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House inquiry bares criminal act vs IP defense of land rights

March 17, 2013 in Featured, indigenous, land rights, national

By RHODA DALANG and BRENDA S. DACPANO

BAGUIO CITY — “Let us differentiate a criminal act from an act in the conduct of defending rights.” This was the message put forth by Representative Teddy Baguilat in reference to the “pangayaw” being waged by Blaans led by Daguil Capion against the Xstrata-Saguitarius Mining, Inc.

Erita Capion during the Congressional Hearing on the B'laan killings last February 21, 2013 in Koronadal City. Erita, sister-in-law of Juvy, is witness to the massacre of Juvy Capion and her children Jordan (13) and John Mark (7). Juvy and her sons were killed by 27th IBPA soldiers led by Lt. Col. Alexis Bravo even if they knew that Daguil Capion (Juvy's husband) was not in the family’s hut in Barangay Kimlawis in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur on October 18, 2012. The soldiers were in pursuit of Daguil, an anti-mining rebel. Photo by Brenda S. Dacpano

Baguilat further elaborated similar practice in the Cordillera, i.e. Fetad in Kalinga, …. where an entire community arm themselves and get mobilized in defense againts those encroaching in their ancestral territory. In substance, acts of this kind are not synonymous to murder. The act is self-defense. This is what many Blaans believe. For the Blaans, Daguil is a hero. For the AFP and Xstrata-SMI, Daguil is a bandit.

Baguilat, representative of Ifugao and chair of the National Cultural Committee of the Lower House of Congress, conducted a legislative inquiry in Koronadal, South Cotabato on February 21 on the massacre of the family of Daguil Capion in October 18, 2012 in Tampakan, South Cotabato. Together with Baguilat in the inquiry were Bayan Muna Representatives Neri Colmenares and Luz Ilagan joined by Mindanao Representatives Manny Pacquiao and Nancy Catamco. The inquiry was hosted by the provincial government of South Cotabato.

The daughter of Daguil Capion who was wounded but survived the massacre recounted how upon hearing the first voulme of gunfire, she immediately sought cover beside her mother who was still lying in bed. “Tumabi ako kay Juvy (Juvy was the mother), nasugatan ang paa niya, sumisigaw siya ng ‘tama na’, … puro dugo…”

The gunfire ended with her two-month pregnant mother and her two brothers, all dead.

Daguil Capion was leading armed Blaans engaged in what they call “pangayaw” against Xstrata-SMI. Daguil was once a forest ranger under Western Mining, the mining firm that first mined in the area. It later sold its mining rights to Xstrata-SMI. Under Xstrata-SMI, Daguil was employed as a forest ranger. He led the “pangayaw” after Xstrata-SMI failed to comply with earlier agreements, the least of which was that SMI shall employ Blaans.

The Blaans are among the 18 indigenous peoples collectively referred to as Lumads in Mindanao. They are facing the mining operation of the Xstrata-SMI that was granted a Financial Technical Agreement (FTAA) to extract through open-pit mining, copper and gold in their ancestral territories. At the heart of the mine site sits the Bulol Lumol, the last remaining watershed area in the SoCSarGen region and is considered a sacred mountain by the Blaans.

In the said congressional inquiry, the Mayor of Kiblawan, Marivic Diamante, testified that Xstrata-SMI is providing a monthly subsidy to military and CAFGUs securing the Kiblawan-Tampakan-Colombio area (KITACO). A Task Force KITAKO was organized under the AFP as security force covering the entire area where Xstrata-SMI operates. According to Diamante, Xstrata-SMI is providing monthly subsidy to cover operational and gasoline expenses for each CAFGU in the anount of P2,500/month for each CAFGU over and above the P2,700 provided by the AFP. For the 60 CAFGUs being subsidized, total sybsidy amounts to P150,000/month. Another P7,500 monthly is being provided to 12 CAFGUs.

On the one hand, Col. Marcos Flores of the 1002 brigade testified another figure of a monthly allocation from Xstra-SMI in the amount of P9,000 for operations, P11,000 for gasoline and P5,000 for allowance being provided for CAFGU.

Meanwhile, Mayor Diamante, unfazed by the the testimony of the Daguil survivor and without remorse testified that she offered a P300,000 bounty for the capture of Daguil. The amount froms part of a P600,000 allocated budget by the LGU for intelligence.

The testimonies from the Mayor of Kiblawan and the AFP, came as a shock to delegates of DINTEG-Cordillera Indigenous Peoples Legal Center. It was distressing to hear how a mining firm is funding the LGU and AFP to secure its interest in the midst of an apparent armed opposition from affected Blaans.

DINTEG and KALUHHAMIN, the organization of Blaans in SOCSARGEN region, supported by KATRIBU partylist, recommended to the Baguilat Committee to conduct another legislative inquiry to look into Xstrata-SMI’ compliance to human rights statutes in relating with the Blaans.

Representative Manny Pacquiao, thoughtful of the impact on the Daguil family, asked the AFP “nandiyan na yan, may buntis at mga batang namatay, ano ang gagawin niyo?” Nothing substantial was heard of from the AFP.

DINTEG participated in the legislative inquiry as a manifestation of solidarity to the Blaans. Blaan is among the pilot areas of DINTEG in its project on capacity building among indigenous peoples on human rights-based approach to development. The project is being funded by the European Union. # nordis.net

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IP conference upholds rights to free, prior, informed consent (1/2)

March 25, 2012 in Featured, indigenous, national

By ADELA WAYAS / TFIP*

Last of two parts
Click here for first part

CASE 2. These cases of violation of the rights of the IP in the Cordilleras are similar to other cases in different IP communities all over the country.

In Nueva Vizcaya, violations are not only made on securing permits, but have reached the extent of using guns bringing fear to the community.

The upland barangays of Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya are inhabited by the Bugkalot and displaced IP migrants from Benguet. The indigenous migrants were displaced from their homelands in Benguet because of the dams and other large developmental projects of the government in the early 1950s and 60s. Their experience of losing their lands has been their reason why they are against the mineral exploration in Dupax. On the other hand, most of the Bugkalot who were the original settlers in Dupax want the exploration project to continue in exchange of road development and employment offered by the company.

In Yabbi, one of the barangays of Dupax, the people were divided in their stand on the mineral exploration project. The NCIP tolerated the flagrant act of the company attaching the attendance sheet of one of their consensus building meetings to the Memorandum of Agreement to signify their approval to the project. The NCIP and the company excluded the indigenous migrants from participating in FPIC processes including decision making.

More than that, the Buena Suerte mining company employed Bugkalots as company guards to block the community from whoever will support the indigenous migrants’ resistance to mining. The Bugkalot threatened the indigenous migrants that they would get back their lands if they will not agree to the project.

CASE 3. The Iraya indigenous communities in Abra de Ilog, Mindoro Occidental and the Palaw-an indigenous communities in Sofronio Española, Southern Palawan are threatened by mining and large oil palm plantations.

The Agusan Petroleum Mining Corporation did not only violate the customary laws of the IP but manipulated as well the Iraya leaders whom they brought to Batangas for an agreement. The leaders could not do anything when the representatives of the company told them to sign the agreement so that they could return home.

The agreement was upheld by the NCIP as valid. APMC was then able to secure a permit to explore the 63% of the total land area of Abra de Ilog, encompassing 8 barangays.

The Palaw-an tribe’s experience in Sofronio Española, FPIC violations of customary laws, misrepresentation and non-participation in the decision making. The research of the UCCP- Integrated Development Program for Indigenous Peoples Southern Tagalog (UUCP-IDPIP-ST) revealed that thousands of hectares of the Palaw-an’s ancestral lands were converted to oil palm plantations for local biofuel programs.

The indigenous settlements, kaingin sites, sacred groves, burial sites and watersheds were destroyed and are now gone because of such projects. Ana Bibal of UCCP-IDPIP-ST said that this brings great fear as the Iraya believe that when the ecosystems of their forebears are destroyed, the people will “dissolve like salt”.

CASE 4. The entry of oil palm plantation in Opol, Misamis Oriental has been affecting the sources of food and the customary laws of the Higaonon in their ancestral domain .

A Brown Company Inc (BRN) is one of the active planters of oil palm in the country. When they entered the different IP communities of Misamis Oriental, they made it clear that those who will not consent to the oil palm project will not be forced. With the approval of the Kahugpongan sa Mag-uuma sa Barangay Tingalan (Tingalan Farmer’s Association), the subsidiaries of BRN – Nakeen Corporation (NC) and ABERDI started the oil palm operations.

Meanwhile, the Kalumbay Regional Lumad Organization received reports from members of Pangalasag organization that they are being harassed and intimidated by NC personnel. John Ryan Mendoza of Kalumbay said that “officers of Pangalasag have been put under surveillance and harassed through text messages and maltreated by the company guards.” Pangalasag is a people’s organization composed of tribal leaders and indigenous villagers.

Though their lands are covered by an ancestral domain claim, the company did not secure the FPIC from the IP in Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon. The oil palm operations in these areas caused displacement of families, loss of livelihood and food insecurity. The company has no respect for the existing sacred culture and tradition of the Higaonons in their ancestral domain.

These case studies were conducted in different IP communities in the country by the Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples Rights (TFIP). They show that mining corporations, oil palm companies and the government are not serious in implementing IP laws including the provisions on the IP rights to free prior informed consent.

The case studies also show that IPs have taken up various forms of collective resistance to protect their land and culture. The IPRA is a legal mechanism that the IP could use to assert and protect their right to land, culture, life and self-determination. But the power of the law has been used against the interests of many of the IP all over the country.

The law is not being followed and implemented the way it should be. Local and foreign companies and the government are the prime violators of the IPRA. It has become a practice to manipulate the FPIC process in their favor and against IP decisions and interests.

The sacred culture of the IP communities has been disrespected and taken for granted. The ancestral lands are either grabbed or developed for the private investment interests of outsiders, causing the displacement of IP, the loss of their livelihood, food scarcity and deterioration of their culture.

Many IP have been fighting not only for land but for the next generations. Many of them are physically threatened, harassed, disappeared or killed.

Worse, the body that was created and given the mandate to serve and assist IP cannot do its work. The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples cannot stand for the people. Their commitment is swayed in favor of the other party that is inducing and dividing the indigenous community. Most of the government line agencies are doing the same.

This is the sad reality. This is the way of the State to gain more profit and power – the reason why they make themselves blind and deaf to the rightful claims of the IP. But at the end of this, through collective struggle and self-determination, the IP not only in the country but all over the world will reclaim their rights to land, culture, humane life and self-determination.

The conference petitioned that there must be respect and recognition for the IP rights to a genuine and transparent FPIC. # nordis.net

* Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples’ Rights or TFIP is a non-governmental organization advancing the cause of Indigenous Peoples rights.

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IP conference upholds rights to free, prior, informed consent

March 18, 2012 in Featured, indigenous, national

By ADELA WAYAS / TFIP*

First of two parts

Through the deliberations during the 2nd National Conference on Indigenous Knowledge, indigenous peoples’ representatives from all over the country identified themselves as communities, raised their common issues and collectively agreed on positions they have decided to act on and to present to the public and to government.

The conference recognized that Indigenous Peoples (IP) are intimately connected to nature as they are the caretakers of the ecosystem. They get from the environment only what is needed and nurture the land and other resources for life.

The customary laws of the IP are sacred. These guide them in the management of the environment – land, rivers, food and resources- as well as in their political system, and their lives as a whole.

But these characteristics of the IP are being taken away from them by intruders to the land. Their culture is deteriorating and their ancestral land is converted by development aggression.

They also believe that through the struggles of indigenous peoples for the recognition of their land rights and human rights around the world, the United Nations adopted a declaration in 2007 recognizing the rights of IP. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) is an international instrument for all IP to use in their struggles.

Patterned after the draft provisions of the UNDRIP, the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of the Philippines or IPRA recognizes the rights of the Indigenous Peoples and is mandated to protect them from the intrusion of different development projects, policies and programs into their communities which may affect their life, land and culture.

The IPRA which was enacted in 1997, includes a provision on Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) that has to be sought from every indigenous cultural community before any project, program or a policy is to be implemented in their territories. The Chapter II Section 3:g of IPRA states that FPIC.

“…shall mean the consensus of all members of the ICCs/IPs to be determined in accordance with their respective customary laws and practices, free from any external manipulation, interference and coercion, and obtained after fully disclosing the intent and scope of the activity, in a language and process understandable to the community.”

However, in this conference various IP groups shared different adverse experiences with the FPIC processes applied in their communities that had extreme repercussions on their life and land.

The 2nd National Conference on Indigenous Knowledge was held on February 22-23, 2012 in Midsayap, North Cotabato. It was organized by the Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples Rights (TFIP), Tebtebba Foundation Inc. and the Southern Christian College.

The theme of the conference was “Asserting Customary Resource Use, Reclaiming Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, and Transmitting Indigenous Knowledge”.

During the conference, various case studies in different IP communities were presented revealing serious flaws in the FPIC processes which we shall site here in brief:

CASE 1. In Sagada and Bontoc Mt. Province, IP communities did not undergo a genuine FPIC process. In her report, Gina Dizon of the Montanosa Research and Development Center reported that SMART and GLOBE Telecommunication companies did not comply with the guidelines of a FPIC.

The indigenous folks who consented to the construction of a SMART tower in Balugan, Sagada reported they were ‘bribed’ by the company for P15,000. They were also deceived that the project was a landline facility and were not informed of the correct land rent for the telecommunications tower.

Now, additional panels are attached to the tower without the information and consent of the people. Though not yet studied, the curling leaves of tomato plants and banana plants around the tower is believed to be caused by the radiation of the tower.

She further discussed that the Globe Telecom tower in Calvary Hills, Sagada operates as well without the consent of the community. The people in Poblacion, Dagdag, Demang and Ambasing were not consulted regarding the tower project. In 2007, the barangay captain had issued a barangay clearance to the company which they now hold as their permit.

The members of the barangay council did not even endorse the permit. Globe Telecom did not ask for the consent of the community.

They however, continue dealing with the authorities of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin which “owns” the lot where the tower is constructed. The people filed a petition for the mayor to act on Globe not securing the necessary business permits, Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) and FPIC. Inspite of the petition Globe still continues its operation on a provisional permit given by the local government,

In 2006, the people were alarmed when Globe had constructed a tower in their “a-apuyan”, a sacred site for the IP in Dantay, Bontoc.

The project did not undergo the process of securing consent from the people so they recalled the clearance, which was issued by a barangay captain in 2004. They filed petitions at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and brought the issue to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). It was only in 2008 when Globe dismantled their tower.. # nordis.net

* Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples’ Rights or TFIP is a non-governmental organization advancing the cause of Indigenous Peoples rights.

Continued next issue

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Elders question creation of new tribe

November 6, 2011 in Cordillera, energy, Featured, indigenous

By ALMA B. SINUMLAG
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Elders from Kalinga and members of the Binodngan Peoples Organization (BPO) in recent activity here questioned the existence of a certain “Minanga” tribe in Upper Tabuk.

According to them the “Minanga” tribe was recently created and approved by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) purposely for the realization of an ‘Upper Tabuk Irrigation and Small Hydro power Project’.

Lakay Sagyam Ngayaan of the Tanglag tribe said, Minanga cannot not be found in the list of Kalingas identified tribes and his tribe only negotiates with two tribes in the area where Minanga is supposedly found. The two he mentioned were the Naneng and Malbong tribes.

However, historically he said, the Minanga tribe did exist in the area near the proposed hydro power project (Sabangan). But long time ago, he said, the tribe got lost or were subsumed because they were not able to manage their territories and affairs.

Most of the members of the said tribe, Ngayaan said were absorbed or joined the Naneng tribe and some the Malbong tribe. Moreover, in one of the consultations organized by the LGU, members of the ‘new Minanga’ tribe were questioned by the binodngan people (tribesmen and elders covered by peace pacts) of what Pagta (agreement in any bodong) are they identified with.

“Bigbigen kuma ti Minanga nu anya ti desisyon ti Naneng tribe nga isu ti nakapaunegan da,” (Minanga should respect the decision of the Naneng tribe – referring to an FPIC needed for any project) Ngayaan added.

The said new tribe is the NCIP identified tribe recognized to negotiate with the project proponents of a hydro-electric dam project.

In the definition of terms of the Asia Indigenous Peoples’ Pact (AIPP) case study on the proposed project, tribe is “a group of people who descended from common set of ancestors; who possess a well-defined territory and defend the integrity of their collective territory and resources, bloodline and honor by waging war if necessary; has entered into bodong with other similar groups; manage their territories and affairs according to the pagta which defines the terms of their bodong with other tribes; led by pangat, men and in a few cases, women, who have the capacity to enforce the terms of the pagta because they command respect among the members of the tribe by virtue of their record in warfare; their private ownership of enough economic resources to host the ceremonies necessary for establishing and maintaining, renewing and restoring the bodong”.

With the aforementioned requisites defining a tribe, Ngayaan said, the Minanga cannot compose a tribe. In the opposition of the Chico Dam project during the Marcos’ regime, Ngayaan’s tribe fought for their land, life and resources along with other tribes like Naneng and Malbong.

Never have they heard of a Minanga tribe even in the multi-lateral peace pact. He pointed out that Minanga does not have the integrity to represent the people in any development project.

The BPO list identified 45 legitimate tribes in all in the province. Those that occupy Tabuk include the Tobog, Biga, Calaccad, Colminga, Dallac, Guilayon, Malbong and Naneng. # nordis.net

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Tublay’s disintegrating culture

October 30, 2011 in Cordillera, Featured, indigenous

www.nordis.net

By MARY ROSE GARCIA

The Ibaloi, Kankana-ey and the Kalanguya indigenous people inhabit the municipality of Tublay town of Benguet. The town is known for its wonderful tourist destinations, to name a few, the Bengaongao cave, Winaca Village, and the Tuel hot spring.

Interestingly, its people perform the age old cañao which is part of its rich culture and tradition. The cañao is a community feast, after some rituals which is performed by the community. Particularly, each indigenous group have their own term for Cañao: the Kankana-ey call it sida, the Ibaloi peshet, and the Kalanguya kecheng. 

A cañao may be performed by a family or the whole community, where the latter would be a grand cañao. Cañao may be performed for thanksgiving, healing, marriage and different ceremonies. It is generally celebrated with prayers by the Mambunong (an elder recognized to perform the traditional prayers). Aside from the prayers, traditional dances called tayao and bendian are offered. On this occasion, food, including wat-wat (big slices of meat) and tapey (traditional rice wine) are offered. The celebration may last for two to three days depending on the nature of the occasion.

In today’s modern times, many of the native traditions are slowly disintegrating or adopting to social changes. The cañao, usually performed in the community, still has the authentic dances and food but sometimes a modern evangelical church service is included. I have also observed that there are communities who do not perform the cañao anymore. The main reason is because the practice costs too much money, especially for the required pigs to be butchered.

Another reason was explained by Lakay (elder) Adawey. The mambunongs , who perform the traditional rituals and prayers are now aged. Some elders already left this world without teaching this special skill (of performing the ritual) to the youth of today.

I believe that one of the reasons for the disintegration of our culture is that the youth do not appreciate the importance of culture. They believe they can live in this modern world by setting aside these practices. Even the skills of playing the gangsa or gong fails to draw interest from the youth.

Culture refers to the meaningful practices in our community. It includes the ritual for thanks giving for a bountiful harvest and for the good health of the umili, the people in the community. It provides social norms or roles that make us significant members of the community. We are now living in a modern period of cultural diversity. Some say that our culture remains and can persist. But with the changing times, we have to move now to support its persistence.

Culture represents an adjustment to the various conditions in life, including the physical, social, and supernatural environment. In order to preserve our culture; one must appreciate the beauty of it. Although we are living in a modern world, it is not bad if we still perform it, because it is the culture we have grown up with and that we need to maintain. # nordis.net

(The author is an education student of Easter College, Baguio City)

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Cordillera elders confer on regional autonomy

October 23, 2011 in Cordillera, Featured, indigenous

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — “Autonomy will be present if development aggression is absent.”

“How can we have a discussion of an autonomous region in the Cordillera when development aggression continuous and the Indigenous Peoples are continually being displaced and being deprived of their rights to the utilization of their own ancestral domain?, ” retorted one Cordillera Elder.

Abraham Batawang of the Movement for the Advancement and Inter Tribal Unity and Development (MAITUD) said that under genuine autonomy here in the Cordillera, the IP of the region should be respected. He stressed that since the Cordillera IP is the caretaker of their ancestral domain, their stand on preserving the land that they inherited from their forefathers shall be respected by the government.

Ti pudno nga otonomiya ket diay madengngeg dagiti boses dagiti nainsigudan nga umili nu kasano a maprotektaran ken mapadur-as ti tawid da a daga babaen iti bukod da a pangngeddeng. Ti kayat na a saoen ti bukod a pangngeddeng ket dagiti umili a mismo ti mangibaga nu kasano a mausar ti rekursos a maiyannatop iti kultura da ken ti kapanunotan da nu kasano ti sumarsaruno a kaputotan” (the true autonomy is when the voices of the IPs are really heard how to protect and develop their ancestral land by way of self determination. This means that the people themselves will determine how to manage the use of their resources according to their culture and the future of the following generations, said Batawang.

He added that the IPs aspire for a true recognition of their rights and not just in paper where the word autonomy seems to be written up as a simple word without substance at all.

Batawang said that if the government is sincere in talking autonomy with the Cordillera IPs and the rest of the Filipino IPs, it should review the laws and policies that allow development aggression that only brings wanton exploitation and destruction of their homeland.

“And with development aggression comes the militarization of the IP communities especially those staunchly opposed to large-scale mining and logging corporations are persecuted with the state’s blessing in the guise of counter-terrorism or the administration’s Oplan Bayanihan. It is such an insult and so degrading that Cordillera IPs while they are being killed one by one, are being forced or being fooled to accepting a bogus autonomy.

In addition, Batawang also criticized the government of President Benigno Aquino III for spearheading and insisting on a political structure that the people have already rejected twice. “Ti birbiruken ti tattao karkaro dagiti nainsigudan nga umili ti Kordilyera ket pudno nga otonomiya a nakabasar iti pudno a kasasaad ken pangkasapulan ti umili ti Kordilyera, saan a maysa nga otonomiya nu sadinno ket dagiti sumagmamano a babaknang met lang ti nagdisenyo” (What the people aspire for especially the indigenuos peoples of the Cordillera is genuine autonomy based on the true situation and needs of the Cordillera Peoples, and not an autonomy that only just a few wealthy elite have designed), he pointed out.

Batawang also lambasted Aquino for making a deal with the Cordillera Peoples’ Liberation Army (CPLA) which he said was and is the leading persecutor of true Cordillera elders and leaders. “Idi panawen ni nanang na a Cory nu sadinno ket adu ti pinatay dagiti kameng ti CPLA karkaro dagiti miyembro dagiti organisasyon a mangilablaban iti karbengan dagiti umili ti Kordilyera, makitultulag ni Aquino kadagiti grupo a nagbalin a paramilitar ken mersenaryo nga itatta ket agi-innagaw nu sino ti lehitimo a CPLA para lang iti pondo” (During the rule of his mother Cory where members of the CPLA murdered many members of organizations who were fighting for the rights of the Cordillerans, Aquino collaborated with a group that became a paramilitary unit and mercenary that is now fighting over who is the legitimate CPLA just for (government) funds).

According to Batawang, the issue of autonomy that the government is now actively campaigning for poses a big challenge to the Cordillera elders, especially for those who were able to follow the rich struggle of the Cordillera IPs in the realization of genuine autonomy, to educate the younger generation.

He said that Cordillera elders have the great responsibility in molding the minds of the young in the defense of the ancestral land. Life and resources of the Cordillera for future generations.

“Kas kuna ni Macliing Dulag a mararaem a manakem ken pangat iti Kordilyera, saan tayo a bagi ti daga nudiket kukua daytoy ti kaputotan ket datayo laeng ti mangtartaripato” (As Macliing Dulag who was a distinguished and respected leader of the Cordillera, we do not own the land, it belongs to the future generations and we are just its/the stewards), he ended. # nordis.net

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NCC convenes TWG for Tubo-Boliney dispute

September 4, 2011 in indigenous

By ROBIE HALIP
www.nordis.net

Quezon City — As a follow-up to the meeting conducted last May 19 on the boundary conflict between the Maeng tribe in the municipality of  Tubo and the Balatoc, Belwang and Masadiit tribes in the municipality of Boliney in the province of Abra, the National Cultural Communities Committee of the 15th Congress headed by Cong. Teddy Baguilat Jr. convened the 1st meeting of the technical working group on the Tubo-Boliney boundary dispute earlier this month in Batasan.

 Among the key agreements reached by both parties of Tubo and Boliney in this meeting is the conduct of an ocular inspection of the disputed area sometime in October this year to be participated in by Cong. Baguilat, representatives from the NCIP, OPAPP, and representatives from the two municipalities concerned.

Both parties were also requested to prepare a joint resolution indicating that they are agreeing to the mediation being facilitated by the NCC Committee, NCIP and OPAPP; and requesting the assistance of OPAPP for the conduct of a 3D Mapping in their municipalities.

Both municipalities will also be providing their own counterpart to the said mapping. Three (3) representatives from each municipality will be identified to participate in the succeeding technical working group meetings.  

 The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office and the NCIP in Abra were also requested to jointly spearhead an information education campaign in the two municipalities on the creation of Mt. Poswey as one eco-region.

Both agencies were also requested to suspend the issuance of any certificate of precondition or exploration permit in the disputed area to ensure the smooth conduct of the mediation. The Canadian Exploration Inc. (CANEX) currently has existing exploration permit applications in the dispute area.

 On his part, Cong. Baguilat stated that he will devote his time and energy in the mediation process with hopes that the long standing boundary dispute between the two municipalities will be resolved. He requested from the representatives of Tubo and Boliney to practice patience, tolerance and understanding with each other so that the mediation can smoothly move forward.

 The facilitation of this conflict resolution is jointly being conducted by the NCC Committee, NCIP and the OPAPP with the assistance of the Foundation for Philippine Environment (FPE) and the Philippine Association for Intercultural Development (PAFID).# nordis.net

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IPs slam PNoy on Int’l Day

August 16, 2011 in Featured, indigenous

By ALMA SINUMLAG
www.nordis.net

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. Representatives of indigenous peoples and national minority groups nationwide marched and held a short program in Mendiola which concluded with the igniting of the symbolic effigy.

MENDIOLA, Manila — Indigenous Peoples (IPs) from North to South on August 9 trooped here to express their disappointment on PNoy’s low regard for issues concerning them and hit the National Commission o Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for being a lapdog to the president.

From Morayta, the IPs clad in their indigenous attire marched the main street until the front of Mendiola. The group was led by Cordillerans playing the gongs as a way of expressing their rage.

The International Indigenous Peoples Day was declared by the United Nations (UN) but for the participants in this march, it was not a day to be celebrated. For them, KAMP said “it is the day to bring out their issues of neglect by the national government.” An effigy of PNoy carrying his lapdog (NCIP) was also marched and then burned at Mendiola.

During the program, Johnny Sawadan from the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) said, Cordillera since time immemorial has been exploited and continues to be exploited by large scale mining, logging and other projects of “development aggression”.

“Asawa ng development aggression na ito, ang militarisasyon,” (This development aggression is wife/husband to militarization) which he said results to widespread human rights violations.

One year after the IP agenda was furnished to his office through his sister, Sawadan said, there has been no significant change.

Applications for large mining, he added, even grew in number despite their call for the president to order a moratorium on large scale projects.

Moreover, Sawadan said that members of the progressive organizations like the CPA who are opposed to the development aggression have become victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. Until now, he said IPs in the Cordillera are victims of vilification intensified by the Oplan Bayanihan.

As if adding insult to injury, Sawadan said PNoy’s administration is giving favor to the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA), a paramilitary group that is accountable to the extrajudicial killings committed in the late 80s against indigenous leaders like Ama Daniel Ngayaan of Kalinga and Romy Gardo of Abra.

Jomorito Goaynon, a Higaonon Lumad from Malaybalay, Bukidnon said PNoy has forgotten his “IP bosses”. He pointed out that during the president’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), not a word was uttered relative to the clamor to pull out the military from their communities.

Recently, he said a public school was temporarily closed in Sarangani because the students were afraid of the military who set up camp in the school premises.

Mayette Corpuz of Katribu Aurora province said, “..unti-unti nila tayong pinapatay,” (…they are slowly killing us). This referred to the creation of the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone (Apeco) through Republic Act 10083 last year that caused massive land grabbing in IP territories. Apeco she said is an ecological zone covering 12,400 hectares of agricultural lands.
The republic act she said legalized the land grabbing and displacement of IP communities in the areas covered by the Apeco.

Moreover, Ernesto Bubod, a Kalanguya farmer in Nueva Viscaya said that the military forces in the countrysides should be pulled out for they are the perpetrators of a lot of human rights violations. He was just released from illegal detention after more than a month.

Earlier reports showed that on March 22 this year, he was arbitrarily arrested by armed men who posed as employees from the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) which is a stareholder in the Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Projects with California Energy (CALEnergy) and the National Irrigation Authority (NIA). He is opposed to the project that has caused the displacement of 35 IP families.

The Indigenous Peoples representatitves were asked to gauge the effectivity of Pnoy’s administration by putting a stone in the symbolic weighing scale. One side was marked “changed” and the other as “unchanged”. At the end of the program, not a single stone was put at the side of “changed”. # nordis.net

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Nationwide talk on FPIC heats up

August 16, 2011 in indigenous

By ALMA SINUMLAG
www.nordis.net

QUEZON CITY — “Abolish the NCIP (National Commission on Indigenous Peoples).”
This was the statement of some of the IP representatives during the heated discussion and sharing on the free prior and informed consent (FPIC) on the 1st day of the International IP day celebration and conference here.

Barangay Captain Davidson Aggulin of Gawaan, Balbalan of the province of Kalinga said, the agency is not serving the interest of its bosses (the IPs) specially when it comes to FPIC, therefore, the agency should be abolished. This was also supported by Beatrice Bawigan belonging to the Kalanguya tribe in Nueva Ecija for the same reason.

However, others like Datu Ed Banda said that if the NCIP will be abolished, they (the IPs) will be weaker.

One of the critiques in the 2006 FPIC guidelines was the stipulated 55 days regular process before the issuance, and the 20 days for special projects. This was drew anger and dismayed reaction from the IPs who since time immemorial nurtured and protected their ancestral land.

“Our forefathers protected our land for hundreds of years and it will take only 55 days for the companies to have their right over it?,” Giovanni Reyes, Kankana-ey and national coordinator of the Katutubong Samahan sa Pilipinas (KASAPI) iterated during the discussion.

Maileenita Penalba one of the researchers from the University of the Philippines – Baguio (UP-B) in her study stated that it is too restrictive and unatenable because it jeopardizes the principle that consent should be free and informed. She added that IPs should not be under time pressure to make decision and should not make decisions without sufficient information.
Issues of fraudulently aquired certification precondition (CP) were also revealed. One IP from the South said that some of their comrades were harrased or even killed because they opposed mining projects and did not sign the FPIC.

Moreover, one IP from the South said, the process is not really followed in their place. He pointed out that they were misinformed. He cited one example where during the field based investigation (FBI) which is not part of the FPIC proper, proponents of the project were able to secure a CP from the NCIP. So that the question was raised, “who has the power to decide of whether or not we like the project?”

By this practice the community is deprived of the right to self determination when it comes to the projects entering their ancestral domain.

This was then answered byPenalba who said that according to the law, only the IPs have the power to decide. However, her research shows that 53% of FPICs for mining since 2004-2010, most of it were issued fraudulently.
One of the issues raised in Penalba’s research is the neutrality of the agency (NCIP). This according to the IPs does not conform to its mandate that defined its bias for the IPs. Experience by the Ips tells them that the agency became a facilitator of mining and other big projects.
Jomorito Goaynon, a Higaonon Lumad and member of Kalumbay, region wide Lumad organization in Bukidnon said that in their place, FPICs are being fast tracked in favor of the project proponents.

Also the issue that the proponent pays for all the costs incurred in the acquisition of the FPIC was seen as the reason why the agency is seen to facilitate the issuance of Cps.

One IP commented, “it is the nature of the Filipino people to give favor to those who is giving you food (utang na loob).”
Initiative in the amendment of the guidelines

In order to address the aforementioned issues, Robie Halip from Congressman Teddy Baguilat Jr.’s office presented the development in the amendment of the 2006 FPIC guidelines. She recalled that Baguilat earlier filed a House Resolution 887 calling for the review of the 2006 guidelines that led to the formation of the Technical Working Group (TWG) on the review of said guideline. It’s composition she added are members of the committee on National Cultural Communites (NCC), representatives from the NCIP and members of various civil society organizations.

The TWG’s recommendations Halip said includes a mandatory 20 days FBI, mandatory FPIC activities should include five days posting of notices, community assembly and consensus building and decision making should not be timebound. Also, the classification of regular and special FPIC processes shall be removed.

Moreover, an environmental impact assessment shall be required as part of the documents to be submitted by applicants of large scale, extractive, energy, intrusive projects, exploitation and utilization of land, water, air and other natural resources. Also for programs, projects and activities that may lead to the displacement and/or relocation of IPs, resettlement programs/projects, manangement of protected and environmentally critical areas, bio prospecting and other genetic or medical researches or activities.

Furthermore, the said requirement will also apply to the establishment of temporary or permanent military facilities or military exercises within the domains; occupation of military organizing para-military forces and military operations within the domain.

It also recommended that restricted area or the “No Go Zones” to any projects include the sacred grounds and burial sites of indigenous communities, areas inhabited and used by IPs for their subsistence, communal forest, watershed areas, identified international and local heritage sites, and indigenous communities with existing boundary disputes so as not to aggravate the situation.

Meanwhile, Joji Cariño of Tebtebba suggested that while the government is imposing its process in the FPIC, IPs should assert and practice their indigenous traditions in decision making. Let us not be limited by the guidelines, she said.
On the other hand, Datu Vic Saway from the Talaandig tribe of Bukidnon said, “…huwag tayong umasa lang sa government policies dahil sa huli tayo ang magpapasya…tayo ang lalaban para sa ating mga karapatan”.

Moreover, Joana Cariño of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) said let us organize and be strongly united and firm against oppressors of our rights. # nordis.net

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Disunity hounds autonomy bid

August 16, 2011 in indigenous

By ALMA SINUMLAG
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — “Our leaders cannot even act as one”.
An observation made by David Camiwet, member of the faculty in the University of the Cordilleras (UC) during the Autonomy forum co-organized by Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) and the College of Teacher Education (CTE) of UC.
He added that even the people in the region do not have a united stand on the issue of becoming an Autonomous Region. “We cannot even sing the same song,” he illustrated.
After Ben Solang of CPA presented the position and principles of the militant mass movement on genuine regional autonomy and Micheal Umaming of the Regional Development Council (RDC) presented the five core principles of the draft Organic Act, Camiwet expressed his personal sentiment on the issue.

In his presentation, he said, after reading the draft Organic Act, he did not see the region’s direction. It was not clearly stated in the draft, he said.

He also noticed what he call, an ‘overflow of funds’. In the draft, 1% of the national fund will be alloted to the region and 40% of the national wealth tax will stay in the region. The question he said is, “Are we ready to handle these money?” He even added that it is too ambitious.

Moreover, he raised the issue of who shall benefit in an autonomous region. He fears that all the money that the region will generate will just go to the salaries of the officials. He agreed to the statement of Atty Apolonio of Saint Louis University that those who are in the drafting committee of the Organic Act shall enter into an agreement that they will not run for regional governorship and the like.
With the ‘overflow of money’, it was not clear to him as to what will the region give to the national government in return. The national government he said will not give something if they are not expecting anything in return.

Achieving self-determination through regional autonomy he said is useless if the people are not united. Massive consultations and forums in all sectors is needed in order to have an informed stand.

On the other hand, Hannah Maingag member of the student government organization in UC and one of the panel of reactors during the forum said, other students are misinformed regarding the issue. She doubted if the autonomy being pushed now will prosper because there she noticed that ethnocentricity still prevails specially among youth.

“Iyong tipong hindi ka makikipagkaibigan sa taga Apayao dahil taga Abra ka,” (You do not like to befriend somebody from Apayao because you are from Abra) she said categorizing it as an issue of unity.

Solang then said that there is a need to build unity on the ground first before autonomy. “We will eventually clamor for autonomy when unity is built,” he reiterated.

Ador Ramo of the Tebtebba Foundation during the open forum said self-determination did not start or end with E.O. 220 as presented in a cultural presentation. It was, he said, fought for since time immemorial by the Igorot forefathers.

He cited the struggle of the Bontoks and Kalingas against the World Bank funded Chico Dam project, Tingguian’s fight against the massive logging activities of the Cellophil Resources Corporation (CRC), the continuing struggle of the militant mass movement for self-determination and so forth. These he said should be part of the discussions on autonomy.
On the other hand Solang said Autonomy is a form of achieving self-determination. However, this is not imposed, “this is being asserted,” he added.

Umaming clarified that an issue raised that if only two or more provinces will vote yes, they shall comprise the autonomous region; and the other provinces who voted no will go back to their mother regions. The RDC he said is of the principle that he called “All or nothing”. However, this he added is not being popularized.# nordis.net

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NCIP to act on fraudulent CALTS

August 16, 2011 in indigenous

By ALMA SINUMLAG
www.nordis.net

QUEZON CITY — The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) on August 9 in Congress said they will act immediately on fraudulently awarded Certificates of Ancestral Land Title (CALTs) in Baguio City.
During the dialogue between the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and the NCIP, Joana Cariño asked how the commission rectify the fraudulently awarded CALTs with in their ancestral domain.

Pawid said they can actually cancel all the CALTs that were fraudulently awarded by the past commission. However, she said there are processes. “I will cancel those that can be cancelled easily,” she added.

Three other commisioners namely, Conchita Calzado of Regions III, IV and V, Datu Cosme Lambayon for Northern and Western Mindanao, and Dionesia Banua for the island groups including Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Panay and the rest of Visayas were also present during the dialogue.

All the commisioners said that they will look into the issues raised during the open forum like the fraudulent issuances of Certification Precondition (CP), priority rights in Zamboanga Peninsula, fast tracked Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) among others. However, they made the same statement that they are not superwomen or men to address all the problems in their term.

Pawid said, the problem with fast tracking the issuance of CADT is that it takes more than a million pesos to register a CADT because of the joint circular entered into by the past commision with the Land Registration Authority (LRA) which requires the segregation of all titles lots within the domain.

When it comes to IP Education, she said, “nakasalang na ang IP curriculum to be approved by Dep-Ed (Department of Education),” (IP curriculum is waiting to be approved by Dep-Ed).

Commisioners asked for the help of the IPs to change the system of the commision. According to Pawid, the IPs should continue to be vigilant and be brave to offer suggestions. # nordis.net

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Statements: Opening remarks: National joint consultation with indigenous peoples

August 16, 2011 in indigenous

By REV. FR. REX B. REYES
www.nordis.net

August 8, 2011

We are very happy to see gathered in this consulation the various organizations who are vigorously advocating the rights of Indigenous Peoples. If I may paraphrase from Scripture, beautiful are the feet of those who love peace and justice. I assume these were the same organizations who delivered a Resolution to the President seeking government’s support for “the rights of Indigenous Peoples in all aspects of their well-being” following the land mark National Conference on Asserting Indigenous Peoples Land Rights.

Either, “I was not informed,” (with apologies to Mr. Christopher Lao) if the resolution merited any response from His Excellency or I was not listening to his State of the Nation Address or His Excellency was too busy to pay attention to such an insignificant resolution from the natives. Or, there was no follow-up. Still, the resolution stands as valuable work that needs to be pushed and disseminated for discussions in various levels. It is a documents articulating the contribution of indigenous peoples for peace and development in this country and therefore goes beyond the welfare not only of the indigenous peoples alone but also the entire republic.

Among the social segments of our society, the indigenous peoples are the most marginalized. Historically, at least for the last 500 years, they were the victims of national and international institutions, first through the infamous Doctrine of Discovery of Pope Nicholas V’s papal bull Romanus Pontifex and second, through his successor, Alexander VI, in Inter Cetera the same doctrine would eventually be appropriated by the powerful countries. Indeed the initial report of the 9th session of the Permanent Forum of the Indigenous Peoples on this doctrine merits our attention. The summary of the report tells us all, thus:

“This preliminary study establishes that the doctrine of disovery has been institutionalized in law and policy, on national and international levels, lies at the root of the violation of indigenous people’s human rights, both individual and collective. This has resulted in State claims to and the mass appropriation of the lands, territories and resources of indigenous peoples.

Both Doctrine of Discovery and a holistic structure that we term the Framework of Dominance have resulted in centuries of virtually unlimited resource extraction from the traditional territories of indigenous peoples. This, in turn, has resulted in the dispossession and impoverishment of indigenous peoples, and the host of problems that they face today on daily basis.”
The most profound value or spirituality if I may, of indigenous peoples is reverence for the earth and the sanctity of all things are essential to the other. This has remained unchanged throughout history, even if it has been unrespected, challenged or ignored outright many times throughout history. We have seen how our indigenous communities wracked in turmoil when this value is disregarded. The worst thing that could happen is when our own indigenous peoples choose to abandon this value in favor of an imposed and dictated market economy at great expense to communities and patrimony.

This indigenous perspective is relational rather than abstract, whereby natural resources as well as power to the community are to be shared for the common good, the preservation of the unity of the community and genuine concern for the long term. This perspective is a viable response to some of the problems we face today, brought about by the failure of an economic system that has so far failed and instead increased human misery and social strife. Indeed, while the countries in the north have to deal with their own food security, most countries in the global south have to deal with the primordial concern of food availability.

This consultation is a very good opportunity to affrirm and convey yet again, this ‘indigenous peoples’ value which is also expressed in the resolution approved last year. It is good enough that the indigenous peoples add their voice to the clamor that the formal peace negotiations proceed especially so much so that on the table is the second item of the substantive agenda.

Much need to be known likewise the peace talks with the government and the MILF. What is at stake for the indigenous peoples in Mindanao in this particular talks. What are they saying and what is not being said? The geopolitical scene specially in Asia is replete with popular upheavals for genuine change. That change is no less than just and lasting peace.
This is our common agenda. On behalf of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines and the Pilgrims for Peace, we heartily convey our solidarity to the events to mark the international day of the indigenous peoples and we are certainly glad that the indigenous peoples are one in the resounding crescendo for just and lasting peace. # nordis.net

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IPs demand rights, not just consent

November 28, 2010 in indigenous, land rights, national

www.nordis.net

KATRIBU PARTYLIST Release

MANILA — The indigenous peoples’ organization Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) and indigenous peoples party, KATRIBU Partylist picketed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), demanding the revocation of mining permits especially in ancestral lands.

DENR secretary Ramon Paje announced during the National Mine Environment Conference held in Baguio City last Saturday that President Noynoy Aquino “supports mining” but is tiptoeing in issues of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) process enshrined in the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (RA 8371.) The FPIC process requires mining companies to secure community’s permission before exploring ancestral domains.

“Mere consent is not what we are seeking. We demand genuine respect for our rights to land and resources,” Piya Malayao, KAMP spokesperson said.

KAMP says that the FPIC process alone will not suffice in protecting indigenous peoples rights. “Our rights encompass not only the economic, but cultural, social and political concerns as well,” Malayao stressed.

“The little acknowledge-ment that Aquino regards the indigenous peoples is demeaning to the centuries of struggle of our people. To merely ‘study’ the FPIC process is way below the mark. Our communities are being ravaged, militarized, and our people have been killed in favor of mining interests. We demand no less than a revocation of mining permits in indigenous communities resisting mining plunder,” Malayao added.

Malayao is a young Bontoc Igorot.

People’s Mining Bill

The 1,700-strong Lepanto Employees Union (LEU) in the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corporation (LCMC) in Man-kayan, Benguet has filed a notice of strike after the company notified 140 workers that they are laid-off by December 2.

“Unjust labor practices and the Mining Act of 1995 is a lethal combination for mine workers and affected communities, as manifested in the experiences of the Lepanto mines,” Beverly Longid, president of KATRIBU Partylist said.

The 70 year-old Lepanto mines is the oldest in the country, and employs 1, 875 mine workers. Aside from labor quandaries and mine safety, LCMC is also criticized because of environmental disasters attributed to the protracted mine operations such as landslides, subsidence, and poisoning of land and water resources.

KATRIBU Partylist has pushed for the scrapping of the Mining Act of 1995.  “A mining law that recognizes indigenous peoples’ rights and geared towards national industrialization should be passed,” Longid shared.  “KATRIBU has been working towards the creation of the People’s Mining Bill,” she added.

Trodding the beaten path

KAMP believes that Aquino’s appreciation of mining’s alleged contribution to the country’s GDP during the Arroyo administration is a dangerous indicator.

“President Aquino praised the past administration’s ‘achievements’ in the mining sector, notwithstanding the tremendous negative environmental and social impacts of large-scale mines to communities. Accompanied by militarization, corporate mining caused the largest distress among indigenous peoples during Arroyo’s term,” Malayao added. KAMP believes that mining has provided no real contribution to the country’s economy, because the industry is mainly extractive. 

According to KAMP research, there are around 55 mining explorations, sharing agreements, processing permits and other mining agreements approved in 2010 alone. Under the 5-month old Aquino presidency, 24, 316.70 has. of mineral lands were given to mining exploration.

“Aquino has been turning a deaf ear to the people’s most crucial demands. So far, we see no departure from Arroyo’s hated regime particularly on indigenous peoples’ issues,” Malayao declared. “His sponsorship of ‘public-private partnerships’ and the speeding up of mining applications is resonant of Arroyo’s Mining Revitalization Program, that ravaged the nation’s natural resources and denied many indigenous communities of their rights to ancestral lands, Malayao concluded. # nordis.net

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Int’l mov’t for indigenous peoples rights launched

November 14, 2010 in Featured, indigenous, international

By KIMBERLIE OLMAYA NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — An international movement of indigenous peoples (IP) for self-determination was launched today from the International Conference on Indigenous Peoples Rights, Alternatives and Solutions to Climate Crisis in a fitting march and lantern parade down the main thoroughfares of this city, on November 8.

Members of IPMSDL held a short program at the Igorot Park in Baguio City. Photo by Noel Godinez/nordis.net

In their unity statement unanimously passed and signed this afternoon some 76 indigenous peoples representatives from 15 countries in Asia, Pacific, Australia, Africa, North and South America, and Europe agreed to be the founding members and beginning of the Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL).

IPMDSL is an IP movement that stands for the right of indigenous peoples to govern themselves and work for liberation from imperialism, state oppression and human rights violations.

In their unity declaration the group explained that self-determination may include legal recognition and proportionate representation of IPs in state mechanisms, autonomous self-rule, federalism or asserting sovereignty from an oppressive state.

“We will work for the empowerment of our peoples, and for the victory of the people’s will over the powers-that-be, while respecting the legitimacy and forms of struggle and self-determination that our peoples opt to employ,” the declaration further read.

Aside from the formation of the IPMDSL, delegates to the conference also unanimously resolved to continue defending their territories against development aggression brought about by destructive projects like dams, mines, logging, oil extraction, biofuel and industrial land conversion as they hold multi national companies and financial institutions accountable for their historical plunder and devastation of the environment.

“We believe that the root cause of the enormous problems we face today is the neoliberal global capitalist system, which puts profits before people and the planet. Central to this system is the expropriation and control of resources by multinational corporations, and dispossession and marginalization of small producers, workers, peasants, women and indigenous peoples,” the IPMDSL declaration read.

The group also condemned the militarization of IP communities, political repression, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and all forms of human rights violations perpetrated by State forces against indigenous peoples.

The newly-formed IPMSDL marches down Session Road in Baguio City. Photo by Noel Godinez/nordis.net

“The US-led war of terror and state’s counter-nsurgency programs and policies result in increased militarization and extrajudicial killings in an atmosphere of impunity. All of these amount to virtual genocide of indigenous peoples in various parts of the world, resulting in mental trauma, active population transfer, displacement, minoritization and marginalization of indigenous peoples in our own lands,” the declaration stated.

Moreover, the said IP group stressed that the climate crisis worsen the poor condition indigenous communities. They pointed out that industrialized countries are the ones responsible for the global warming phenomenon and yet IP who contribute the least to the climate crisis are the ones severely affected. They also berated market based solutions to the climate crisis being forwarded by these countries.

“A genuinely sustainable and comprehensive solution to the climate crisis lies in a fundamental shift towards people’s sovereignty over our shared heritage. This requires a thoroughgoing change from current production and consumption patterns, which promote mass consumerism and extravagance to sustainable ways and standards of living,” the IPMSDL declaration also stated.

The founding members of the IPMSDL committed to continue an information and education drive among indigenous peoples formations to build and strengthen their ranks. The groups also vowed to support the struggle of their indigenous brothers and sisters all over the world for self-determination in its various forms. # nordis.net

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Igorot demands apology

November 14, 2010 in Featured, indigenous, national

By ACE ALEGRE
www.nordis.net

LAGAWE, Ifugao — Igorots (indigenous people of the Cordillera) demanded an apology from the security detail at the forum of former United States (US) President Bill Clinton in Manila on Wednesday, November 10 for the discriminatory treatment given for wearing a wanes (g-string).

“We went there to participate and learn, and not to be labeled as terrorists or suspects,” Dr. Vladimir Cayabas, administrator and Board of Director of the Baguio-based National Institute for Information Technology (NIIT) said.

Cayabas, a native of the Mountain Province was with two other students of the NIIT;  Moshe Dacneg, from Taccong, Sagada, Mountain Province and Joneelyn Aparri were already inside the hall when a US Secret Service agent approached Dacneg who was wearing a g-string and ordered “follow me”.

Cayabas asserted that there was no prescribed dress code during the forum but the agent threatened to drag them outside should they refuse to follow him. “In fact, we were already allowed to go inside after security checks on our things at the entrance,” he stressed.

Cayabas said they never left the hall if only to prove they are there without any malice but to learn. Then a Filipina usher came after the American agent to ask him if they could send Dacneg out the hall if he does not put a shirt on. He kept explaining that Igorots do not usually wear t-shirts with their wanes but the usher insisted that Dacneg should wear a shirt.

Cayabas pointed out the actions of the US agent and the Filipina usher was pure discrimination. He also stressed they too paid P2,000 each for them to attend the forum.

The Igorots prevailed but not without another Filipino secret agent tailing them around until the end of the forum.

Cayabas said they will not file a case against the agent and usher, he demanded that organizers must offer an apology to Cordillerans and all indigenous peoples of the world.

“We went there using our tribal gear to represent our region,” Cayabas said as he pointed out that the theme of the conference was “Embracing Our Common Humanity”.

Cayabas explained they were not the only ones discriminated in the said incident, but all the Cordillera people.  “Former Pres. Clinton stressed respect and inter-dependence among the inter-cultural and ethnic groups around the world,” he added.

Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat said, “the United States secret service should be educated when in other countries. Does wearing a g-string constitute a threat to Clinton.”

Baguilat is the Chairperson of the house committee on National Cultural Communities.

Lawyer Jose Molintas, an Ibaloi of Benguet and appointed United Nations Expert on Indigenous Peoples Mechanisms also denounced the incident. He added that the continuing discrimination against IPs all over the world must end.

Earlier this first quarter of the year, young Cordillera students wearing their native attire invited by the Department of Tourism to show case dances of the Cordillera were also disallowed from entering SM-Pampanga.  Receiving a nationwide criticism, SM officials begged for an apology for the incident.

Last year, a comedian begged for apology from Cordillerans before the Baguio City council for her ignorant comments about Igorots. # nordis.net

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Empowered IP villages protect environment vs climate change

November 14, 2010 in environment, Featured, indigenous, international

www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Ibon International findings report that “Climate change is a matter of social justice.”

“Two centuries of increasing Green House Gas (GHG) emissions coincide with: colonial and neocolonial subordination of the Southern people and resources for Northern and elite benefit; climate change and the larger ecological crisis caused by the dominant economic model wherein there is unequal access, control and use of the planet’s common resources – including the atmosphere; and Global North and their corporations expropriated and abused common planetary resources, often through colonial means, to achieve excessive levels of profit, wealth and consumption,” Ibon reports.

In the recently concluded International Conference on Indigenous Peoples Rights, Alternatives, and Solutions to Climate Crisis, indigenous peoples representatives from some 15 countries have reached an unspoken consensus that majority programs sponsored by the states are not answering the crisis but instead it is making it worst.

“Most state sponsored programs to arrest the climate crisis take off from a capitalist dimension,” said Windel Bolinget, Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) chairperson.

Large extractive industries like logging, mining and corporate agriculture and forestry have depleted much of the natural resources of the world that has, as a consequence, notoriously increased the GHG emissions and effects.

Indigenous peoples all over the world have, in different ways against all odds asserted their rights over their ancestral lands against corporate plunder so that, according to the CPA, capitalist corporations have turned their focus to indigenous peoples territories as new resources for profit.

In this conference’s workshop on community-based adaptation and mitigation, participants shared their communities’ experience in the preservation and protection of their natural resources.

Participants from the Chitaggong Hill Tracts, told of their villages Mouza Forest, the source of wild fruits, rattan, firewood, etc. It is the watershed for their springs, river and irrigation. Its protection and maintenance is a collective responsibility under the supervision of the village elders and no one can enter without the clear permission of the village elders.

Participants from the areas said that it was not very different from the Muyong of Ifugao or Lapat system of Abra and Tagal of Malaysia or that of the Australian aborigines.

The participants in the workshop noted that the practice and respect for this village system in the protection of their forest and watershed still exist today because the communities were united and have asserted the protection of their environment.

But, in the same breath the participants qualified that corporations in cooperation with government look at most of these indigenous peoples areas as new frontiers for logging, mining and other extractive industries and even have militarized some.

In conclusion, the workshop participants have resolved to strengthen the campaign for empowering indigenous peoples communities in order to assure the protection of ancestral land, resources and traditional knowledge and practices. # CPA release

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IP party list cry foul over unfair treatment of Clinton securty

November 14, 2010 in Featured, indigenous, national

www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — The above incident involving a fellow Igorot deserves scrutiny. However, this is not to make a mountain out of a molehill, as some may perceive.

The news item says that US security agents of former Pres. Bill Clinton would escort Moshe Dacmeg out of Manila Hotel “if he didn’t dress more appropriately.” The hotel management echoed the same saying that “the attire for the event was strictly semi-formal or business.” These in reaction to Dacmeg’s colorful ‘wanes’ or ‘bahag’ (traditional loincloth), feathered headdress, and going barefoot when he attended Clinton’s much-awaited and much-attended lecture “Embracing Our Common Humanity” in the said hotel.

Inappropriate?

For indigenous peoples, our traditional attires are appropriate dresses. In fact, today, most of us wear our traditional clothes only for special and important occasions such as weddings, graduations, awarding ceremonies and other recognitions, including meetings or gatherings with personages such as Bill Clinton. We wear them with much pride and respect. It shows our distinct identity as indigenous peoples – peoples who practice sustainable and environmental development as for us ‘land is life.’ Our valiant history against colonization and continuing defense of defense of lands, livelihood, life and culture are living testimonies.

Clinton should feel honored that Dacmeg and his group attended his lecture dressed as such.

Common Humanity?

The incident at the Manila Hotel only shows that we indigenous peoples continue to experience discrimination due to our distinct identity and culture. Discrimination bred by a policy of ‘divide-and-rule’ starting in colonization. Discrimination bred from years of mis-education on who are indigenous peoples. 

Books and reference materials portray us indigenous peoples wrongly. In the teaching of Philippine history, some say that we indigenous peoples are racially inferior to other Filipinos because our ancestors came on a different wave of population migration. Also the falsehood that indigenous peoples have nothing in common with other Filipinos in terms of culture and history; further, that indigenous peoples had no role in birthing the Filipino nation, in fighting for independence from Spanish, Japanese and American colonization.

In the same manner, that media portray us indigenous peoples as ignorant, wild, dirty savages, and ridicule us especially in movies, on television and other audio-visual forms.

Embracing Our Common Humanity – common humanity would mean equal rights and treatment, based on respect for peoples’ rights and identity regardless of sex, religion, ethnicity and the like. Embracing our common humanity is understanding the situation, and respecting the culture and rights of indigenous peoples.

Such treatment from foreigners is humiliating and doubly insulting as it occurred in our country. If done for security reasons – does wearing a ‘wanes’ or ‘bahag’ and being barefoot threatening? Definitely not! # Katribu Release

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IPs call for the respect of traditional knowledge

November 14, 2010 in indigenous, international

www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Participants to the International Conference on Indigenous Peoples Rights, Alternatives and Solutions to Climate Crisis on November 5 to 8, here called on the world to recognize and adopt the indigenous traditional knowledge and practices on disaster response.

In one of the workshops in the said conference, the Climate Disasters Impact and Preparedness representatives from participating countries agreed that their governments should recognize the traditional knowledge, ways and cultural practices of the IPs in addressing disaster.

The participants further criticized their governments for implementing policies promoting projects of multinational companies of industrialized countries causing massive destruction to the earth’s natural resources that are largely located in IP territories. These projects include large scale mining, logging and power generation such as building of dams and agrofuel plantations.

Santos Mero, an Ibaloi of the Cordillera and deputy secretary general of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) iterated that sustainable use and conservation of natural resources is innate in indigenous culture and practices because IPs view nature as the source of life. He stressed that IPs do not view nature as a source of profit.

“Our view on the environment was articulated by a martyr of the Cordillera peoples movement Ama Macliing Dulag of Kalinga when he said that land is life,” Mero iterated.

The participants agreed that environmental degradation, poverty and government inefficiency magnify the the impact of the disasters and that greatly affects the IPs.

“Denudation of mountains, extensive mining and large scale drilling operations affects the mostly the IPs,” Muhammad Dinul Haq of AMAN an indigenous organization in Indonesia.

Haq said the oil explorations in East Java, Indonesia created cracks in the grounds of the place. He also reported that because of the oil drilling operations mud volcanoes in the place reacted which greatly affected the people in the place. He added that there were also dextral movements in the rail roads.

In Nepal, Sonam c. Sherpa of the Nepal Indigenous Nationalities Student Federation (NINSF) said that because of the melting of glaziers in the mountains, the water levels in the rivers increased which causes flood in villages. He said it was worse during rainy days. According to him, many people and animals disappear during these times.

Militarization was also identified as one of the human disasters in indigenous communities.

Jacob Rumbiak of West Papua said militarization in Figea prevents IPs from their livelihood activities. He said the people follow a food cycle and they transfer every three months to other places to plant crops however because of the military forces they were not able to follow the cycle.

This is similar to the experience of the Moro brothers as shaed by Dulfing Ogan of Kalumaran an indigenous organization in Mindanao. He said people evacuate and leave their places not knowing when to come back. “They leave for months until the conflict settles, “ he added.

Earlier, Nordis report similar experiences of the Cordillera IPs in Abra, Kalinga and Mountain Province.

Meanwhile, the participants also urged the United Nations to pressure the governments of the different countries to review all concessions and strictly implement policies on IPs provided in international conventions and consider these in all undertakings of the state. They also called on governments to efficiently address disasters and the welfare of the IPs greatly affected. # CPA release

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Supplement: The impacts of mining and dams on the environment and indigenous peoples in Benguet

October 27, 2010 in Cordillera, energy, Featured, indigenous, mining

www.nordis.net

This brief article is based on a case study made by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance Research Commission . It points out the impact of major aggressive projects imposed on communities of indigenous peoples in Benguet in the name of the greater Filipino population. And has articulated recommendations to mitigate the impact of these extractive projects. — Editors

I. Background

A. The Land and People

Binga Dam, constructed in 1960, flooded 150 hectares of land and displaced 100 Ibaloi families. Photo courtesy of CPA

Our Cordillera region is part of Luzon island, Northern Philippines. The home to more than 1.5 million indigenous peoples belonging to at least eight distinct ethnic groups collectively known as Igorots.

The Province of Benguet has a total land area of 265,538 hectares. Its forest land comprises 174, 740 hectares (66.78%) while alienable and disposable lands make up 86, 908 hectares (32.22%) of the total forest land.

Benguet has thirteen municipalities namely: Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Buguias, Itogon, Kabayan, Kapangan, Kibungan, La Trinidad, Mankayan, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay. La Trinidad is the capital town.

There are 140 barangays comprising the municipalities of Benguet. The municipality of La Trinidad has the most number of barangays (16), followed by Kapangan (15), Buguias (14), Kabayan and Tuba (13 each), Mankayan (12), Bokod (10), Itogon (9), Atok, Sablan and Tublay (8 each), Bakun and Kibungan (7 each).

The Ibaloy people live in the southeastern portion, occupying 8 of the province’s 13 towns. The Kankanaey, meanwhile dominate the northeast areas of Benguet.

Benguet’s fertile lands along the rivers and the gold ore from the mountains allow the Ibaloi villages engage in various economic activities. In the gold-rich areas in Itogon and other gold-mining communities. Gold trading villages were established along strategic mountain passes and trails which controlled the flow of trade to the lowlands. The rice growing villages emerged in the well watered area of the Agno River Valley. Swidden farmers panned gold in the streams and rivers and traded these.

Land ownership is traditionally recognized by prior occupation, investment of labor and permanent improvements on the land.

B. Mines and Dams present in Benguet

Corporate mining in Benguet started during the Spanish colonial period when Spanish businessmen secured a mining concession from the Igorots in Mancayan and launched the operations of the Sociedad Minero Metalurgica Cantabro de Mancayan in 1856.

Open-pit mining. Photo courtesy of CPA

In the 1950s, the Agno River in Benguet was tapped as a source of hydropower. The first dam to built along the Agno River was the Ambuklao Dam, started 1953 and was operational in 1956, followed by the Binga Dam. 12 other run-of river mini-hydros, all privately operated, were also built in other parts of Benguet.

Province of Benguet had hosted 14 mining operations in the past decades with Benguet Corporation 1903 in Itogon as the oldest mining company in the country. Two of the largest corporate mines, namely Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company and Philex Mining Company continue to operate, this time using high technology for large-scale mineral extraction.

II. Impact of Mines, Dams

The Agno River

Along the Agno is the series of three mega hydroelectric dams – that block the river flow to generate electricity. The power generated by these dams has gone to supply the power needs of the mining companies as well as the overall power demand of the Luzon grid.

It has inundated and permanently destroyed productive vegetable farms, orchards and ricefields. Destroyed forest habitats and watersheds and displaced indigenous peoples communities along the river.

Land destruction, subsidence and water loss

Underground block-caving operations, a fairly recent innovation practiced by Philex and Lepanto, have induced surface subsidence and even ground collapse.

Pollution of water and Soil

Mine tailings disposal

Open-pit and underground bulk mining have persisted in Mancayan and Tuba. Here, ore is being extracted and tailings are being generated at a rate of up to 2,500 metric tons per mine per day.

Pressure tends to build up in active tailings dams especially during times of heavy rainfall. Philex and Lepanto deal with the problem by draining their dams of water. The water is channeled to tributaries of the Agno and Abra rivers.

Siltation- of rivers is a serious problem in Benguet resulting from mining operations and dam construction. The Ambuklao and Binga dams are stark examples of the detrimental impacts of siltation and megadams on rivers.

Siltation, the collapsed of mine tailings dam and tailings disposal along one 25-kilometer stretch of the Abra river, some 465 hectares of riceland have been washed out and covered by silt.

Rice plants are normally green until maturity. But these seedlings have turned yellow only a few days after being transplanted to contaminated fields.

Before 1936, High yields of indigenous crops was recorded. In the same year, mine tailings was dumped straight into the river. By 1960s the tailings Dam No. 1 in Nasulian, Paco, the farm lands down river became unsuitable for agriculture. In 1970s, tailings Dam No. 2 (Lipa-an, Paco) collapsed and added contamination to ricefields, etc.

Serious health problems due to water, soil and air pollution.

There was also observed then a rise in the incidence of respiratory diseases, skin problems and impacted on the reproductive health of women, and others.

Loss of flora, fauna, biodiversity and food security,

Dislocation of Indigenous Peoples from Ancestral Land and Traditional Livelihoods

Large-scale corporate mining and dams have dislocated the indigenous Kankanaey and Ibaloy people from their ancestral lands and traditional livelihoods.

III. People’s Alternative

People’s alternatives to corporate mining and dams and indigenous systems of sustainable resource utilization and management can be found in indigenous communities in the Cordillera.

The Ibaloy and Kankanaey people of Benguet continue to practice traditional Small-scale mining till today. Traditional methods of pocket-mining and gold panning are crude but environment friendly and have been passed down through generations since the16th century.

An alternative source of energy are microhydro dam as opposed to megadams. The experience of micro-hydro project (MPHP) of the Chapyusen Mangum-uma Organization in the Cordillera proves the viability of a community-based and community owned power system to provide energy for lightning, rice milling, sugar pressing, blacksmithing and carpentry.

IV. Recommendations

1. The international community should develop minimum standards for the protection of the environment and human rights that are binding on all countries and companies, based on the highest existing standards, and with effective monitoring and sanctions imposed on the offending parties, be it the national government, funding institutions, or the companies.

2. There exists the Akwe: Kon voluntary guidelines, developed under the Convention of Biological Diversity, for the conduct of cultural, environmental and social impact assessments regarding developments proposed to take place on, or which are likely to impact on sacred sites and on lands and waters traditionally occupied or used by indigenous and local communities. These guidelines should be made binding rather than voluntary and could be adopted as a minimum standard by international financial institutions and national governments when implementing development projects affecting indigenous peoples.

3. Countries that are home to transnational companies should enact legislation that will require those companies to operate using the same standards wherever they operate in the world. Home countries whose nationals and corporate entities inflict damage in developing countries, particularly on indigenous peoples, should impose some form of penalty on the offending parties.

4. An international system should be created to allow complaints to be filed by affected indigenous communities against companies, governments and financial institutions whose development programs and interventions violate the rights of ownership and control by indigenous peoples over their ancestral land, territories and resources and cause serious destruction of the environment.

5. In the case of Benguet where the indigenous people have already suffered and will continue to suffer enormous damage to their lands and environment due to the long-term impacts of mining and dams, proper and immediate compensation and reparation should be provided to all affected people to include adequate monetary compensation, sustainable livelihood, alternative land, employment and other sources of regular income. A program for the restoration and rehabilitation of lands and waters destroyed by mines and dams should also be implemented.

6. Past experience has shown that no monetary compensation nor livelihood project could replace or surpass the destroyed ancestral land and traditional livelihoods of affected indigenous peoples. The solution to restoring the living quality and to stop the permanent destruction of the environment is to stop destructive large-scale corporate mining and decommission unviable megadams. Alternatives such as chemical-free traditional small scale mining methods and community-based microhydros need to be promoted and supported.

7. Philippine legislation and policy on the liberalization of mining and the energy industry need to be reviewed and revised as these have proven detrimental to indigenous peoples in different parts of the country. A new mining policy should support the Filipino people’s efforts towards nationalist industrialization and ensure the creation of jobs, food security, a stable economy, mitigation of environmental degradation, and environmental rehabilitation. # nordis.net

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Supplement: Revisiting traditional wisdom

October 27, 2010 in Featured, indigenous

By THOMAS KILLIP*
www.nordis.net

GAWIS AY AGEW TAKO AM-IN! (Good Day to Everyone!) It was with great hesitance that I accepted your invitation to give a keynote message for this important occasion because I still believe that this role should have been given to our distinguished personalities who have done remarkable studies and researches on the areas of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP), gender, and bio diversity.

Although I am not sure if I can really give a sufficient keynote message to such a respectable audience like you, I am still encouraged to come and participate in my own small way because of the following considerations:

(1) First of all, I belong to one of the indigenous communities that inhabit the heartland of the Cordillera mountain region, and growing up in this region I had been privileged to observe the ways and practices of my fellow indigenous people as they continue to live their lives in a changing world that is now situated in that gray area between a traditional and a modernized commercial existence. Indeed, these are very crucial times for us, and the fragile situation among indigenous communities demands that we have to carefully define and re-define our ways and directions.

(2) We are also greatly encouraged by the fact that some of our educational institutions like BSU, different agencies or NGO’s, and scholars on their own personal initiatives are seriously looking back and initiating attempts to put deeper studies on these subjects. That whatever the outcome of all these educating processes and studies I am sure that it will redound to the welfare of all our indigenous communities whether in this region or beyond. And so despite my earlier reservations I am here with you today to be one with you in this noble activity. I am certainly honored.

Distinguished participants, with your kind indulgence, allow me to share some observations and thoughts in my own particular experience which I hope would contribute even in a small measure to give some flavor to this conference, thus:

(a) Our region here in the Cordillera is undoubtedly one of the most visited by local and foreign tourists alike. In particular they come to see our internationally famous man-made rice terraces. Visitors would view with awe and admiration how these mountainsides were beautifully carved by human hands to approximate giant stairways to the heavens. This romantic and aesthetic view of these wonders is mainly what our tourism industry advertises and sells to tourists all over.

From the native’s perspective however, these rice terraces have a deeper value and significance on their lives and their life-ways than what meets the tourist’s eye or his camera.

Is the tourist aware for instance that the waters that feed these rice terraces are tapped many kilometers away from river or stream sources before they reach the rice paddies? Is the tourist aware that the irrigation canals that wind for kilometers through different mountain sides were constructed through native engineering skills with crude tools? Is the tourist aware that in order to sustain these terraces a community has to protect forests many mountains away from the village to ensure the lifeblood of these rice terraces?

And is the tourist aware that taken collectively these rice terraces comprise an entire eco-system in which not only rice, but different edible plants, various insects, and fish thrive to form its own unique bio-diversity? To the indigenous community it is able to discern very well the inextricable connections of one element to the other.

In relation to this point, let me share with you a conversation I had with some women farmers in a remote village when I was still a mayor of my town. As part of my official concerns I try to determine how the common folk specially in the more far-flung barangays are keeping up with life specially with upland traditional farming and the more recent vegetable farming which is now the main occupation of many a household in the area of my responsibility.

When the topic touched on the introduction of commercial fertilizers and pesticides in the area these women-farmers told me that even after a few years use of commercial fertilizers whenever a rice terrace collapses due to weight of heavy rain falls they observe around 2 to 3 feet deep from the water surface of the rice paddy a floor of hardened residue similar to blackboard chalks has accumulated.

They further notice that aside from the decreasing productivity of the rice paddy some other life-forms no longer exist. They no longer see the jojo or the mudfish and other edible insects and plants which are also sources of food for the household and which form an integral part of the bio-diversity of our rice terrace culture.

Meanwhile as their menfolk are also engaged in commercial vegetable farming they observe that one of the most traditionally valued species of birds, the so-called “tala” in our local dialect is nowhere to be found.

This is a smaller bird that for its size can drive away the larger hawks and crows that prey on domestic chickens.

Likewise, this tala bird feeds on harmful insects that most likely have died of chemical pesticides and in the process suffer the same fate as the destructive pests. This farmer’s bird now faces extinction. Farmers in this region would value this bird more than the Philippine eagle for which we spend millions to preserve.

Even the cost-benefit analysis of the practical value and use of this type of bird is worth a serious study. For one, with the abundance of these birds in the environment the farmer does not have to spend his precious time everyday spraying pesticides and later end up poisoning himself and his environment.

For these birds to abound in your surroundings you do not spend time and labor to guard both your chickens and your vegetables. We only have to prevent their untimely extinction. These few instances somehow reflect how fragmentized many of our “developmental approach and thrusts” are as we tend to focus on one part and fail to consider its effects on the whole.

At this point, you might wonder why I always talk about women when I speak of indigenous knowledge. It should not surprise us that women are very rich sources of knowledge and information specially in the indigenous communities because they deal directly with the most detailed livelihood activities. From the moment they wake up to face life from the household to the fields and so every minute of the day they virtually monitor the life and pulse of the community.

At this point we should discern more deeply the wisdom of the woman’s advise as well as the other observations because in broader terms, it is saying that the official policies of the state and the concept of progress and development the way it was introduced and undertaken by government has pushed many of our environments, our culture, our economy, and our social life into crisis levels.

During my younger years there used to be a common practice among traditional folks in many of our indigenous communities in the hinterlands. Whenever somebody or a group embarks on a journey or an undertaking they perform a ritual and then observe various signs or omens around. If along the way or in the process they encounter unusual signs in the environment they pause and observe if the atmosphere is favorable before they proceed. Others simply go back. As a principle and practice, elders always observe both social and natural indicators seek an equilibrium or a space for peaceful co-existence, how they relate among themselves inside the village, or between their village and other communities around, or between themselves and their environments, or even with the spirits that abound in their world. The whole point is that such a practice whether regarded as superstition reflects the significance of our spirituality, of our ability to intimately communicate and come to terms with our fellow human beings, with the spirits, and with our natural environments.

Because many of the so-called “developments” are propelled by selfish profit-motives and interests oftentimes at the expense of smaller peoples like us, despite the tremendous advance in science and technology, despite the extensive formal education in our midst, and despite the policies that government has crafted for the nation, the assurance for a better and sustainable quality of life for us indigenous peoples in the coming years is not an overnight process if ever it will come at all. Much of what our future holds will still be through our own initiatives and empowerment as a self-determining people.

When I was still a mayor of my small town of Sagada, I was curious to find out the extent of empowerment that communities in my area of jurisdiction have at that particular point in time. Although we are aware that the entry of Western formal education, the church, and the subsequent intervention of national government with its Manila-crafted laws, policies, and programs have vastly eroded much of our indigenous socio-political systems. I still felt that there were traces of the spirit of our indigenous socio-political systems that can be tapped for a good and effective governance. I thought that in this respect, history has not been all that unfortunate for us. Upon the entry of the different colonial powers into the islands our region in the Cordillera was inhabited by different tribal communities independent from each other but maintaining socio-economic relations with each other. Unlike other societies in the islands where wealth and authority were dominated by a datu or a sultan on a broader feudal scale, our tribal societies in the Cordillera allowed for greater democratic space. There could have been petty chieftains but they did not hold absolute sway over our socio-political or economic life. The process of decision-making was essentially consensual and the result of deliberations from the household to the “dap-ay” or “ator” or during a “bodong”. Such a wide latitude for democratic processes is still evident to this day in the way that decisions or opinions in most of the present communities are arrived at. In fact we can see a wider and more direct participation of women. It is this traditional character of our indigenous communities that can be further developed into a more substantial and meaningful community empowerment.

Our communities must be more discerning and discriminating because not all the type of “development” and “progress” that has been taught and brought to us is always right and correct. Like the practice of our traditional folks we must learn to pause and listen carefully to what our world is telling us. The collective wisdom, the values, the spirituality, the social make-up of our community, our traditional governance, our whole culture which evolved and accumulated over the years since time immemorial is still a precious legacy that we can reflect on whenever the going is uncertain. #

* Thomas Killip, was Vice mayor then mayor of Sagada, Mt. Province, then became presidential assistant for Cordillera affairs and one of the founders of the Sagada Coffee Council, which since 2005 advocated the production of Arabica. He has consistently been an advocate for indigenous peoples issues and welfare. This was his keynote message to the First National Conference on Biodiversity, Gender and Indigenous Knowledge held at the Benguet State University on October 6-8,2010.

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