In defense of our right to our mineral resources in our Ancestral Territories

WE ARE BLAANs
The Blaan is among the 18 major indigenous peoples in Mindanao, collectively referred to as Lumads. They number about 450,0001 concentrated in the mountain ranges of South Cotabato (100,000) and Davao del Sur (95,000) with the third largest but considerably smaller concentration in Sultan Kudarat (14,000). The rest are scattered in fewer numbers in other parts of Mindanao and the country. There is no municipality where Blaans compose a numerical majority, being dominant in only a few barangays in these three provinces. For instance, in Koronadal City the Blaan population is placed at 14,244 or 9% of the total population of 158,2732, predominating in 4 barangays (Assumption, Cacub, Saravia and San Jose) of the 27 barangays of the City. In the municipality of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, the Blaan number around 18,260 or 43% of the municipal population of 43,1723, having a majority in 9 of the total 22 barangays. In the municipality of Tampakan, they comprise 15% or around 3,800 individuals.