IPs firm up action plan

3 MIN READ

By KIMBERLIE OLMAYA NGABIT-QUITASOL with reports from ROBIE HALIP
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Scrap the Mining Act of 1995. This was among the indigenous peoples (IP) agenda and action plan agreed upon by the 140 IP delegates representing 56 indigenous groups and organizations during the three day nationwide IP summit held March 21 to 23 at the SEAMEO Innotech Center, Diliman Quezon City.

The IPs also called for the immediate suspension of the processing free prior and informed consent (FPIC) and the issuances of certification precondition.

They also urged the government to revamp the National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP) and revise the FPIC guidelines.

The summit was called for by the House of Representatives Committee on National Cultural Communities chaired by Ifugao Representative Teodoro B. Baguilat Jr. to craft a common legislative and executive agenda for IPs.

Santos Mero, an Ibaloi from Benguet and the deputy secretary general of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) said IP’s in the country clamor for a pro-mining bill as opposed to the Mining Act of 1995 that allows the total sell out of the country’s national patrimony.

Mero added that a pro-people mining bill will ensure the protection of the environment and the respect of the rights of indigenous peoples.

Earlier, CPA Chairperson Windel Bolinget explained that mining is essential to the national industrialization of the country however the present mining industry does not answer the country’s need for industrialization.

He said the government should establish a pro people mining industry that should be under the control of the government to ensure strict regulation and that the profits from this extractive industry would benefit the country.

IPs recommended for the suspension of FPIC processes for large scale projects such as mining on the basis that these have violated their rights to self-determination.

Mero, pointed out that without the conduct of FPICs and issuances of certification precondition there would be no basis for the issuances of mining permits.

He exlained that the certification precondition being issued by the NCIP is the basis of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the issuance of a mining permit.

“The conduct of FPIC should be suspended to put a stop to the issuances of anomalous certificates of precondition and to give respite to indigenous communities whose collective decision has been consistently betrayed,” Santos stressed.

Aside from the call to suspend the processing of FPIC, the IP groups likewise urged a revamp of the NCIP and the immediate revision of the guidelines for the granting of the FPIC that recognizes their claim to their ancestral domain and their desire to live peacefully according to their own culture and traditions.

The group also recommended that a mechanism be established to ensure that the IPs themselves can take part in the selection and appointment of NCIP officials.

The conduct of the FPIC is required by the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act before major development projects such as mining and dam projects enter IP areas.

IP groups claim, however, that many of these multi-billion peso projects have managed to push through with their projects despite the affected IP’s stiff opposition to the encroachment to their ancestral domain.

NCIP Comissioner for Cordillera and Region 1 Brigitte Pawid said it would be difficult to stop the conduct of FPICs especially those that are on going.

She, however, agreed that the guidelines for the conduct of the FPIC should be reviewed.

Pawid also asked her fellow IPs to give the new set of NCIP officials a chance to make the commission work saying that NCIP en banc is yet to be completed.

NCIP Chairperson Commissioner Roque Agton agreed that there is a need for FPIC guidelines to be amended and that the NCIP seeks greater participation from civil society organizations and IP groups to come up with effective guidelines.

Agton likewise said that the NCIP is committed to transparency and that he also sees the need to improve the guidelines on the issuances of the Certificates of Ancestral Land and Domain.

Nick Taylor, Head of Operations of the European Union Delegation to the Philippines stated in his speech at the summit that IPs are an integral part of the EU’s human rights policy.

“Fundamental to this is the respect for the right to indigenous self development,” he stressed.

Taylor further said EU Philippines was able to establish a strong portfolio for IPs.

“We expect further increase this year in the portfolio of projects through our facility called the Non-State Actor and Local Authorities in Development which works through a call for proposal in the aspect of poverty alleviation of IPs and improved capacity of IPs in local governance,” he said.

Baguilat, meanwhile, stated that he is giving his full support to the resolutions and policy agenda affirmed by the participants of the summit.

He added that the NCC which he is spearheading have already initiated some actions some on the concerns included in the IP Policy Agenda. # nordis.net