Native reps in Benguet legislative bodies sought

By Susan Aro

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - Indigenous peoples groups in the province are pushing for the creation of a drafting team to craft local guidelines for mandatory representation of indigenous peoples in legislative bodies so they could assert their rights and participate fully in decision making.

Through Resolution Number 01-11, the Provincial Consultative Body and the Ancestral Domain – Indigenous Peoples Organizations requested the assistance of the provincial board in the formulation of guidelines for the provision of mandatory representation of IPs in legislative bodies.

PCB chair Belmer Yano and chairpersons of the AD-IPO in towns of the province held a joint meeting recently and came up with a consensus to consider the formulation of the local guidelines for IPs’ mandatory representation to legislative bodies.

The group proposed the Provincial Board committee chair on IP will head the drafting team including PCB and AD-IPO representatives and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

The request was based on Section 16 of Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act which provides that Indigenous Peoples/Indigenous Cultural Communities have the right to participate fully at all levels of decision making in matters which may affect their rights, lives and destinies through procedures determined by them.

This, to maintain and develop their own indigenous political structures.

Further, the State shall ensure that the ICCs/IPs shall be given mandatory representation in policy-making bodies and other local legislative bodies, the law further states.

The implementing rules and regulations of RA 8371 states that ICCs/IPs shall be provided mandatory representation in all policy-making bodies and in local legislative councils in which case the representation shall be proportionate to their population.

They shall have the same privileges as the regular members of the legislative bodies and/or policy making bodies, it further states.

Copies of the resolution were also furnished NCIP-Benguet and the Department of Interior and Local Government.