Sagada IP Council condemns nationwide corruption, cites ‘Inayan’ in call for accountability

SAGADA, Mountain Province — With the scandals unfolding across the country, especially on the national stage, the critical indigenous peoples (IPs) of Sagada refuse to sit idly by.

Members of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB), who are also IPs of Sagada, collectively condemned the rampant corruption allegedly being committed by unscrupulous individuals throughout the Philippines. In Resolution No. 234, Series of 2025, the local legislators asserted that public service demands the highest standards of accountability, integrity, and transparency—principles fundamentally aligned with their moral code, which calls for avoiding any act that brings harm or dishonor to the community.

The Council particularly addressed the alarming and pervasive issues of corruption and emphasized its detrimental impact on vital public works such as flood control projects, which, when compromised, endanger public safety and undermine the efficient use of government funds.

In the unanimously approved resolution, the councilors highlighted that the town of Sagada is deeply rooted in the cultural and ethical framework of the Igorots, the preferred collective identity of most Cordillera IPs. They explained that as members of the “Applai,” the people of Northwest Mountain Province, they strongly uphold the value of “Inayan,” a guiding principle that warns against doing anything harmful, disrespectful, or detrimental to others, the community, or the environment.

The resolution, issued by Sagada’s IP councilors, unequivocally condemned rampant, pervasive, and systemic corruption nationwide. It stressed that such corruption erodes public trust, harms national progress, and violates the communal ethics embodied in the Inayan principle. This principle, they noted, promotes essential virtues such as honesty, truthfulness, humility, and a deep sense of communal responsibility.

The Council demanded immediate and uncompromising accountability from the national government and all relevant agencies against individuals found guilty of corrupt practices, emphasizing the need for swift justice and appropriate penalties. Copies of the resolution have been furnished to the Office of the Municipal Mayor, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and other concerned offices for their information and necessary action.