By Jowi A. Carteciano, MediaCore, NRCP

The National Research Council of the Philippines agreed to fund a project to establish a databank system for scientific researchers on the diverse culture of over 20 ethnic groups and natives In Mindanao.  The project specifically aims to make socio-cultural research information on the country's southern island group more accessible to other anthropologists, historians, social researchers, and students. 

The pioneering project kicked off with the turn over of the initial PhP150 thousand to Dr. Lusvimin Sy-Aves during the first annual meeting of the NRCP Mindanao scientific cluster members Nov. 21 at the Capitol University, Cagayan de Oro City.  Dr. Sy-Aves leads the half-a-million peso project called Database System for the Socio–Cultural Research and Development Activities in Mindanao.

The database will catalogue both R&Ds in progress and those done in the last seven years covering education, indigenous knowledge, population, social practices, culture, and arts, says Dr. Sy-Aves, a social scientist and CP's vice president for academic affairs.

Once completed, the database system could be very useful to law and policy makers.  They could use relevant information as references in formulating laws that would alleviate the negative impacts of ethnic and interfaith conflicts to the region's economy and to the lives of the people living in the region especially the youth and women, NRCP Executive Director Paciente A. Cordero, Jr. added.