Mandatory IP reps in gov’t LGUs pushed

By Susan Aro

BAGUIO CITY -- The clamor for a seat for indigenous peoples (IP) in legislative councils to push the IP agenda prompted the sectoral committee on indigenous peoples concerns of   the Cordillera Regional Development Council  to  pass   a resolution  calling for such.

Allotting an IP representative in legislative councils is mandated in Republic Act  8371 otherwise known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA).

Marcelo Abela, the newly elected CIPC co-chair, who moved for the passage of the measure, said this was in line with the directive of the   Department of Interior and Local Government  for mandatory representation of IPs among local government units as a requirement to qualify in the  Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) silver category award. LGU awardees to the SGH are remunerated under the government’s Performance Challenge Fund.

In the Cordillera, very few LGUs have so far  accommodated  IP representatives in their local legislative bodies.

In an earlier briefing of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples – CAR on the newly issued policies and directives,  Commissioner Zenaida Brigida Pawid urged LGUs to let IP representatives who are appointed to sit down in the councils.

On the contention that  with the Cordillera  inhabited by  predominantly  IP  groups , most of the  provincial board members and city/municipal councilors  are  themselves IPs,  Pawid said this  should not be a reason for non-inclusion of IP representatives  who  have a particular role which is to push for the IP agenda.