Impression by Cesar T. Taguba

7th Igorot Cordillera BIMAAK Europe (ICBE) Consultation

Barcelona, Spain

9-12 May 2013  

IMPRESSIONS

   Cesar T. Taguba (The Netherlands) to Gil Catimo and family

My dear a-aki tan kailian, abadeg ja pagyaman iti adivay tan tavtaval tayo. You helped me recall my Ibaloi childhood, thus renewing my roots and getting connected with my past. Your hospitality, the tapey and kintuman gave a memorable taste of a bit of our culture, thousands of miles away from home. 

Gil, I congratulate you for your outstanding leadership in BIBAK Barcelona and in seeing through a successful ICBE, which also give honor to your Ibaloi roots. Your interaction with the ICBE participants was warm and friendly, not arrogant; you were calm and above all, you enjoyed yourself. You also have a positive role in fostering unity and mutual respect among our ethno-linguistic groups with the wider Filipino community. And it is good to know that Julie, Maite and Mark are supportive and in your own way helping make your family be a family for others.

Maite and Mark, you have the advantage of having a father and mother who are deeply rooted in their culture and identity as Igorots and Filipinos and who freely share their time, knowledge and friendship to empower others, gaining the respect and love of many.

With friends like you and with the upcoming Igorot/Cordillera gatherings, growing old (in age) is full of joy and hope making life adagsak. Agbiag.

IMPRESSIONS

By Cesar T. Taguba to Yvonne Belen

Congratulations for the major role you played in the successful Barcelona ICBE conference. You took up the responsibility to maintain the vital communication lines/linkages, providing timely suggestions, helped boost the morale of BIBAK Barcelona and took on administrative functions, including the meeting to put a satisfactory closure. You freely shared all your policy formulation, planning and implementation experiences in helping organize previous ICBEs and other events. I am happy to note that you enjoyed the event notwithstanding the sleepless nights and hand pain due to long computer work.

…A suggestion regarding consultation management. It is necessary to organize a Consultation Management Committee to implement the program and attend to other needs (technical administrative, etc). By having a Committee, all participants know whom to approach for suggestions and needs, and will ease the burden on the host organization. The Committee can be composed of the host organization, those who helped in the preparatory work, host of the next ICBE consultation and from among Europe-based IGO members.

As in previous ICBE conferences, it is good to maintain the balance between cultural activities and sharing of views and experiences regarding “Migrant and Cordillera Concerns.” One for the heart, the other for the brain. We too can contribute in giving shape to OUR CORDILLERA DREAM AND VISION, which we Cordillerans abroad can help to realize and hope to return to.