NCIP Ifugao for whom?

FROM A DISTANCE

Abe Pawid

(The article below posted by Jude Baggao became hot discussion in ifugao cyberspace watchdog (ICW) for more than two weeks but no word from NCIP ifugao.)

In June 28, 2013, I had a chance to share with a resident from Binablayan, Tinoc, Ifugao on the role of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) on two key issues; Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the community of Binablayan and the Quad River Corporation.

At first, I was thinking of an ordinary sharing of story. But then as his story progresses, I need to get a recorder, a piece of pen and notebook, and prepare a cup coffee which turned out to be a thermos of coffee. His sharing on the conduct and role of the NCIP Ifugao on issues of FPIC and MOA signing is compelling.

According to my source, he can vouch the veracity of his statements when necessary. His statements can also be supported by a petition made by concern citizens of Tinoc on the issue of the hydroelectric power plant. As a background, my source is a resident of Binablayan, Tinoc and also a direct affected party when the hydroelectric power plant will push through.

This article will deal on the alleged disturbing conduct and role of the NCIP Ifugao in using its power and influence to railroad and ignore democratic processes for the interest of Sta. Clara and Quad River. If these allegations are true, then the NCIP Ifugao is robbing and violating people’s right for a genuine people’s participation in decision-making on important matters affecting them.

Coupled with these allegations is the high level of participation of some municipal employees and officials with their counterparts at the barangay level. This is worrisome because these employees and officials are involved in securing signatures for the FPIC and the MOA. With their full involvement, community meetings are manipulated and controlled for the interest of the companies.

In Binablayan for example, Barangay Captain Ramon Cadap challenged one of his constituent for a fight in front of the community meeting with the NCIP on April 5, 2013. The only fault of the person was asking a question for the NCIP. KapitanCadap went on to lambast the person as anti-government and supporter of the NPA.

Joining the barangay captain in his display of arrogance is the first council member who went to identify several people among the audience and insulted and called them names. With their presence, the NCIP Ifugao just watched the unfolding of events.

Another highlight issue here is that instead of a community meeting, the gathering of signatures is done through house-to-house either by the barangay officials or their emissaries. Deceit is also employed to secure signatures of their own constituents.

In one incident, a community resident was forced to sign the MOA when the barangay captain Cadap approached him while resting along the way to bring his produce to the collecting area. He was told by the KapitanCadap that he should sign the MOA because he is only the one left not signing the document.

Furthermore, NCIP Ifugao in a series of events did not sincerely listen to the requests and suggestions from the people. For example in Binablayan, the people requested a copy of the drafted Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) prior to their meeting in April 5, 2013 but NCIP did not provide any copy for the requesting party until the actual day. Instead of apologizing to the people, the NCIP went to question the people’s capacity to review the proposed MOA.

NCIP went also to explain that the people should trust them because they are educated and lawyers. NCIP went to tell the people that they included their comments and suggestions from their previous meeting. My source said that their major requested components for the MOA were not included.

NCIP Ifugao should also clear their personal bias and act as officers and representatives of the government especially inside their office and in their other functions regardless of people and their beliefs. They should remember that their office is to cater to all indigenous peoples and not on beliefs and orientation.

For example, in June 05, 2013, my source went to the NCIP provincial office in Lagawe to avail some important documents pertaining to the project. According to him, instead of providing him copies regarding the project, he was met by indifference by no less than the NCIP Ifugao provincial officer, Esther Licnachan.

Still, my source stood his ground and asked for the papers he was requesting but to no avail. Director Licnachan also informed him that Atty. Karen Salvador-Kalaw was not around and that the papers he was requesting was with her office.

Dismayed, my source left the NCIP office. After one day, June 07, he went back again to the NCIP office hoping that Atty. Kalaw will be there. When he arrived at the office, provincial officer Licnachan this time informed him that Atty. Kalaw is allegedly on-leave for two weeks. 

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No guarantee for quality education?

FROM A DISTANCE

Hilarion “Abe” Pawid

Will the present generation of school children secure the solid foundation for a quality education? Come to think of it.

The opening of classes this month revives annual worries and concerns. Shortages of teachers, decent classrooms and other school facilities is perennial among apprehensive and helpless parents who dream of better lives for their children through proper education.

 The trepidation is actually the constitutional obligation of government to provide. Yet despite politicians’ penchant to talk and talk, they would prefer not to walk their talk. As a result the quality of education in the country is now lagging behind even among the lower-ranked third-world countries. Educational systems and policies do not move hand-in-hand in the right direction.

Let’s take the case of the new Basic Education Program Law, enacted as R.A. 10533. This new law requires kids to undergo kindergarten classes before they can enter grade I.

Before the passage of this law, a number of Local Government Units in coordination with the Dept. of Social and Welfare Development opened what is popularly known as Day Care Centers.  Compensation for teachers, although meager and in the pauper’s category, were provided. In most cases, classes were held in any available space including private homes in the community.

In urban areas where parents are better off income wise pay reasonable cost for pre-school classes with qualified teachers and better facilities.

 The new thrust under President Aquino is dubbed as the “K to 12” policy. This is nothing new in the countryside with existing Day Care Centers. It simply recognizes what was initiated by LGUs and the DSWD without providing the basic wherewithal and apparatus such as standard salaries for qualified teachers and decent facilities.

Although the new law is meant to upgrade the level of education and underwrite national competitiveness, the country is short of 46,567 teacher items and 32,844 classrooms. Existing are 89,807 teacher items which are deemed contractual and exploited with stumpy pay disproportionate with their duties and responsibilities.

There are 35,449 volunteer kindergarten teachers backed-up by 4,828 mobile teacher-coordinators.  LGUs have in their respective payrolls 49,530 teachers who are not protected with job security.

 The present dispensation through the Dept. of Education is optimistic in solving the woos of parents with the announced construction of 34,131 classrooms for this year, 1,287 more units than is needed. But while these classrooms are being constructed, pupils must make do as they had in the past with makeshift accommodations.  The cycle is repeated year after year.

In the City of Baguio, COA analysis reveals that more than 50 percent of its P61 million Special Educational Fund was spent mainly for the salaries of personnel. Classrooms, school desks and other basic infrastructure facilities were not prioritized as recommended by the Commission on Audit.

Come next school year, new faces will troop the enrolment line which will again require more classrooms. As the population balloons every year, classroom and teacher shortages become a vicious cycle that visits the school program annually. 

Nonetheless, the DepEd has also made known the hiring of 61,510 new teachers with 14,953 more than the 46,567 teacher items needed for this school year.   With anticipation, this news is so good to be true. Sanguinely newly elected officials will not fill those items with their ill-prepared political protégées.

Parents have learned to surrender the faith of their dreams in our educational program. Lack of classrooms, inadequate facilities such as books and reference materials, ill-prepared teachers, perilous environment and other short-comings of the government has become a common place.

K to 12 is not a guarantee to prepare a child for quality education and success. The guarantee is in the determination of parents to push their children for better life through education, even if this means disposing of valuable property to attain it.

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