DILG, NCIP urge local gov’t units: Let indigenous reps sit

After Sadanga officials refuse IPMR 

By Rocky Ngalob

SADANGA, Mounain Province – Joining the call of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples – Cordillera Administrative Region to let duly selected indigenous peoples mandatory representative of Sadanga, Mountain Province Jimmy Galingan assume as member of the Sadanga municipal; council as IPMR, the region’s Dept. of the Interior and Local Government issued an advisory addressed to all local government units to refrain from barring IPMRs in assuming their post and strictly observe DILG memorandum circular No. 2010-119.

The notice from DILG was in response to NCIP-CAR’s letter dated August 28, 2019 asking the former to issue necessary directives to LGUs regarding the implementation of the IPMR for their guidance.

“Please be informed that we [DILG-CAR] have issued an advisory addressed to all local chief executives directing them to strictly observe DILG memorandum circular No. 2010-199 re. Mandatory representation of indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples in policy-making bodies and other local legislative councils”, says the reply from the DILG-CAR.  

Said advisory was issued on Sept. 5, 2019 reiterated DILG memorandum circular no. 2010-119 stating, “All Local Chief Executives are hereby directed to strictly observe the mandate of Republic Act No. 8371, specifically, ICC/IP mandatory representation in the local sanggunian, in accordance with the national guidelines for the mandatory representation of indigenous peoples in local legislative council”. 

Last August 5, the Sangguniang Bayan of Sadanga crafted and unanimously signed Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 45, S. 2019 challenging the applicability of representation of the duly selected IPMR, thus barring the same from assuming his post.

Meanwhile NCIP – CAR regional director Roland Calde, a lawyer, said welcomes the said DILG advisory and urged all NCIP provincial offices within CAR to implement the same throughout their respective jurisdiction.

“The issuance of the DILG notice will help the NCIP office greatly in satisfying its commitment in the Philippine open government and participatory governance (PH-OGP) for the full installation of IPMRs”, said Calde.

The commitment of NCIP in the full installation of the IPMRs is one of the topics in the recently concluded Dagyaw: Open Government and Participatory Governance Town hall meeting and Regional Workshop held last September 10, 2019 at the University of Baguio (UB).

Recognizing the logistical encumbrances being experienced by NCIP, apart from LGUs hampering IPMRs, it was agreed in the workshop sessions that civil society organizations will be joining the NCIP in the information and education campaigns (IECs) regarding the privileges of IPs in having representation in the local legislative councils including the DILG notice.

“This convergence between and among government agencies and CSOs for the full installation of IPMRs and satisfaction of the NCIPs commitment to the PH-OGP, embodies the true meaning of the Hiligaynon term Dagyaw or Binnadang here in the Cordillera,” Calde said.