the said towns which, according to some viewers, gave color to their performance.

IFSU president Dr. Serafin L. Ngohayon expressed support to the show through a message that was circulated in the campus.

He urged students, faculty, and staff of IFSU in watching the Ipad.

“Indeed, this is educational for the Tuwalis, Ayangans and Kalanguyas because it is here where we learn that what makes Ifugao more colourful and more attractive is the diversity of our culture. I have high regard to the cultural show as it helps broaden our understanding on how God gifted us in different ways. As we trace our root by watching the show, I personally believe that we could draw lots of cultural values that may hone us and the young generations to become better persons in our society today,” Dr. Ngohayon cited in his message.

MAALIO also participated in a landscaping contest at the plant boxes near the new IFSU Administration Building.

On March 26, IFSU vice president for planning Telesforo T. Pugong Jr. announced MAALIO won the firsts place awarding officers, members, and advisers P 15, 000 and a certificate.

The maintenance of the landscape was included in MAALIO’s action plan for the school year 2012-2013.

The organization utilized the funds raised through the landscaping contest and the cultural show for the purchase of bags of cement and a load of sand, and for the hiring of atleast one experienced construction worker who worked with the volunteers.

Pugong said officers, members, and advisers of the organization must never claim that the office is their project if they did not sweat for it.

 The MAALIO office in IFSU is a collective effort of previous and current officers, members, and advisers, previous government leaders, and the IFSU administration. It started to be put up in year 2005 and each year, officers, members, and advisers contributed for its gradual improvement.

The current MAALIO officers and members are halfway refining the interior and exterior walls of the office. They plan to initiate more fund raising activities for the electrification of the office and for the purchase of office equipment to help realize the plans of future officers, members and advisers.

They expressed gratitude to known and unknown supporters and donors, and appealed for more support to MAALIO’s programs and activities that would encourage knowledge acquisition, values formation, and skills enhancement as manifested through various initiatives to advance the construction of the MAALIO Office.