Acknowledgements: 11th Igorot Cordillera BIMAAK Europe (ICBE) Conference

11th Igorot Cordillera BIMAAK Europe (ICBE) Conference  

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

May 18-20, 2023 

Acknowledgements 

We would like to acknowledge everyone’s invaluable support and contributions in making the 11th ICBE Conference a remarkable event. 

Thank you, MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands (MABIKAs), headed by Myra Zymelka-Colis, for hosting the 11th ICBE Conference held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on May 18-20, 2023. 

Special mention to all MABIKAs Board members and constituents, who accepted the challenge of hosting, namely: Myra Zymelka-Colis, Renijune Abaya, Tessie Gayao, Cesar T. Taguba, Yvonne Kay-an Belen, Rachel de Weerd, Aurora Pacio and Christina T. Moncado. 

Also, thank you to the following MABIKAs constituents for their input during the offline and online preparatory meetings:  Karen Palada, Liza Taoil, Janet Barcena, Zeny Loy-odan, Francis Cayasen, Milan Balolang, Theresa Kitongan, Jean van de Peut, Lorita Bocarile, Jessielin Joseph, Mirasol Bocarile and Freda Polquiso.    

Many thanks to the following organizations for their presence and active participation: BIBAAK Cordillera Barcelona, BIBAK Switzerland, Cordillera Community in Belgium, Cordillera Germany Organization, Igorot-Czech Republic Community; Igorot in France Association, Igorot Organization in Austria, Igorot UK Charity, Ifugao UK, RAMBAK Austria and Solibao NRW (North-Rhine Westfalia).   

Thank you so much, Atty. Cheryl L. Daytec, for generously sharing your knowledge and insights on Cordillera autonomy. Your talks and presentations have definitely enriched the conference. 

To His Excellency, Ambassador J. EduardoMalaya, thank you for gracing the event. Your encouraging words are very much appreciated.  

To the second- and third-generation IgorotCordillerans in Europe, we are glad you attended our conference. Years from now, the first-generation hope you will continue to come together.    

To the Igorot/BIBAK/Cordillera organizations in Europe, who attended the Cultural Night and showcased their performances, our heartfelt gratitude. The evening will be incomplete without the gentlemen, who provided the rhythm of the gongs and the ladies, who gracefully danced to the rhythm.  

For our ‘tombola’ fundraising initiative this year, we are thankful to the following for making it happen: 

Myra Zymelka-Colis for the overall production and coordination of the raffle tickets. 

Marjorie Abeya-Soaygan & Lorena Clerc for sponsoring our 2nd and 3rd major prizes for the raffle, respectively. 

Christina T. Moncado, Renijune Abaya, Tessie Gayao & Dennis van Altena, Luniza Taoil, Myra Zymelka-Colis, and Yvonne Kay-an Belen & Cesar T. Taguba for sponsoring the consolation prizes. 

Our contact persons outside the Netherlands, who generously supported us with their time and effort in selling the raffle tickets: Annie Hruska (Austria), Julia Geston (France), Clint Bangwa (Germany), Joy Oloan-Ramirez (Greece), James Leroy Quintin (Ireland), Glenn Yamoyam (Spain), Airen Kalley-Ruettimann (Switzerland), and Averil Pooten-Watan & Evangeline Martinez (UK). 

To many, who helped us in their own way, thank you… 

Leticia de Jong-Palangdan for surveying conference venues in Almere in 2022.  

Myra Zymelka-Colis for freely sharing her technical and communications skills for our Zoom planning meetings and evaluation. 

Michael T. Bengwayan, Jr and Christina T. Moncado for designing the 11th ICBE Conference banner.  

Christina T. Moncado for fetching some participants at the Amsterdam Schiphol airport and at the Amsterdam Central station, and sending them off. 

Consie Lozano for booking the bus for the tour on May 19, 2023. 

Yvonne Kay-an Belen, Gil Tiban Catimo, Alice Cuyob, Ric Cuyob, Susan Kilakil, Manie Mones, Christina T. Moncado, Conchita Pooten, Dominga Webber and Glenn Yamoyam for preparing the packed lunch. 

Renijune Abaya for sewing the bags used to pack the lunch on May 19th Day tour. 

Cordi-Bel for bringing along their gongs and solibao (drum). 

Dennis van Altena for baking the apple pies that were served on May 18, and May 20, 2023. 

Liza Taoil for preparing tapey (rice wine).

Susan Kilakil for the homemade cinnamon rolls.

Julia Geston for the suman (rice cakes). 

Dominga Webber for the scones and cinnamon rolls.

Bender Batan for the cinnamon rolls. 

Elendrea (Rhea) Cachola, our caterer, for donating half the price of the “lechon.” 

Airen Kalley-Ruettimann for donating the prizes for the game in “Getting to know you.”   

To the different committees, who shared their time, talent and treasure, we are ever grateful:  

Decoration Committee: Renijune Abaya, Dennis van Altena, Myra Zymelka-Colis, Tessie Gayao, Cesar T. Taguba. 

Registration Committee: Renijune Abaya, Christine T. Moncado, Aurora Pacio, Liza Taoil, Zeny Loy-odan, Myra Zymelka-Colis, Yvonne Kay-an Belen.

Accommodation Committee: Renijune Abaya, Zeny Loy-odan, Christina T. Moncado, Martijn & Emy Moncado-Teunissen, Karen Palada, Liza Taoil.   

Food Committee: Tessie Gayao, Aurora Pacio, Gloria Pacio, Dennis van Altena, Roselito Pascual, Thijs Jonkers, Renijune Abaya. 

Documentation Committee: Anton Hartong, Luti B. Hartong-Taguba, Myra Zymelka-Colis, Bender Batan, Yvonne Kay-an Belen.

Transportation Committee: Dennis van Altena, Ric Cuyob. 

ICBE banner and name tags Committee: Yvonne Kay-an Belen, Fe Kay-an Belen-Ciriaco, Julius Cesar Cuyob, Ric Cuyob, Alice Cuyob, MABIKAs Foundation. 

Clean-up Committee: All those who helped to keep the venue clean after the May 18th and May 20th activities. 

To Bart Treffers of Nassaukerk for making available their facilities, our heartfelt thanks.  

To the participants, who gave gifts to the MABIKAs Board and Constituents, thank you. 

To those we failed to mention and who, in one way or another, contributed in making the conference a success, we are most grateful.    
 

Finally, we surely wouldn’t miss expressing our sincerest gratitude to Yvonne Kay-an Belen, overall coordinator of the 11th ICBE Conference, for her unrelenting dedication and steadfast commitment. Thank you for always ensuring that the ICBE biennial gatherings for us Igorot Cordillerans in Europe continue throughout the years.

Once again, thank you everyone!

We look forward to meeting each other again and also meeting more of our other kailian in Europe during the 12th ICBE Conference in Belgium in 2025. The event will be hosted by Cordillera Community in Belgium (Cordi-Bel).   

Matago-tago tako am-in! (Long may we live!) 

By MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands