Adapting the ruling National Government; the Subanen Political Structure headed by Datu as the highest ruler, also in accordance to RA 8371
The Subanen Government Hierarchy
Subanen people practice the peaceful un-contesting monarchy system with ruler is not appointed or voted to rule but based on his willingness to rule, his wisdom, education and experiences, his leadership and capability to govern, to finance and to manage his people under his government. Datu is the highest ruler of the Subanen tribe who's role is to organize and unite the Datu's and Tim'uays in the entire territory.
Subanen society is patriarchal, with the family as the basic governmental unit but a village is headed by Tim'uay, while the bigger areas is headed by Datu that ruled several Tim'uays under is leadership and the people recognized "Datu" as the territory leader or the Supreme ruler, the center of leadership that united the people.
An elder Tim'uay who grown and trained many new young Tim'uays as new leaders and successors to rule their respective villages could level up to the rank as "Datu" through a process of enthronement done by his followers and his ruled Tim'uays. However, his rank to level up as "Datu" would depend also on his willingness to accept higher title as it would also rely on his status in life and his capability to manage the financial needs and to govern for his ruled Tim'uays and villages otherwise he could retain his ranks as the elder Tim'uay holding the authority same as the Datu and rule as the highest council of elders in his ruled villages. Young and trained Tim'uays would also become a member of the council as Gukom members.
The guide and requirements for a ruler to to rule his community, city or governorate is the standard Subanen traditional practice see it here
A traditional Subanen name is also required to be use by each ruler as mandatory requirement of the Subanen People and its ruler
Subanen Political hierarchy history
Datu was the highest ruler of the ancient Subanen People's Kingdom (SPK) but because of the influence of the Indian empire, the ruler name Rajah or Raja was adapted then become the highest leader that ruled the Subanen People for a shorter period but due to the high popularity of Datu title, all Rajah titles were later then turned back to Datus. There are several Datus of the Subanen people who rose to power from different areas during pre-colonial era particularly in the following notable places:
- Gomotan Labangan, the Ruler of Zamboanga Del Sur and Sibugay
- Datu N'wang (Nawang) ruled Samboangan, now called or Zamboanga
- Datu of Mis'samis, the warrior and skilled Datu that ruled the people in the area of M'lanao, Iligan to Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog and Camiguin.
- Datu T'ngkilan(Tangkilan) of Sindangan ruled of Dip'ag now called Dipolog
- Datu Basilan the ruler of Basilan Island
In spite of having several ruling Datus in different areas of Subanen territory they do not have history of severe conflict as they believed in equality, mutual and power respect, no interference, and no contesting of power. Subanen believe that all and each and every Subanen are relatives and family that should live with equality. Subanen believe of "Commonwealth" that no one should own the land or territory but all the people within so people could roam anywhere inside the controlled land of Subanen people and farm or earn a living and establish or build their own community to rule.
With all those ruling Datus, all were ended into perished due to the invasion of the Spaniards that tried to kill the language, the culture and beliefs that forced the people to move to the middle of the Jungle to survive for many centuries though some Subanen merged and blended with the Spaniards. One of the successors from the Datu of Sindangan whom ancestors from several generations were able to blend with the Spaniards' foreign culture and continue practicing the Subanen culture discretely handling their history to generations to generations and were able to slowly re-established the untold history of the rule of the Subanen People in its land.
The descendant of the Datu T'ngkilan (Tangkilan) in Sindangan who protected and carried the sacred history of the Subanen People's rule from generation to generation would slowly re-established the Subanen People's Kingdom (SPK). The descendant of the Datu T'ngkilan (Tangkilan) will rise to rule under the new symbolic name of Sun as Datu Gendao that aimed to re-organized, re-structure and re-unite all the people of the Subanen Territory with His symbolic seven rays of sun in his emblem to light the entire seven ancient Subanen Territories.
Current Subanen Government Setup
Subanen people's existence recognition through the law RA 8371, a law of the Philippine Government that recognized the existence of the Lumads would help so the Lumads would be able to go out soon be seen and noticed in the public. Because of this law, the Subanen people could openly go out in public with lesser discriminations and to co-exist with with the other tribes and the majority.
The structure of the Subanen government is still currently under re-organization but still following the ancient practice and setup in a from of monarchy or kingdom.
