(Message of Archbishop of Manila Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, released on Nov. 10, 2015, on the eve of his surprise visit to the Lumad’s tents at Kampuhan sa Liwasan in Manila on the morning of November 11. He expressed solidarity with the Indigenous Peoples from Mindanao who joined the Manilakbayan (Journey to Manila) to create increased national awareness of the plight of the Lumads. Photo used with this Sunday Read article, courtesy of Manilakbayan ng Mindanao).
We are deeply saddened and disturbed by what our indigenous brothers and sisters in Mindanao have been experiencing. Some have died not only because of illness but because of violent conflicts. Many have been forced to evacuate and leave their homes and ancestral lands. They have lost their livelihood. Their children could no longer go to school. Most vulnerable to suffering are the elderly, the sick, the women and children. Their lands poached upon and environmentally degraded. There is chaos and violence, and there is the absence of peace and justice in their communities.