Davao del Sur State College is celebrating the Indigenous Peoples Month and the 27th Anniversary of the IPRA with the theme: “Mga Katuubong Dunong: Pahalagahan, Pangalagaan at Parangalan” at DSSC Virtual Library on October 28-29, 2025 spearheaded by Culture, Arts, Heritage, Research Center headed by Dr. Sheruel G. Matalandang.

The event commenced with an Opening Remarks by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, followed by the ribbon cutting and the message of support from the college President, Dr. Augie E. Fuentes. When Republic Act 8371, otherwise known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Acts of 1997 was enacted into law, the four major bundle of rights of the indigenous people such as the right to; (1) Ancestral Lands and Domains (2) Rights to Self-Governance and Empowerment (3) Right to Social Justice and Human Rights and (4) Right to Cultural Integrity had been strengthened and strongly recognized.

Through this law, the dreams of IPs had been recognized and enriched. Moreover, it is also a celebration that manifest the existence of the indigenous peoples of Davao del Sur truly supported by the Provincial Government and the Department of Trade and Industry. The support is geared towards jobs generation, and creating and assisting IP MEs who are into the industry.

As DSSC Community honors the Indigenous Peoples Month and the celebration of Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), it is paramount for us to appreciate this region's cultural identity in its exceptionalness and defiantly, un-link a chain that binds a memory from serving heritage.