What is ICBE

ICBE stands for Igorot Cordillera BIMAAK-Europe.

(1) Igorot refers to the indigenous peoples of the Cordillera, northern Luzon, Philippines;

(2) Cordillera is a political and geographical concept and

(3) BIMAAK is an acronym for the six provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in northern Luzon, Philippines. These provinces are: Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Abra, Apayao and Kalinga. Another acronym commonly used is BIBAK, which stands for: Benguet, Ifugao, Bontoc, Apayao, Kalinga.

ICBE is an informal network of Igorot/Cordilleran/BIBAK organizations and individuals in Europe. It began as a gathering of Igorot Cordillerans in Gent, Belgium in 2002 and was hosted by Cordillera Community in Belgium.

When some Igorot Cordillerans gathered again in Vienna, Austria in 2003 with host, “Igorot Organization in Austria,” they decided on the name, ICBE. They also decided to have a consultation (or conference) every odd year. The objective is to preserve the Igorot Cordillera cultural heritage and pass it to the next generation. A host committee plans each consultation. Thus, leadership is shared.

Each consultation usually consists of a plenary session and workshops on the theme, cultural night, liturgical celebration and a historical-cum-cultural tour. Planning for the next consultation ensures continuity.

Being in the network means that a member of an Igorot/Cordillera/BIBAK organization in Europe has attended an ICBE consultation or Igorot Cordillera individuals in Europe have attended one.

Such organizations are: BIBAK Barcelona, BIBAK Ireland; BIBAK Marbella; BIBAK Switzerland; BIBAAK Madrid; BIMAAK Sweden, Cordillera Community in Belgium (Cordi-Bel); Cordillera Migrant Workers Association (CMWA) of Como Milan, Italy; Cordillerans in Italy of Bologna and Modena; Cordillerans in Rome (Cordi-Rome); Dap-ayan di I-Montanyosa of northern Italy; Igorot Austria; Igorot Cooperative in Athens Greece; Igorot Frankfurt; Igorot UK, MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands; ULNOS di Mountain Province (Rome Italy) and United Igorot Association of Napoli. Individuals, who are in the network, are from Germany.  

SCHEDULE

Day 1, July 26 (Friday)

14:00 – 17:00 Registration of Participants, Distribution of ICBE Souvenir Books c/o Renijune Abaya, Tessie Gayao, Romelita Heitlager, Christina T. Moncado (MABIKAs)

17:00 – 18:30 Dinner

18:30 – 19:00 Opening Programme (Plenary), Moderated by Averil Pooten-Watan (Igorot UK)

  • Opening Ritual, Archibald Nabus (Benguet Organization UK) & Cesar T. Taguba (MABIKAs NL)
  • Cordillera Hymn, Philippine National Anthem & Wilhelmus
  • Welcome Remarks, Myra Zymelka-Colis, MABIKAs Founding Chairperson
  • Remembering and Honoring ICBE participants who passed on, Grace Nabus ( Benguet Organization UK)
  • Turnover of Responsibility of Hosting the Conference: Rosmar Smith, President of Cordillerans in Rome to Myra Colis, Chairperson of MABIKAs Foundation- The Netherlands

19:00 – 19:30 Celebrating 17 Years of ICBE’s Existence, Facilitated by Cesar T. Taguba (MABIKAs NL)

  • Video: ICBE Through the Years Reactors: Conchita B. Pooten (Igorot UK) & Marivonne P. Cuyob (Cordillera Community in Belgium)

19:30 – 20:00 ICBE Souvenir Book Launch, Facilitated by Yvonne Belen

20:00 – 20:20 Updates and Announcements

  • Igorot Global Organization (IGO) Update from IGO President Gloria Bawaan-Simon
  • Briefing on the Program c/o Yvonne Belen, 10th ICBE Overall Coordinator
  • House Rules c/o Renijune Abaya, MABIKAs Board Treasurer

20:20 – 22:00 Introductions of participants per country (or organization)

Programme for participants 18 yrs and below: The 2nd & 3rd generation participants shall join the general opening programme. Afterwards, they proceed to another room for a special activity prepared for them by Ric Cuyob (Cordillera Community in Belgium).

Day 2, July 27 (Sat AM & PM)

MORNING SESSION (Plenary): 9:00-13:30 Moderated by Marjorie Abeya-Soaygan (Igorot Austria)

9:00 – 9:15 Arrival & Registration, Renijune Abaya, Tessie Gayao, Romelita Heitlager-Gumatic, Christina Moncado (MABIKAs NL)

9:15 – 9:25 Welcome Remarks & Introduction of Newcomers by Moderator

9:25 – 9:30 Introduction of Keynote Speaker, Amorsola Gayuchan (United Kingdom)

9:30 – 9:45 Keynote Address, Yvonne Belen, 10th ICBE Overall Coordinator & MABIKAs Board Secretary

9:45 – 9:50 Introduction of Speaker, Eunice Gallon (Igorot in France Association)

9:50 – 10:15 Appreciating Abra’s Land, People & Culture, by Christina Moncado (MABIKAs Foundation- The Netherlands)

10:15 – 10:25 Presentation of a Masters Thesis Abstract on ‘The Medium is an Interface: How image-as-interface surfaces the layers in photographs of the Igorot European Expositions (1887-1913)’, by author Doris Wilson

10:25 – 11:45 Workshop Discussion Groups (Including Coffee/Tea Break) on the following topics:

  • Our Advocacies
  • ICBE Consultation and its Future

11:45 -12:05 Group Reporting by the Workshop Recorder or Facilitator

12:05 – 12:15 Synthesis of Workshop Reports by Averil Pooten-Watan (Igorot UK)

12:15 – 13:30 LUNCH BREAK

AFTERNOON SESSION (Cultural Workshop), 13:30-17:00 Moderated by Mark Watan (Igorot UK)

13:30 – 13:45 Assembly & Orientation to the Cultural Workshop

13:45 – 17:00 Cultural Workshops (including Coffee/Tea Break)

  • MOUNTAIN PROVINCE: c/o Tallayo Sisters- Josephine, Marie (Germany) and Joy (MABIKAs NL)
  • ABRA: c/o Christina T. Moncado (MABIKAs NL)
  • BENGUET: c/o Archie & Grace Nabus (Benguet Organization UK)
  • IFUGAO: c/o Cordillera Community in Belgium
  • KALINGA: c/o Mark Watan (Igorot UK) & Marjorie Abeya-Soaygan (Igorot Austria)
  • APAYAO: 
Programme for participants 18 yrs and below: The 2nd & 3rd generation participants will have a separate morning and afternoon activities specially prepared for them by Ric Cuyob (Cordillera Community in Belgium).

Day 2, July 27 (Sat Evening)

IGOROT CORDILLERA-EUROPEAN CULTURAL NIGHT PROGRAMME

DAY 2, July 27 (SATURDAY) 17:00 – 22:00

Emcees: Myra Zymelka-Colis & Chico B. Taguba

17:00 – 17:30   Registration, c/o Renijune Abaya, Tessie Gayao, Romelita Heitlager (MABIKAs NL)

17:30-18:30     DINNER, Prayer led Cesar T. Taguba (MABIKAs NL)        
18:30 – 19:00   Group Picture-Taking (All & Per Country), Sofia Lonogan & Bender Batan (Photographers)

19:00-20:00     Opening Programme and Turn-over of Hosting:  The ICBE Way

  • Philippine National Anthem & Wilhelmus
  • Presentation of 10th ICBE Consultation Delegates & Guests
  • Welcome Remarks, Cesar T. Taguba, MABIKAs Board Member

  • Video Showing: “ICBE Through the Years”

  • Inspirational Talks: From among the ICBE pioneers– Conchita Pooten (Igorot UK), Ric Cuyob (Cordillera Community in Belgium), Yvonne Belen (MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands)– and from 10th ICBE host– Myra Zymelka-Colis (MABIKAs NL)

  • Community Singing: Cordillera Hymn ( A recording of the song will be shown; audience is invited to sing).

  • Inspirational Message: H.E. Jaime Victor B. Ledda, Ambassador of the Philippines to the Netherlands

  • Turn-over of Hosting from the 10th ICBE Consultation to the 11th ICBE Consultation: MABIKAs Founding Chairperson Myra Zymelka-Colis to BIBAAK Madrid President Josephine Segundo
  • Acknowledgments by Rosmar Gibson-Smith (Cordillerans in Rome)

20:00 – 21:15 Cultural Presentations (from results of cultural workshop)

  • Two Presentations by Participants 18 years and Younger (2nd & 3rd Generation)

  • Raffle Draw for 10 Consolation Prizes

  • Cultural Presentations from five Cordillera provinces   

Mountain Province: Takik led by the Tallayo sisters (Josephine, Marie &Joy)

Abra: Dance: Dance led by Christina T. Moncado

Benguet: Bendian led by Benguet Organization UK, Cordillerans in Rome

Ifugao: Ifugao dance led by Cordillera Community in Belgium    

Kalinga: Gong playing led by Igorot UK & Dance led by Igorot Austria

21:12 – 22:00 Community Dancing of Cordillera Dances (with audience participation)

22:00 – 22:30 Cleaning Up

Day 3, July 28 (Sunday)

Historical-cum-Cultural Tour: Group Tour in the morning, arranged by MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands & in the afternoon, participants are free to tour around by themselves.

Day 4, July 29 (Monday)

CLOSING SESSION, Moderated by Jane Klee Morgens (Germany)

09:30 – 10:00 Community Singing

10:00 – 10:15 Financial Report (Partial), Presented by Renijune Abaya & Myra Colis

10:15 – 11:00 Oral Evaluations by the Participants

11:00 – 12:00 Closing Ceremony c/o MABIKAs Foundation- The Netherlands

12:00 – 13:30 LUNCH, followed by FAREWELL

*Venue is available until 15:30

Programme for participants 18 yrs and below: The 2nd & 3rd generation participants shall have their own evaluation session in the morning. Afterwards, they shall join the general closing programme.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

DEADLINE for REGISTRATION

The deadline for registration is May 31, 2019.   

FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS

All financial transactions of the 10th ICBE Consultation and ICBE Souvenir Book will be handled by the host: MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands.

The bank account details will be sent to those who will attend the conference.  

CULTURAL-cum-HISTORICAL TOUR  

Option (1) is for participants to have a three-hour bus tour in the morning to tourist spots outside Amsterdam. In the afternoon, they will be on their own. The participants will take care of their dinner. If this option is agreed upon, the tour fee will be given later. The tour fee is separate from the registration fee.

Option (2) is for participants to be on their own. They can spend the whole day in Amsterdam or  travel to other cities of the Netherlands. The participants will take care of their lunch and dinner.  

INFORMATION on ACCOMMODATION and other DETAILS of the CONSULTATION

For those planning to attend the conference, this paper could be sent to them when their request is received.       

APPLYING for a SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA

For those intending the attend the conference and need a visa for The Netherlands, they are requested to apply for a tourist Schengen visa through the website: www.vfsglobal.com. If they plan to visit other countries within the Schengen states, they can provide their itinerary.

ICBE WEBSITE

For more information on ICBE, please visit: www.icbe.eu

CONTACT (REGISTRATION & other CONFERENCE DETAILS)  

To register for the conference and for inquiries on the event, please contact: Yvonne Belen.    

Email: yvonnekbelen@gmail.com.

PREPARATORY COMMITTEE

For the 10th ICBE Consultation, a Preparatory Committee was formed. Those in the Preparatory Committee have helped organize an ICBE conference in their country and were participants of the 9th ICBE Consultation in Rome. (Myra Colis and Yvonne Belen have been included in the Preparatory Committee as members of the host.) The members are:   

1. Ric Cuyob – 1st Assembly of Cordillera People in Europe (Belgium);
2. Rick Kilongan – 3rd ICBE Consultation (Switzerland);
3. Jane Klee-Morgens – 5th ICBE Consultation (Germany);
4. Conchita B. Pooten – 6th ICBE Consultation (United Kingdom). Conchita requested her daughter, Averil “Wendy” Pooten-Watan to assist her;
5. Gil Tiban Catimo – 7th ICBE Consultation (Spain);
6. Marjorie Abeya-Soaygan – 8th ICBE Consultation (Austria)
7. Rosmar G. Smith and Grace Banto – 9th ICBE Consultation (Italy) and
8. Myra Colis and Yvonne Belen – (The Netherlands).

ICBE SOUVENIR BOOK

To commemorate the 10th series of ICBE conferences, the Preparatory Committee decided to publish a Souvenir Book. Aside from featuring organizations and individuals—in the ICBE network, Europe, the Philippines and the USA—with their articles and/or greetings and images, the book will contain articles from the past nine conferences and the forthcoming 10th.
The ICBE Souvenir Book editors are the 10th ICBE Consultation Preparatory Committee members. Myra Colis, Chairperson of MABIKAs Foundation-The Netherlands will design and layout the book.

CONSULTATIONS (CONFERENCES)

ICBE has had nine consultations: Gent, Belgium (2002); Vienna, Austria (2003); Aeschi, Switzerland (2005); Dublin, Ireland (2007); Vallendar, Germany (2009); London, United Kingdom (2011); Barcelona, Spain (2013); Vienna, Austria (2015) and Rome, Italy (2017). Except for the first gathering in Belgium in 2002, the conference is held every odd year.

REGISTRATION FEES

(by preferred days of attendance)

Registration fee for the entire conference, July 26-29, are as follows:

€95 per person (15 years and above)

€50 for 7-14 yrs old participants

Free for kids aged 6 yrs and below

To complete registration, please send corresponding payments via bank transfer to:

Name: Stg MABIKAs, de Filipijnse Cordillera Verbinding NL

IBAN: NL79 INGB 0009 1208 66

In your transaction, please write ‘ICBE registration fee‘ followed by your full name and number of registrants.

To follow up and/or confirm receipt of payments, please send your message via email to mabikasfoundation@gmail.com.

 

If you wish to only attend on July 26 (Friday), the following are the registration fees:

€20 per person (15 years and above)

€10 for 7-14 yrs old participants

Free for kids aged 6 yrs and below

To complete registration, please send corresponding payments via bank transfer to:

Name: Stg MABIKAs, de Filipijnse Cordillera Verbinding NL

IBAN: NL79 INGB 0009 1208 66

In your transaction, please write ‘ICBE registration fee‘ followed by your full name and number of registrants.

To follow up and/or confirm receipt of payments, please send your message via email to mabikasfoundation@gmail.com.

 

If you wish to  attend only for the July 27 (Saturday) affair, the following are the registration fees.

Full day (9:00-22:30): €65 per person (15 yrs and above) | €35 for participants aged 7-14 yrs

Only morning & afternoon sessions (9:00-17:00): €40 per person (15 years and above) | €20 for participants aged 7-14 yrs

Only for the evening cultural programme (17:00-22:00): €25 per person (15 years and above) | €15 for participants aged 7-14 yrs

Always FREE for kids aged 6 yrs and below

To complete registration, please send corresponding payments via bank transfer to:

Name: Stg MABIKAs, de Filipijnse Cordillera Verbinding NL

IBAN: NL79 INGB 0009 1208 66

In your transaction, please write ‘ICBE registration fee‘ followed by your full name and number of registrants.

To follow up and/or confirm receipt of payments, please send your message via email to mabikasfoundation@gmail.com.

If you wish to  attend only for the July 29 (Sunday) affair, the following are the registration fees:

€10 per person (15 years and above)

€5 for 7-14 yrs old participants

Free for kids aged 6 yrs and below

To complete registration, please send corresponding payments via bank transfer to:

Name: Stg MABIKAs, de Filipijnse Cordillera Verbinding NL

IBAN: NL79 INGB 0009 1208 66

In your transaction, please write ‘ICBE registration fee‘ followed by your full name and number of registrants.

To follow up and/or confirm receipt of payments, please send your message via email to mabikasfoundation@gmail.com.