Ifugao Peoples Agenda bared for local bets

LAGAWE , Ifugao –  The Ifugao Peoples Agenda headed by the Ifugao Peasant Movement (IPM) and Makabayan Ifugao, enumerated common aspirations of various sectors in Ifugao especially poor farmers.

This will serve as a guideline for local politicians to address key concerns of the Ifugao people. These include:

 1.      Respect for rights over our ancestral domains. The government and the business sector should always respect and recognize our collective rights to our ancestral land and resources, especially the fulfillment of a full and proper Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process.

2.      Denounce and stop the use of extra-judicial killings, force, repression, vilification, intimidation and harassment to silence the people in asserting their Indigenous Peoples Rights to their Ancestral Lands and their Human Rights.

3.      Recognize and respect the rights of indigenous peoples' to self-determination and genuine regional autonomy.

4.      Respect the civil and political rights of the people in organizing themselves into people's organizations, indigenous people's organizations, cooperatives, and associations and respect the conduct of peaceful activities and demonstrations.

5.      Ensure food security and people's welfare. Provide programs on sustainable agriculture and demand increase in agricultural budget to be used in the Barangays.

6.      Provide necessary measures that ensures fair price of farmers' products.

7.      Ensure the delivery of basic social services such as education, health care, potable water, electricity and roads instead of prioritizing military expenditures and debt servicing in the national budget.

8.      Ensure the democratic representation and participation of our people in all levels of government. Decisions and policy making that may affect the people and their communities, recognize elder's participation in decision making process.

9.      Promote a culture of democracy, critical thinking and openness to innovations while upholding our cultural integrity as indigenous communities.

10.  Raise the awareness of communities on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, especially communities that are affected by the armed conflict.

11.  Support the resumption of peace negotiations between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

12.  Uphold and respect equal rights regardless of societal status and gender especially women and children. Ensure the implementation of the GAD fund to be used by those who are really in need.

13.   Legislate salary increases for workers and government employees, and other benefits for the people such as the Social Security Services (SSS) pensions and others alike.

14.  Uphold democratic rights and welfare of youth and students.

15.   No to graft and corrupt practices. Scrap pork barrel and uphold transparency in public finance.

16.   Fight against traditional politics; promote politics based on principles and commitment to genuine public service and general welfare of the people.