Biga, Basao tribes push ‘singlit’ to settle dispute; ease war fears

 Amid fake news

By Jesse Maguiya 

 

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Mayor Darwin Estrañero convened another meeting on Monday with officers and members of the Matagoan Bodong Consultative Council (MBCC), Bodong holders of the Kalinga sub-tribe Biga, and several Bodong holders from different tribes.

The discussion focused on fake news claiming the Biga sub-tribe intended to return the sipat given to them by the Basao sub-tribe.

In most kalinga tribes, the return of the “sipat” could mean renewed hostilities like a “tribal war” wherein lives could be lost.  

During the meeting, Bodong holders and elders from the Biga sub-tribe assured Mayor Estrañero and engineer Andres Ngao-I of the MBCC they had taken swift action upon learning of the misinformation.

They immediately convened their own meeting and unanimously decided that Ignacio Baglinit would serve as their primary representative.

Having accepted this responsibility, he will now hold the sipat and serve as the Bodong holder for the Biga sub-tribe.

In his message, Ignacio Baglinit, the Bodong holder of Biga, confirmed that they had already agreed to pursue a singlit with the Basao sub-tribe. (Singlit refers to a formal grievance or complaint raised by one tribe or party against another within the framework of the bodong (peace pact) system.

It is a means of addressing concerns or perceived violations of the peace pact, such as an offense, wrongdoing, or breach of agreement.) He informed the mayor that they are fully prepared to face the Bodong holders and elders of the Basao sub-tribe through singlit. 

“Kayat mi koma nga ipanawagan iti kakailyan nga awan kina-agpaysu na dayta fake news a mapan mi isubli wenu ibabawi didiay sipat mi kadagiti kailyan a taga Basao ta dayta a banag ket saan a basta-basta karkaru ta uray dakami ket kayat min a malpas koma iti kasapaan a panawen daytoy problema ta awan met nasayaat nga ipaay na iti ili tayu a Tabuk City ken intiro a Probinsya ti Kalinga,” Baglinit said.

Ngao-I, speaking on behalf of the Matagoan Bodong Consultative Council, said they also received the misinformation and immediately called the attention of both tribes to prevent unnecessary actions that could escalate tensions.

He told Bodong holders from the Biga tribe not to spread unverified information.

Estrañero supported this, emphasizing the importance of caution, especially when dealing with sensitive matters.

He warned that relaying information inaccurately often leads to distortions and misunderstandings. “Masapul koma ag-verify tayu a nasayaat nu ada mangngeg tayu nga istorya tapnu maliklikan ti makunkuna a dagdag-bawas kasi kangrunaan a mapaspasamak ket manayun wenu makurangan ti maipasa nga impormasyon,” the mayor said.

With this development, the mayor expressed his satisfaction, informing the Biga elders and pangats that their confirmation to proceed with singlit was the only remaining step.

The Basao tribe had already expressed their willingness to engage in singlit earlier, and this confirmation now paves the way for the resolution process.

As follow-up, Ngao-I, chairman of MBCC, held a separate meeting Tuesday, Feb. 11, with several Bodong holders and elders from the Basao sub-tribe.

He informed them about what transpired during Monday’s meeting with the Biga Bodong holders.

In response, the Basao elders stated that they would immediately schedule a tribe-wide meeting to discuss date for the singlit.

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Baguio SP, NCIP press IPRA Section 78 repeal to resolve ancestral land issues

By Jordan G. Habbiling

 

BAGUIO CITY -- The City Government of Baguio is calling for the repeal of Section 78 of Republic Act No. 8371 (Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 or IPRA Law), regarding it as a crucial move toward long-standing ancestral land conflicts within the city.

In a joint special session on Jan. 14, the Baguio City Council and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) agreed to craft a joint resolution appealing to the Congress for the repeal of Section 78 which is seen as “discriminatory against Baguio’s indigenous peoples (IPs).”

Section 78 of the IPRA states that Baguio City will continue to follow its own Charter and that lands declared as part of the city’s townsite reservation will stay that way unless a new law changes their classification. It further stipulates that any land rights or titles that were recognized or granted through court decisions, administrative actions, or other legal processes before IPRA took effect will remain valid. However, this rule does not apply to areas that became part of Baguio City after IPRA was enacted.

This provision of the IPRA is contentious as it creates a special exception for Baguio City by limiting the application of Certificates of Ancestral Land Titles (CALTs) which are intended to protect IPs’ ancestral land rights.

This exclusion creates a legal conflict which denies IPs in Baguio the same protections afforded elsewhere.

This is a deeply ironic situation given that Baguio is the birthplace of the Mateo Carino Doctrine which upholds the rights of IPs to their ancestral lands.

Councilor Jose Molintas cited Section 78 as the primary source of the legal challenges faced by ancestral land claimants in the city, noting that it has been referenced by courts to restrict the NCIP from issuing CALTs and Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs) within Baguio as well as to invalidate previously issued CALTs and CADTs.

Molintas said this provision goes against the principles of justice, non-discrimination, and equality from the United Nations (UN) Declaration on IPs’ Rights.

The city officials' position on Section 78 of the IPRA aligns with the sixth recommendation of the NCIP to the City Government of Baguio, as presented by Atty. Brian Dongayao. The NCIP lawyer expressed hope that Baguio City's incoming congressional representative will propose amendments to the provision to be able to ultimately address issues concerning ancestral lands in the city.

Councilor Peter Fianza emphasized that addressing ancestral land claims in the city is “a race against time.” He expressed concern that while claimants await recognition of their lands, these areas are being converted into reservations or identified for various government needs at national, city, and barangay levels.

Fianza stressed urgency on the matter, stating that by the time amendments to Section 78 are implemented, ancestral lands may have already been altered or repurposed.

In his privilege speech during the City Council’s regular session on January 13, 2025, a day before the special joint session, Fianza said Congress has yet to re-examine the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act (IPRA) more than 20 years after its enactment.

He cited need for the city government to either initiate the removal of Section 78 or amend the City Charter to include appropriate land provisions governing the disposition or management of lands in the city.

City officials and the NCIP also agreed on the need for a resolution supporting previously issued CALTs and CADTs with no legal issues. Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan suggested that the NCIP issue a resolution recognizing these ancestral titles as equivalent to those granted by other agencies, thereby allowing the city government to grant permits.

The NCIP expressed its support for this idea, emphasizing that CALTs not declared void by the Supreme Court should be presumed regular.

They further stated that ancestral lands within the Baguio Townsite Reservation should be treated as private property, granting them the same rights and privileges as other titled properties.

The NCIP presented a map outlining ancestral land claims, the Happy Hallow Ancestral Domain, and approved registered CALTs, along with various proclamations and reservations. Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda emphasized the need to overlay this map with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) to enhance understanding and facilitate easier correlation with existing city plans.

Additionally, the NCIP asked assistance from the city council for the recognition of the issued derivative titles and the subdivision of the original CALTs. Dongayao emphasized the importance of the NCIP’s continued coordination with the Land Registration Authority (LRA) and the Registry of Deeds (ROD) for the crafting of guidelines on registering derivative titles and purchasing judicial forms from the central bank.

Previously, the city council passed Resolution 477-2023 urging the NCIP En Banc to immediately establish guidelines for the registration of TCTs derived from CALTs as mandated by the 2002 Memorandum of Agreement between the NCIP and LRA. This call sought to address the lack of clear procedures that has hindered the issuance of derivative titles by the ROD.

The NCIP also raised concerns regarding Indigenous Peoples (IPs) acquiring business and building permits for activities on their ancestral lands. Department of Justice Legal Opinion No. 34, Series of 2022, addresses these issues, affirming that CADTs or CALTs may serve as evidence of ownership, equivalent to a Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT), for permit applications. It states that building permits can be issued for structures on lands covered by CADTs or CALTs, provided these titles have not been nullified by judicial proceedings. This legal opinion enables IPs to obtain business and building permits based on their recognized ancestral land claims.

Councilor Mylen Victoria Yaranon raised issues faced by ancestral land claimants regarding building permits and business operations. She said claimants are required by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to build structures to prove occupancy, but they receive notices of violation for the lack of building permits. This creates a dilemma as building permits are typically issued for titled properties which many claimants lack.

Yaranon added business permit renewals depend on having building permits, forcing claimants to rely on special permits which is burdensome. She emphasized that the non-perfection of titles is causing hardships for claimants who are original settlers and should be prioritized. The councilor called for a solution to reconcile these conflicting requirements and ease the burden on ancestral land claimants.

Recognizing the challenges faced by IPs in acquiring building and business permits, the City Council previously passed Resolution 476-2023 directing the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) to issue construction, building, and/or fencing permits to owners of lands covered by CALTs and CADTs. However, implementation was stalled due to legal concerns. NCIP Commissioner Gaspar Cayat suggested that the City Legal Office should resolve this matter and that the NCIP is in favor of legalizing buildings and issuing necessary permits for IPs.

City Legal Officer Althea Alberto clarified that their reservations about granting business and building permits are not general, but specific to cases where properties overlap with city land needs or safeguarded lands. She said the city faces a dilemma in reconciling the protection of these lands with the issuance of permits. She sought assistance from the NCIP regarding land classifications and rights of IPs over their claims to distinguish these rights from other land classifications.

Given the magnitude of the challenges faced by IPs in the city, city officials and the NCIP agreed to create a technical working group (TWG) composed of representatives from the NCIP, DENR, City Government of Baguio, and other concerned agencies. The TWG is tasked with exploring possible options and solutions for recognizing and protecting ancestral lands in Baguio City while navigating the complexities of both local and national laws. 

With continued efforts to align national and local laws, Baguio City aims to ensure that the rights of its IPs are fully recognized and protected, bringing justice to long-overdue ancestral land claims.

 

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12th business, human rights forum CPA head elected co-chair of Global Indigenous Peoples Caucus

 

Cordillera Peoples Alliance Secretary General, Bestang Sarah Dekdeken, delivers a statement at the conclusion of the 12th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights (BHR) held from 27-29 November in Geneva, Switzerland. Dekdeken was elected as Co-Chair of the Global Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus.      Among the issues and recommendations emphasized by Dekdeken in her statement is “For states and businesses to ensure the protection of Indigenous Peoples and Defenders from the criminalization of Indigenous Peoples’ resistance against corporate projects including tagging Indigenous Peoples’ struggles as acts of terrorism as in the case of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance in the Philippines, extrajudicial killings and various forms of human rights violations, and State reprisals, with impunity.”      According to Dekdeken, “We participated in the Forum to bring attention to the urgent issues faced by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance and its leaders, especially the arbitrary designation of 4 CPA leaders as “terrorists” by the Anti-Terrorism Council. We are here to seek the support of governments and civil society to put a stop to the attacks against Cordillera indigenous peoples and the CPA.”     “We also came to raise concerns on the continued FPIC violations in the proposed dam projects in the Cordillera, such as the case in the proposed Gened dams and the other Apayao dams, and the widely opposed Saltan dam prjects in Kalinga,” added Dekdeken.      CPA Public Information Staff, Astrid Bolinget, has likewise raised concerns on the continuing attacks against the human rights of indigenous youth. In her statement, Astrid stated that “Human rights attacks on indigenous youth such as red-tagging, terrorist tagging, trumped-up charges, abduction, intimidation, and harassment must stop to enable meaningful participation of indigenous youth in decision-making, empowerment of Indigenous Peoples in asserting our collective rights to land, territories, resources, and our rights as indigenous youth in particular.”     The annual UN BHR Forum is the world's largest annual gathering on business and human rights, this year with 3,993 participants from government, business, community groups and civil society including Indigenous Peoples, law firms, investor organisations, UN bodies, national human rights institutions, and other groups. The agenda of the forum is to discuss the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights  (the United Nations "Protect, Respect and Remedy" Framework), as well as current business-related human rights issues.

 

 

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IPs not opposed to development: NCIP chair

 

SUPPORT. National Commission on Indigenous Peoples chairperson Jennifer Pia Sibug-Las, during the Community Relations conference of the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association conference at Camp John Hay in Baguio City on Wednesday (Nov. 15, 2023) said indigenous peoples (IPs), through the NCIP, are not opposed to mining and other development projects. She said IPs must be consulted and treated equally in any development project vis-à-vis their ancestry. their land, and their rights. (Photo by Liza T. Agoot)

IP Concerns

Liza Agoot

BAGUIO CITY – An official of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) on Wednesday said they are not opposed to mining projects and developments but only want to be consulted on all stages of a project.
    NCIP chairperson Jennifer Pia Sibug-Las, during the Community Relations (ComRel) Conference of the four-day Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) Conference that started at the Cap Convention and Trade Center in Camp John Hay on Tuesday, said IPs recognize that mining and other development projects can contribute to an improved livelihood and economic stability for the sector.
    She said mining companies and other development projects empower communities through sustainable practices, foster self-determination, and enhance the capacity to engage in decision-making processes that affect their lives and resources -- the reason for the need to be consulted because it involves the land and the rights of the IPs.
    “We just want to be treated as equals, your co-equal in the development of this country,” she said.
Sibug-Las urged companies to always pay preferential attention and consideration to cultural sustainability, safety, security and stability.
    She also mentioned that NCIP has limitations in its task to improve the condition of the IPs and ICCs.
    “We cannot on our own help everybody. We recognize you, the industry players, the ComRel officers, as the possible source of a better future, a clearer future for the new Philippines not only for the Filipinos but for the IPs,” asded Sibug-Las, a     Manobo princess who is also the commissioner in charge for Central Mindanao. --PNA
 
 

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Improving the FPIC process

 LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March Fianza

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- This discussion centers on significant changes to some of the guidelines in holding the Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) process of 2012 carried out by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
    The amendments as proposed and approved in a resolution by the Sanggunian Panlalawigan of Benguet earlier this year were sent to the commission en banc or the national officials of the NCIP for any appropriate action. The SP did not get any reaction from the commission en banc, not even a single word.
    Allegations of violations committed in the execution of the FPIC process were numerous, as admitted by NCIP personnel and the private parties involved, but these are best set aside in the meantime for future columns.
    The FPIC as a process under the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA 1997) allows IPs and Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) to wield power to give or withhold consent to a project that could affect their livelihoods, resources and communities, and enables them to negotiate the conditions under which the project would be evaluated and implemented.
    Depending on the end-result of the FPIC process; the livelihoods, resources and communities which the IPRA calls ancestral domain could be affected by the projects, programs, plans and activities of the proponent, whether private sector or the government.
    Looking at the proposal to amend the FPIC guidelines by the Benguet SP and after getting explanations from Benguet SP member Recto Alawas who spent a big part of his life with the NCIP before becoming Benguet IPMR, I found the idea worth discussing in this space.
    Prior to the approval of a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) of any tribal community, and before it is listed as such in the records of the NCIP, the people and their territory undergo a field-based investigation (FBI) process, including the formulation of their Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP).
    By the way, as early as 2000 to 2002, the Iwaks of Lusod and Domolpos in Barangay Tinongdan, Itogon were already in the process of discussing their ADSDPP where, fortunately, I was physically present.    
    The amendments to the FPIC guidelines of 2012 were proposed to address the present situation where government projects were already listed in a recognized ancestral domain and known IP territory.
    Here, a full-blown FPIC process may be dispensed with especially if the government project was requested by the IP community. It is another story if the government project was not requested but it was to be implemented within the AD.
But since the project was requested by the AD and government-funded, it follows that the plans and programs related to the project were prepared and approved by the community itself.   
    If so, then the FPIC team under the concerned NCIP office could conduct validation and inspection processes without having to call for the presence of people who would be busy tending their farms instead of attending assemblies. This would save time, effort and money on the part of the IPs and the FPIC team.
    One particular change in the FPIC guidelines is that part of Sections 9 to 13 where the conduct of the FBI is undertaken to determine whether a project, its plans and programs overlap or do not affect an ancestral domain.
    The attention of the NCIP to the FBI process is being called because when the territory of the concerned IP community went through the process of identification prior to titling, the same facts and figures, records and other documents, including technical descriptions of survey plans were already gathered.
    Hence, there is no more need for undertaking the FBI within a publicly known IP territory since it was already listed under the NCIP as a territory with a CADT. It is significantly important to dispense with the FBI in AD communities to save time, effort and money.
    In cases where other concerns and activities were required by the FBI, the same could be undertaken in the Work and Financial Plan activities of the FPIC Team. Even additional documents and information about an AD community could be taken from the ADSDPP of the community and records available with the NCIP and the local government unit.
    However, there are LGUs that are not entirely covered by a CADT where only a number of its barangays or sitios are publicly known to be occupied by IPs. In this case, a field-based investigation prior to an FPIC may be conducted, after which a Certificate of No Overlap (CNO) may or may not be issued, depending on the result of the FBI.
    Another concern mentioned by Benguet IPMR Alawas was to restudy the possibility of reverting to a part in the old FPIC guidelines where only the affected community would be involved in the FPIC process and not the whole ancestral domain. Consulting the whole CADT area could bring misunderstanding and discord among members of the community.
    The SP Benguet further proposed to amend Section 22 of the FPIC guidelines so that only the principal parties such as the private company owner or officials, NOT contractors or ordinary staff, be authorized to represent the company and shall be present during the FPIC processes especially during the negotiation period.
    Thus, such company representatives must be granted authority through a company Board Resolution or Special Power of Attorney, whichever is applicable. The representative shall have the power to make immediate decisions on behalf of the company, and any decisions made must be binding to the proponent company.
    Also, that the company proponent operating in an AD territory must prioritize the ADSDPP project listings in their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and suggested that this be included in the FPIC-MOA.
    Given that the requirements and the documents were completed in the conduct of the FPIC process, the NCIP issues a Certificate Precondition. The SP Benguet resolution said, this should be issued by NCIP within 30 days upon receiving the FPIC Report and FPIC MOA from the regional offices.
    Some NCIP personnel would say that the FBI in an ancestral domain area is still necessary but that could be for personal reasons, considering the travel allowance and other expenses that they could claim from the private company project proponent.
    As for IPs inside an AD who understand how the conduct of an FBI works, they would say that it is a disturbance to their activities as joining the process could eat much of their time instead of going to work. Here, their travel expenses are not even refunded.
    The company proponent of the project will see the FBI the same way that the ICC in an ancestral domain or CADT area saw it, considering the added expenses in gathering people when all the needed information could all be taken from the AD recognition files, ADSDPP Book and LGU history book. The FBI is a redundant activity and a burden for all parties. 

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

Politics has turned very personal

March Fianza

Miss Marites had spread lately that former president Duterte might run for the senate in 2025 or vice president in 2028, once his daughter Sara is impeached over the controversial P125-million confidential fund that she reportedly spent in just 11 days.
    Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the former president and the House of Representatives were hot pancakes lately after the request for confidential intelligence funds was rejected by congress.
    Sometime last October, VP Sara requested congress for confidential and intelligence funds worth P500 million for the OVP and P150 million for the DepEd during the appropriations hearings in the House, in addition to the bigger annual budgets given to both offices for the year 2024.
    The lawmakers objected to the idea of confidential and intelligence funds for both the OVP and the DepEd primarily because it is not the work of these offices to engage in intelligence work. Slowly, the public came to know VP Sara’s request as something that was not supposed to be granted.
    Then public opinion turned against the approval of intelligence and confidential funds for both the OVP and DepEd which she represented that later led to the HoR voting against it. Speaker Romualdez had to defend congress saying their legislative action was an exclusive responsibility by the HoR which was subject only to limitations provided by the Constitution.
    The Speaker further said, the “House will not allow any person, no matter how influential or powerful, to dilute the power of the purse vested by the Constitution in Congress, and in Congress alone”.
    Since VP Sara is the former president Duterte’s daughter, he too had to come to her defense and described the House as the “most corrupt institution in the country today, dominated by hopelessly corrupt politicians”.
    Looking at how both sides felt about the situation, they had the best reasons to be dismayed – with Romualdez absorbing a barrage of criticism directed at the House, and Duterte failing to provide political backing for his daughter’s fund request.
    VP Sara’s apparently limitless need for such huge allocations in the national budget provoked public opinion and a lot of questions which led to the House realigning the budget, and finally granting the P650 million to the intelligence agencies of the national government.
    With that act, the House not only appropriated taxpayers’ money wisely, our lawmakers also saved the public funds from wasteful, inexplicable and suspicious spending.
    In the senate meanwhile, some 10 senators during one of their executive sessions wanted to restore the controversial confidential intelligence funds that were requested by the OVP. Obviously, her political allies were practicing their roles.
    But unfortunately, political alliances in a country that holds elections every three years untie swiftly and suddenly. It is because political parties are simply there for the convenience of political leaders who hold the power and the money.
    When the party has served its purpose, it dies. But it is resurrected when it forms an alliance with an already existing “strong” party. Take for example the rumored team of senator wannabes under President BBM’s Federalista.
    On the other side is the team of politicians who lost in the last presidential elections who want to recycle themselves and warm their seats in the senate again, this time with former president Duterte who said he might run for a senate seat for personal reasons and to protect daughter Sara.
    The midterm elections of 2025 have not started but the positioning and the political fighting has started to heat up. With VP Sara deliberately skipping to shake Speaker Romualdez’ hand in a recent public event, the war for 2028 has been marked.
 

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

Met woman dances in ‘bahag’

March L. Fianza

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- It has been awhile since the last time I had a meaningful conversation with then government worker and now Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Recto Alawas of Benguet.
    Our paths accidentally crossed at the IP games during the “Adivay” celebration at Wangal, La Trinidad so we invited each other for coffee and talked about present situations facing indigenous peoples.
    The instant meeting reminded me that there were indeed so many things that needed to be corrected, some of which were forgotten or deliberately put aside to gather dust in the corner of one’s office.
    I am talking about the Benguet Sanggunian Panlalawigan Resolution No. 2022-197 that discussed an incident that happened more than a year ago when the Metropolitan Theater or Met for brevity exploited the Benguet Indigenous Peoples cultural attire where a woman was shown wearing “bahag” or G-string in a performance.
    In celebrating the 50th Pambansang Alagad ng Sining, the Met showcased their artists and part of the show was entitled “Igorot” of which the choreography and attires represented the Igorots and the Cordillera culture where they showcased dancing women wearing Benguet “bahag” or “kuval” in Ibaloy.
    The “bahag” is a loincloth worn by Benguet men to cover their private parts. This is never worn by a woman as the clothing for the latter is the “tapis” which is a wrap-around skirt paired with a blouse.
    The SP resolution said the Met show was an “exploitation, misrepresentation, insult, ignorance and cultural appropriation of the Indigenous People's cultural identity”. I know what Manong Recto was driving at as he related to me what the Met did. 
In the SP Reso. 2022-197, the board members knew that the event organizers of the show could not have been aware that they were distorting other people's culture, but to the Cordillera IPs, distorting culture through misrepresentations is a serious matter.
    What the Met accomplished in allowing the presentation of a dancing woman with the “kuval” was to cause confusion and misinterpretation to those who have less or no knowledge of the Igorot culture and identity.
    Certainly, some would argue that art is boundless. But I also agree with the Benguet provincial board that sensitivity and research should be the order of the day when one's culture is the subject of “art.”
     Customs and traditions should never be manipulated to the point where it is no longer identifiable with the owner of the culture or the people it represents.
    The Benguet SP resolution “condemned” in their hearts the inappropriate use and portrayal of the “bahag” by a dancing woman in a Met show and forwarded their measure to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) to investigate.
    If found liable, the concerned government agencies should make the appropriate action against the event organizers. Necessary protocols in the portrayal of IP cultures should also be established for the protection of the people's rights to cultural integrity.
    The SP Reso. 2022-197 was received by NCIP and NCCA last year. The Benguet board and I are wondering what happened to their investigation if they did investigate. Maybe they are busy with other matters, aside from making some killing.
 

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Baguio to NCIP: Submit position on Camp John Hay CADTS, CALTS

BAGUIO CITY -- City officials urged the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) en banc to submit to the city government its official statement or stand regarding barangays located within the Camp John Hay reservation in possession of certificates of ancestral domain title (CADTs) and certificates of ancestral land title (CALTs).
    Under resolution 604, series of 2023, local legislators stated there is a need for the NCIP to come up with its stand on the CADTs and CALTs previously issued covering the 14 barangays within the CJH reservation which are being segregated pursuant to the 19 conditions imposed by the city government for the formulation of the master development plan of the said reservation pursuant to resolution 362, series of 2023.

    Earlier, the body considered the oral motion of Councilor Jose M. Molintas during the September 25, 2023 regular session inviting different personalities to be resource persons in aid of legislation to shed light on matters concerning the revised city charter on BCDA issues and proposed resolution introduced by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. inviting in aid of legislation the BCDA president and chief executive officer, Joshua M. Bingcang or his duly authorized representative to shed light on House Bill 8505.
    One of the conditions imposed by the local government for the development of the former American military base is the segregation of the 14 barangays situated within the CJH reservation so that the occupied areas will be awarded to the qualified homelot applicants who are residents of the said areas.
    In 2001, barangay Scout Barrio was segregated from the CJH reservation while the segregation of the remaining 13 barangays had been going on for over two decades now.
    The city’s legislative body wants the NCIP to come up with a position on the award of CADTs and CALTs within the remaining 13 barangays that are undergoing the segregation process considering the issuance of the CADT covering barangay Happy which had been earlier questioned by the BCDA and the case is now pending before the Supreme Court (SC) waiting final decision on the said matter.
    Further, CALTs of individual ancestral land owners had also been issued by the agency covering properties of indigenous peoples situated in some of the barangays within the CJH reservation over the past several decades.

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Census: Cordillera has 68 percent indigenous people

By Michael Umaming

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The Cordillera Administrative Region is 68 percent indigenous people (IP) with household population of 1,221,532 out of a total of 1,791,121.

    The biggest group is Ilocano which has total household population of 396,713 followed by Kankana-ey at 340,587.
    The Ilocanos are found mostly in Abra (37% of Ilocano population in CAR), Baguio City (27%), and Apayao (13%).
    An IP group in CAR, often not recognized, are the Aeta/Agta.
    They are found in the province of Apayao and are recognized claimants of the Zumigue-Bayugao ancestral domain in the municipality of Luna.
    They are much more in number than the Karao of Barangay Karao in Bokod, Benguet and the IwaK/Iowak of Sitio Domolpos in Barangay Tinongdan, Itogon, Benguet.
    In the record of NCIP, the native IPs of CAR are the Applai, Ayangan, Balangao, Bontok, Gaddang, Ibaloi, Iwak/Iowak, Isnag, Isneg, Kalanguya, Kalinga, Kankana-ey, Tingguian, and Tuwali.

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NCIP scholarships: improving IPs’ lives

Liza Agoot

BAGUIO CITY – Khyru Egyab, 25, of Sagada, Mountain Province is a first-year Bachelor of Science in Criminology student who is all hopes for his future in law enforcement.

    He is a new member of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)-Cordillera’s dance troop. Being part of this group is what he considers as a factor that will help him land a scholarship grant from the government just like the thousands who were able to go to school, finish a degree, and are now reaping the benefits of the program.
    Wearing the traditional “Ba-ag” (g-string) on the sidelines of the culminating activity of the Indigenous Peoples month celebration in this city on Thursday, Khyru said he commits to helping teach the Cordillera culture to the youth through dance.
    “I also want to be a scholar so that I will have money for tuition fees,” he said in Ilocano, the local dialect.
Khyru said he learned their native dance when he was 15 years old, after seeing the elders in his community in Barangay     Tetep-an when they do rituals, play the gong, and move in circular motion at the “Dap-ay” or the “Ator”.
    The Dap-ay is a place in the community that was made using rocks placed together to form a circle where elders conduct meetings to discuss community issues. 
    “I love watching them with the thought that the culture continues to live. I studied it and will pass it the way it was passed on to me by the elders who continue to practice our culture,” Khyru said.
Lawyer Atanacio Addog, regional director of the NCIP-CAR, on the sidelines of the event said the government, through the     NCIP, allots 825 scholarships for the youth in CAR. 
    “Cordillera alone has an allocation of 825 under the Education Assistance Program (EAP) of the Commission which is spread in different provinces. A lot have graduated since the institutionalization of the scholarship in 2001,” he said.
    Grantees receive a PHP10,000 cash allowance per semester, on top of the cash assistance for those whose courses have board examinations or when the student needs to undergo review program before taking the government-led examination. 
    “Education is very important to us but is expensive that is why our students exert effort so that they can be educated.     Although we give a minimal amount for the scholarship, it goes a long way for the expenses like purchase of books and school allowance,” Addog, also an IP being a member of the Aplai Tribe of Besao, Mountain Province, said.
    He explained that the 825 scholarship is maintained since new scholars will have sure slot once someone graduates. CAR’s annual allocation is PHP4 million.
    “Culture is passed on by practice, word of mouth, and not written. That is why the youth must learn the culture so that it will continue after the old people are gone,” he said.
    He said that as scholarship grantees, the students must go back to the community, participate, and be involved especially during occasions where there are activities that involve cultural preservation.
    He said youth grantees are also being tapped by NCIP as links to their communities, on top of the identified Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR).
    Addog said the Commission on Higher Education has added the Cordillera Heritage 101, a three-unit subject in state universities in the region that teaches about Cordillera’s history.
    He said the Indigenous Knowledge System and Practices (IKSP) is not just in the community anymore but in the formal educational system. 
    For the elementary level, he said the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) has been incorporated in the curriculum and NCIP is working with the education department to further boost the programs.
    “Continue to be proud as Cordillerans, to be proud to represent your ethnographic or ethnic group. Let us not be ashamed. Let us be a medium of education to correct the misconceptions, the wrong information about us, the IPs,” the director added. (PNA)
 

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Itogon elders clarify conflict on ISRI MOA

‘Violations before signing’ 

By March L. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY – Itogon elders last week made clarifications regarding actions which they claimed were legitimate, and which led to the signing of a memorandum of agreement for the application for productivity sharing agreement (APSA 103) of Itogon Suyoc Resources Inc (ISRI).
    In a press forum which puzzled residents of sitio Dalicno, Ampucao why this was held even while the MOA was already signed, the elders which included former Mayor Mario Godio, related chronology of events that took place since the APSA was filed before 2018.
    The other panelists were Oscar g. Pel-is, Andres Panayo, Joeden C. Acay, Gina M. Pili, Paulino Pal-lay and Rosita Bargaso.
    It was moderated by Itogon Indigenous Peoples Organization (IIPO) secretary Daniel Ducayag.
    Two days prior to the prescon, residents of Sitio Dalicno of Barangay Ampucao, one of the areas impacted by the application of the ISRI mining operations, celebrated the Indigenous Peoples Month by inviting speakers who explained the processes of the Free Prior Informed     Consent (FPIC) and violations thereof.
    In the press conference, Bargaso, IIPO president read the events listed in chronology that took place prior to the signing of the MOA.
    Video footage also appeared in social media, parts of which were reacted to by some concerned individuals from Dalicno.
    All the panelists in the press conference were one in saying that there were no violations of the FPIC before the MOA signing.
    They said, those who believed they were affected by the APSA were given opportunities to air their side, even while many of their concerns were inserted in the MOA.
    Despite the insertions in the MOA, Dalicno residents still expressed doubts over ISRI’s application.
    This made IIPO president Bargaso state in the prescon that some Dalicno residents still did not agree to the offer of ISRI because of “personal” reasons.
    Ampucao IPO leader Pal-lay said, as members of the IPO in the barangay, they knew that they performed their role to the extent of holding special consultations so concerns of Dalicno would be included in the MOA.
    One of the issues was whether to “excise or consent” from the APSA the 34.6 hectare area at Dalicno that is presently being used as livelihood for small-scale miners. AIPO head Pal-lay named the affected areas as Purok Tangke, Tukok, Manganese, Ginawang, Tipong and Upper Dontog.
    Pal-lay added ISRI has water rights at Maupa which is also Dalicno’s water source. Since they all needed water to survive, ISRI decided to share its water system to the community and observed that the mining company was amenable to addressing the terms and conditions of the community which made them sign the MOA.
    He added that during the meeting last Sept. 13 facilitated by the AIPO, it was explained that the 34.6 hectares would be divided into two areas.
    One area would consist of the built-up areas of Upper Dontog, Ginawang, Manganese, Tipong, Tokok and Tangke in 19.7 hectares to be included in the No Mining Zone area.
    The second area would consist of 14.9 hectares located at Tukok and Tangke which would be consented by ISRI to small-scale miners, or to be excised from the application of the company.
    Pal-lay said only 269 hectares was left out of the 581 hectares applied for by ISRI since the water sources, built-up areas and No Mining     Zone were removed or excised. This was attached to the final form of the MOA which, as COELs of AIPO, made them sign the MOA.
    The AIPO report regarding their meeting at Dalicno last Sept. 13, however, failed to include the incident where a public official disrupted an assembly which dispersed the crowd in attendance.
    The unexpected incident apparently lessened the number of residents who were there to participate in voting for “excise or consent.”
    Dalicno resident Allan Sabiano mentioned the incident in a social media page but did not name the official.
    At the Dalicno IP month celebration meanwhile, residents learned that the FPIC process was violated at the portion where community assemblies were supposed to be held with the attendance of members of the ancestral domain, not by mere representatives.
    Hence, Dalicno residents believed that no validation process as per FPIC guidelines was done before the formal signing of the final form of the MOA since no ancestral domain assembly was called for.
    At the prescon, there was an inquiry on the legal personality of the IIPO to represent the Itogon community in the MOA signing to which former Mayor Godio said that the IIPO certificate was never cancelled.
    However, upon checking Section 18 of NCIP AO 2 S. 2012, the registration life of IIPO had lapsed.
    Understandably, there was nothing to cancel if a certificate had expired.

Section 18 requires that an IPO has to renew its registration every two years.

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Gov mediates warring Kalinga, Mt Prov tribes; talks held to end conflict

By Aldwin Quitasol

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Kalinga Gov. James Edduba met peace marchers of Mountain Province in a bid to convince the warring tribes of Bekigan of Sadanga, Mountain Province and Butbut of Tinglayan, Kalinga to stop hostilit4es which had claimed several lives the past years in their protracted  “tribal war.”
    The provincial government of Kalinga bared this Thursday, saying Edduba — who chairs the province’s Provincial Peace and Order Council said he was hopeful a swift resolution to the boundary conflict between the two tribes will be done.
    He said a recent meeting between elders from two tribes with government officials in Kalinga.
    Both Kalinga and Mountain Province officials have united to create a dedicated peace task force, which will operate on the ground to mediate and seek concessions from both tribes to achieve peaceful resolution to the conflict.
    The task force is expected to play vital role in ending the conflict.
    A meeting was set Oct. 20 here in Bontoc, as the two provinces worked collaboratively to bring an end to the conflict.
    Details of the meeting were not disclosed at press time.

 

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Baguio gong fest events set

BAGUIO CITY -- The vibrant sound and rhythm of gongs that holds significance in the history and traditions of the Cordillera region, will echo in Baguio City in celebration of Indigenous Peoples (IP) Month.
    Along with the IP Month celebration, Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong issued executive order 135, series of 2023 declaring the month of October as the Baguio Gong Festival and setting forth guidelines for this purpose.
    This year will be the 11th year of the Baguio gong Festival bringing together people from diverse backgrounds to appreciate and participate in the festivities, fostering a sense of unity and cultural pride.
    The Gong festival Day started Oct. 8 with a parade from Session Road to Harrison and will culminate at the Melvin Jones followed by an opening program and ceremony.
    Activities for the month include a mural making event scheduled to take place at E. Jacinto Street throughout the entire month of October 8 a.m. to 12 noon daily.
    During this time frame, artists will create large-scale murals, turning the street into an artistic canvas for a wide range of creative expressions, making it an engaging and vibrant public art project.
    Busking and other entertainment activities called Salimsim Live Performances will also take place at E. Jacinto Street on     Oct21, 22, 29 and 29 or every Saturday and Sunday of October from 2 p.m. onwards, providing a series of lively and culturally enriching public acts.
    An online art exhibit will be running through the month to provide an extended period for virtual visitors to explore and appreciate a diverse collection of artworks in Baguio being a melting pot of culture.
    Indigenous games will be conducted on Oct. 15 from 8a.m. to 5 p.m.at Carantes Street offering an opportunity for participants to engage in and celebrate the cultural heritage of traditional sports and activities.
    Culminating activity will be on Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. along E. Jacinto Street to be concluded with live performances by Mingor Chi Kultura and Joey Ayala at ang Bagong Lumad.
    “This annual celebration promotes tourism, preserves indigenous culture, and emphasizes the significance of the gong in the lives of Baguio residents.
    Several departments of the city government are directed to extend support to the activities further firming up Baguio’s title as a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts. – JMPS

 

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Imagining our being indigene

 CULTURAL NOTES

Richard Kinnud

On the first Monday of October in Benguet State University (BSU), the faculty and staff of the College of Social Sciences hosted the school’s usual weekly flag racing ceremony. 
    At the behest of their dean, Dr. Jun Anongos, they gave meaning to the month of October as the National Indigenous Peoples Month in the Philippines with the men coming in in their g-string and the women with the skirts and blouses considered native Cordilleran ethnic groups attires. 
    The g-stringed men were in shoes and shirt and coat for their top, not necessarily in the native-favored colors, and the women were also in shoes and even on high-heels.
    Their get-ups elicited positive and negative reactions.  There are those who said, “Mayat ah!”  (That was good!)  It snowballed with other realizations such as “Tapnu uray sagpamingsan ket maipakita ah ti kina-Cordilleran tayu!”  (So at least once in a while, we show that we are Cordillerans!)
    On the other hand, there are those who said, “Haan kuma nga kasdiay ah! Nu native ah ket native!  Wanes, santo awan sapatos, t-shirt, coat, ken uray brip!” (That should not be the case!  If it is native, then it should really be native! G-string then no shoes, shirts, coat or even underwear!)
    Balancing these, I heard someone say that the reactions are not totally contrasting as their bottom line is similar – that we should be proud of our being indigenous peoples.  It was just that it is viewed from different prisms.  One view is that indigenous people can still present themselves as natives even in the manifestation of modern things such as modern attires.   The other view is more of a purist one as it holds the idea that to present oneself as indigenous, one should stick to what was indigenous in an older time.  Another chimed in affirming the idea saying that there indeed are several ways of imagining ourselves as being indigene.
    An aroused conversation from this event on who we are soon spilled to the reaction of a Cordilleran vlogger on a rally last month in the anniversary of Martial Law.  That vlogger claimed that such rally is not how we are in the Cordillera and therefore, those “taga-Manila” leading the rallies should not reflect the rally as something to be identified with “taga-Baguio” or i-Cordillera for that matter.  However, one in the group pointed out that Cordillerans should not be silent in issues affecting them.  It was quickly pointed, as reiterated by the speaker invited in that Monday’s flag ceremony, that students of BSU in the 1920s who were i-Montanosa (that was how i-Cordilleras were called before) held a rally in protest of something that was against them.  Again, the segment of the conversation settled with there indeed are different expressions of being indigene.
          ***
The National Indigenous Peoples Month was commenced by Proclamation 1906, series of 2009.  It has as its basic premise “the Constitution mandates the recognition and protection of the rights of indigenous cultural communities/indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs) within the framework of national unity and development.”
    Also, it points to the “mandates the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to encourage the continuing and balanced development of a pluralistic culture by the people; conserve and promote the nation’s historical cultural heritage; and ensure the widest dissemination of artistic and cultural products among the greatest number across the country and overseas for their appreciation and enjoyment.”
    The proclamation thus encourages “people’s participation in the celebration and preservation of Indigenous Cultural Communities as part of the Life of the Nation.”  In other words, how people imagine and express themselves as indigenes is important to the continuity of distinct identity as cultural community and to their being part of the nation as well.
        ***
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the government agency whose mandate is to “protect and promote the interest and well-being of the ICCs/IPs with due regard to their beliefs, customs, traditions and institutions” joins the whole nation in IP month celebration.  The theme they published is “Pagpapayaman ng Pamanang Kultural at Katutubong Yaman Tungo sa mas Maliwanag na Kinabukasan para sa Bagong Pilipinas.”

    To me the theme implies our obligation as indigenous peoples to enrich our own culture.  Enriching implies deepening or enhancing.  But to do that, an excellent picture of what has been in a past should also be clear to us.

    Now, is the image of a university professor in his wanes, shoes and coat an image of enriching our own culture?  Our answer and manifestations in our own daily life is surely a contribution to the collective imagination and expression of our being indigene.  It should result into something that will not let us lose our own identity as one of the many groups of indigenous peoples.

 

 

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IP Month, NCIP and IPRA

 LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March L. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY -- As we hold this year’s indigenous peoples month, the reasons behind the event which are the people and the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997 come to mind. We copied the Indigenous Peoples' Month and Indigenous Peoples’ Day from the native Indians of America who protested against the Columbus Day events in California and Colorado.
    To the American Indians, “Indigenous Peoples' Day” was celebrated to protest against the conquest of North America by Europeans who were blamed for the death of native Indians and their culture through disease, warfare, massacre, and forced assimilation.
    If we acted like the native Indians in America, the IPRA anniversary could have been marked with protests against Spanish and American colonizers and the injustices, prejudices and biases that they committed. But we chose to celebrate IP month in a subdued way. 
    On October 5, 2009; then President Gloria M. Arroyo signed Proclamation No. 1906 s. 2009 that declared the month of October of every year as “National Indigenous Peoples Month”, and issued Proclamation No. 486 that declared October 29 as National Indigenous Peoples Thanksgiving Day to recognize IPs in the Philippines.
    The international IP month of October always led me back to when IPs were requested to join parades organized for the inauguration of the Charter anniversary of Baguio. But I always thought that the Charter was something that was not to be celebrated.
    I believed so because the Baguio Charter of 1909 crafted by the American colonizers stirred the peaceful settlements of Ibaloys in Baguio. The Charter made the Ibaloy communities powerless, disunited and uprooted from their lands as they were asked to move away from the center.
    The Charter was useful to American colonizers as it provided a semblance of legitimacy for them to officially grab and sell the lands inside the area which was to be called later as Baguio. The lands which became Baguio City were carved out from the old towns of Tuba, Itogon and La Trinidad in Benguet.
    Up to now, the sale of Ibaloy lands in Baguio that were eventually declared as public lands through questionable and debatable government processes continues, despite the passage of new laws, including the IPRA of 1997.
    To cite cases, around the Teachers Camp and Forbes Park areas, illegal occupation of prime lots by both rich and poor informal settlers is unquestioned and given more importance by the government, but IP ancestral land applications are opposed.
    In fact, these sections of Baguio have already been segregated into barangays in sneaky fashion by two previous politicians who certainly made millions out of their acts. The situation noticed here was that applications for land titling were approved in contrast to ancestral land titles that were cancelled.
    That is why discussions and debates regarding ancestral lands in Baguio and the Cordillera provinces do not stop. In some way, sustaining and ventilating land issues in the minds of the public remind us that there is more that needs to be done to correct the injustices in the past.
    After 26 years of the IPRA, we still greet this month’s Indigenous Peoples celebration with mixed feelings. All these 26 years of living under the IPRA, indigenous communities are still fighting subjugation and discrimination perpetrated by a government agency that was tasked to protect them.
    On the other hand, many Baguio IPs choose to escape from the sad truth of a continuing injustice by holding their own little festivals, drowning the real issues with “inom and pulutan” (IP), and temporarily setting aside the realities.
    As for the host LGUs in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the lead office tasked to implement the IPRA, both have the means to hold IP activities on issues close to the heart of their clients instead of sponsoring IP anniversaries that only last until the guest speaker leaves after a heavy lunch.
    As an alternative to the celebration of the IP month, I suggest an unsolicited proposal for all concerned agencies to organize assemblies where distinct problems and issues affecting IPs in a certain LGU could be discussed.
    In Baguio, various topics of discussions would surely catch the attention of participants. These could include the IPRA, ancestral lands, the Baguio charter, Townsite Sales Applications, Regalian Doctrine vs. Carino Doctrine or Native Title and other discussions.
    On February 23, 2023; US Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. recognized the rights of Mateo Cariño, an Ibaloy elder whose land was taken and converted to a military reservation by the Americans. The Cariño Doctrine was the basis for inclusion of a provision in the 1987 Constitution which also became the foundation for the IPRA in 1997.
    A discussion on how the IPRA was born, including how the respective bills of Sen. Juan Flavier and Representative Gregorio Andolana in congress were consolidated to become RA 8371, would be a very interesting part of any IP month celebration or IPRA anniversary program.
    Instead of praising an IP organization for soliciting pigs; even a simple lecture of an IP culture, our Igorot ways, food and clothing, livelihood, conflicts and how we resolve them could be more fruitful and meaningful projects in celebration of the IP month. All these, but some commissioners and some of their regional directors are always busy with their personal interests. 

 

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