Bukidnon: The Bukidnon provincial office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) urged the public to better understand cultural customs after a controversy during one of the events in the ongoing Kaamulan Festival. In a statement, NCIP Bukidnon officer Ronaldo Baya-on said the IP community is disappointed that cultural symbols were casually used as ornaments without regard to their sanctity.

According to Philippines News Agency, "They are sacred representations of identity and history. Any act that distorts or exploits these cultural symbols for entertainment or commercial purposes constitutes a violation of the respect owed to our indigenous peoples," Baya-on emphasized. The controversy arose on April 16, when indigenous costumes and accessories were reportedly misused as decorations on lechon (roast pig) exhibits, provoking outrage among the indigenous peoples (IPs).

The annual Kaamulan Festival, which involves seven tribes of Bukidnon, is a gathering for a ritual where distinct cultural identities are woven into clothes and accessories considered sacred. The NCIP-Bukidnon has called on organizers and non-indigenous stakeholders to exercise cultural sensitivity amid the festival's integration into mainstream commercial opportunities.