Officials move to settle Cordillera land disputes

By Bob Lyndon B. Daroya

BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera regional land use committee (RLUC) chaired by regional director Susan A. Sumbeling of the National Economic and Development Authority held a webinar Nov. 23, as initial move to resolve Cordillera land use conflicts.
    The webinar was attended by RLUC members and representatives from regional growth centers, local government units, some coming outside the region, regional line agencies, academe, and private sector.
    Sumbeling in her welcome message, cited need for RLUC members and their partners to be updated on latest developments on land use to boost their functions.
    She said resolving land use issues in the region requires an integrated approach that will take into account the unique characteristics of the region in promoting efficient and sustainable land use for its growing population.
    Engineer Leon M. Dacanay Jr., former regional director of NEDA regional office X (NRO X), shared their successful implementation of their “conflict sensitive resource and asset management (COSERAM) program in Region X in resolving land use conflicts between the government and indigenous peoples, whose ancestral domain are within the Mt. Balatucan Range National Park (MBRNP), a protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992.
    The Coseram program proclaimed townsite reservations.
    In relation to this special provision, he gave in-depth discussion of the recent Supreme Court decision nullifying Certificates of Ancestral Land Titles (CALTs) issued by the NCIP on public lands in Baguio City excluded by the IPRA.
    He added exemptions for Baguio City in section 78 does not have negative implications on the region’s clamor for self-determination.
    He said IPRA complements the proposed organic act for the establishment of the Cordillera Autonomous Region, adding it will boost IP rights with Cordillera autonomy.
    Atty. Severino G. Lumiqued of NCIP-CAR said the Coseram program could be adapted in Cordillera uplift the living conditions of the region’s indigenous cultural communities and indigenous people.
    Regional director Maria Amoroso of DHSUD-CAR said provisions under the IPRA law doesn’t hinder passage of the autonomy bill but rather both measures ensure protection of IP rights and preserve their unique culture and identity.
    She added there was need to integrate the ancestral domains sustainable development and protection plan (ADSDPP) in the comprehensive land use plan (CLUP), forest land use plan (FLUP) and other land use plans and investment programs.
NEDA-CAR assistant regional director Stephanie F. Christiansen in her closing message, said the CAR Regional Development Council, in signing the declaration of principles of environmental governance (DPEG), ensured rights of indigenous peoples are upheld in regional development planning in CAR.
    She added regional autonomy will empower the CAR and its people to control and supervise utilization, development and protection of the region’s natural resources and ancestral domains.
    She said the Cordillera Regional Land Use Committee will continue its advocacy for the passage of the National Land Use Act (NaLUA) that will establish a national land use framework that will define land utilization and allocation of residential, infrastructure, agricultural, and protected uses, and guide the region in preparing its own land use framework under an autonomous government.