NCIP hit for fund freeze over big MP water proj; P1.2-B reservoir stalled

PARACELIS, Mountain Province –Passing the buck and finger pointing continues after officials and elders of this far-flung eastern municipality blamed the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for freezing of funds for implementation of Upper Butigue Small Reservoir Impounding Project (SRIP) here.

This came about during the multi-agency consultation conducted here Aug. 26 in the presence of municipal mayors and officials of municipalities of Natonin and Paracelis and Rep. Maximo Dalog.

An elder brought out the concern on the SRIP citing non-issuance of free and prior informed consent (FPIC) of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) as reason for non-continuance of the big impact project.

What is now the status and update of the Upper Butigue SRIP project implementation? he asked.

The Upper Butigue SRIP is a P1.2 billion irrigation project that would provide water to 2.092 hectares in the barangays of Bananao, Butigue, Palitud and Anonat. Some additional 2,000 hectares in nearby Alfonso Lista in Ifugao could also benefit as service area of the project.

Nearly P100 million was initially released for construction of the access road, institutional development works, expenses in surveys and provision of project facilities including conduct of consultations to obtain FPICs.

Mayor Mateo Chiyawan of Natonin said Barangay Banawel has signed the FPIC. The barangay chairman of Banawel affirmed the mayor’s declaration.

“The FPIC should not be the issue. Natonin is more affected as areas will be submerged but we have approved the FPIC. The problem lies in Paracelis”, he said.

Mayor Avelino Amangyen of Paracelis affirmed the statement of Mayor Chiyawan and committed to look into the matter to ensure the issuance of the FPIC.

It was clear during the consultation that officials and people of the two towns know only of the FPIC as the problem and never referred to the processes along the way as contributory concerns.

The aldermen of the two towns agreed to issue a joint or separate resolution calling for the implementation of the project citing the benefits it would bring to beneficiaries and development of communities./Roger Sacyaten