Mountain Province indigenous reps revise IPMR guidelines

By Dionie Chungalan

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- About a hundred indigenous peoples mandatory representatives (IPMRs) from different towns and villages of Mountain Province attended the revision and ratification of the local guidelines for IPMR for provincial level here at Chico River Breeze Hotel and Restaurant last Oct. 3.

This was in consonance with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Administrative Order No. 3, s. 2018 in lieu of old guidelines issued in 2009.

Lawyer Wilson K. Kalangeg, NCIP provincial officer and his staff clarified national guidelines taking into consideration suggestions from municipal/barangay IPMRs in abiding to their own tested traditional decision-making processes.

Jaime Dogao, municipal IPMR-Sagada advised that "tongtongan" (peaceful talks) is a quality value of ancestors through consensus building-process through dialogue with collective participation of the community to affirm the consensus decisions as far as practicable."

Ciriaco Filog, a Bontoc elder said “idigenous knowledge, skills and practices must be within the context based on customs and traditions."

Jimmy Galingan, municipal IPMR-Sadanga said, "All customs, beliefs and identity of people are all integrated within ancestral domain - a salient point in decision-making process."

A participant added for an IPMR to qualify, he should be able to read, write and comprehend.

Outputs were summarized, collated and then signed by participants.

Another development was a petition signed by participants to retain Atty. Roland P. Calde as NCIP regional director-CAR and not to be transferred to another station since he is a Cordilleran.

The petition said Calde understands customary laws and practices in the region.

October is Indigenous Peoples Month themed: "Indigenous peoples as partners in attaining inclusive peace and sustainable development." Republic Act 8371 (otherwise known as IPRA) is now 22 years old.