Female Aeta makes history as 1st Criminology board passer from her tribe

MANILA, Philippines —Lady Anne Duya is said to be the first female from her tribe to pass the Criminology licensure exams.

In an ABS-CBN report, it said that the Porac, Pampanga-raised Duya passed the recent Criminologist licensure exam. 

Duya hails from the Mag-indi or Mag-antsi tribe. She was among the scholars of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Pampanga and her provincial government. According to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, the Ayta Mag-antsi and Mag-indi are a group that live in the central portion of the Zambales Mountain Ranges, particularly within Pampanga.

She graduated from Central Luzon College of Science and Technology in July 2023 and was awarded with several citations, including Most Outstanding Criminology intern, service awardee and Best in Thesis. 

"Sana 'wag mawalan ng pag-asa. Mangarap lang nang mangarap kasi hindi tayo babae lang o hindi tayo Aeta lang kundi isa rin tayo sa mga tao na puwedeng tumupad sa mga pangarap natin," Duya said. 

Duya is among the 15,684 out of 32,495 who passed the Licensure Examination for Criminologists given by the Board of Criminology last February. The Professional Regulation Commission released the result last March 6. 

In January last year, Dexter Santos Valenton became the first Aeta to pass the Criminology Board Exam. 

RELATED:  Norman King speaks up about criticism, detraction of MMK episode