‘Tiklop tuhod’

ASIN HOT SPRING, Tuba – At least 19 Ibaloy tribal members who were nominated to the Council of Elders of Baguio met here in a two-day training to enhance their knowledge on alternative conflict resolution and function as mediators in ancestral land conflicts. There is urgency in the situation of ancestral lands because there exists conflicts to be addressed.

            The uniqueness of Baguio is not just its being the cool city of Pines but as the home base of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act or IPRA and that it is the haven of the American colonization. Thus, it was where the Native Title (Carino vs. Insular Government) was defined. The doctrine was applicable not only in the Philippines but other countries, particularly the United States, adopted it for their IPs.

            These heirs of ancestral land owners volunteered to assist the NCIP come up with possible solutions to conflicts involving family members. NCIP Commissioner Zenaida Brigida Hamada Pawid decided to train the group to help the NCIP resolve the cases possibly before the end of the year. Community elders are highly regarded as ones who are full of wisdom, dignified and have integrity and are generally relied upon as leaders in pursuit of problems.

            “That makes you different from other elders,” she said and mentions something about “tikloptuhod” (bending of knees) that the Council of Elders should do as a gesture of one who is willing to kneel in order to settle things amicably, one thing that an outsider cannot do.

            After a series of discussions since the last general assembly of ancestral land claimants on May 7, 2014; we came up with the training for the CoELs with the assistance of OIC RD Atty. John Ray Libiran, even if he was no longer in position. It was the second time I heard the former director explain his research on indigenous peoples’ rights particularly in Baguio, the place where he grew up and became IP rights advocate. I admired the way he delivered the IPRA down to earth, and answered questions politely and patiently that an ordinary person can understand.

I can say that he was the best regional director the NCIP Cordillera never had. The creation of the CoELs of Baguio is the legacy of Atty. Libiran and Manang Brigette. They hold dreams of reforms and vows to eradicate or cleanse the office, converting it into a corruption-free agency that will gain the respect of its clientele. Without these people in government, I say “daang matuwid” is turning out to be “daang paikot-ikot”.

Manang Brigette, as she wants to be addressed, emphasized on the elders’ attitudes to be lenient and develop an amicable atmosphere so as not to jeopardize the settlement process. “Maybe it is time for some straight talk from capable, aggressive and foresighted leaders,” she said. No wonder she was sometimes branded as “badger” who talks straight to the point, “walang paikot-ikot”.

Under her watch as NCIP chair, they crafted NCIP AO 02, the General Guidelines on the Confirmation of Indigenous Political Structures or IPS and the Registration of Indigenous Peoples Organizations or IPOs. The order printed in booklet form refers to IPS as “organizational and cultural leadership system, institutions, relationships, patterns and processes for decision-making and participation identified and accepted by ICCs and IPs. The IPS shall be recognized as the highest governing body with the IPO as its technical arm.”    

The booklet further states that “indigenous elders emerged from the dynamics of customary laws and practices, they evolve from a lifestyle of conscious assertion and practice of traditional values and beliefs. Hence, they are the recognized authority on conflict resolutions and peace-building processes. On spiritual practices, rituals and ceremonials and by doing so; they possess the attributes of wisdom and integrity. They lead and assist the community in decision-making processes aimed at protecting and promoting the sustainable development of their ancestral domains.”

Certainly, this is just the start, assuming that the CoELs have the guts to do their mandate with “tiklop tuhod”; let them crack the whip, especially now that “daang matuwid” is turning out to be “daang paikot-ikot”. Happy trails to the Baguio CoELs and the six cluster CoELs.