FORMER Bayan Muna Rep. Eufemia Cullamat called on the newly-appointed Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara to rectify the injustices displaced Lumad communities face and address the alarming literacy crisis in Mindanao.

“We call on Secretary Angara to immediately allow the reopening of closed Lumad schools in Mindanao. These schools have been unjustly targeted, and their closure has severely impacted the education of Indigenous youth,” Cullamat stated.

“Furthermore, we also called on the DepEd now under Secretary Angara to cease being used as a tool for vilification and red-tagging of these schools, their administrators, teachers, and students,” said Cullamat.

Cullamat highlighted the case of the Talaingod 18, where ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro, former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, Lumad school teachers, and several religious leaders face trumped-up charges because of their defense and advocacy of Lumad education.

“This is a clear example of how legitimate educational initiatives for Indigenous communities are being criminalized,” she added.

The former lawmaker also emphasized the urgent need to address Mindanao’s literacy crisis.

“⁷Mindanao, particularly the Caraga region and BARMM, has the highest illiteracy rates in the country. Secretary Angara must prioritize this issue immediately,” Cullamat insisted.

Recent data shows that regions in Mindanao generally have lower functional literacy rates than other parts of the country.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao registered the lowest at 71.6%, with the lowest basic literacy rate at 78.7%.

“We challenge Secretary Angara to not only reopen the Lumad schools but also to implement comprehensive programs to improve literacy rates across Mindanao. This includes addressing the unique needs of Indigenous learners and ensuring that education is accessible, culturally appropriate, and free from political persecution,” she stressed.