BukSU, DOST-X Work with Daraghuyan Tribe on Drum Production Program

Bukidnon State University (BukSU) has entered into an agreement with the Department of Science and Technology–Region X (DOST-X) and the Daraghuyan Tribe to support the production of indigenous drums through science and technology initiatives.

The collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement involving the university, the DOST through its Provincial Science and Technology Office in Bukidnon, and the Daraghuyan Ancestral Domain in Barangay Dalwangan, Malaybalay City.

The Daraghuyan Tribe, part of the Bukidnon indigenous group, occupies an ancestral domain of about 4,200 hectares within the Mount Kitanglad Range in Barangay Dalwangan, Malaybalay City.

The project, “Craftsmanship Improvement of Indigenous Musical Drum Manufacturing thru S&T Intervention for the Daraghuyan Artists,” will focus on equipment support, skills training, and technical assistance. The aim is to develop the community’s drum-making practices while maintaining cultural traditions and offering livelihood options.

Under the arrangement, DOST-X has allocated funding for the purchase of tools and the execution of the program. BukSU has been tasked as the implementing agency, handling the delivery of training and technical components. The Daraghuyan community will provide counterpart contributions such as raw materials used in the manufacturing process.

Daraghuyan Tribal Leader Bae Inatlawanan Adelina Tarino said the project connects traditional artistry with institutional and technical backing. Meanwhile, BukSU President Dr. Joy M. Mirasol said the university will continue its role in extension programs that consider both academic and cultural contexts in working with partner communities.

The signing was attended by Ritchie Mae L. Guno, provincial director of DOST-Bukidnon; Rowins D. Omarol, also known as Datu Tigsagulay and member of the Daraghuyan Council of Elders; and Juditha G. Pagaran, Accountant III of BukSU.

The initiative is part of DOST’s Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) program, which delivers S&T interventions in economically challenged and remote communities. Last year, DOST-X and BukSU carried out a CEST project with the Talaandig Artist Organization in Barangay Songco, Lantapan, Bukidnon, aimed at improving drum-making processes and strengthening skills and financial management. (Dr. Jiemalyn B. Paulican and Ms. Jan Isobel  C. Hidalgo, Extension Services and Community Engagement Unit)