NCIP brings biggest delegation of

NG, LG officials to Eskaya Biabas

CORTES, Bohol, Sept 15 (PIA)—In an unprecedented move, over 20 national government heads and their representatives, local government unit heads Eskaya leaders from four communities trooped to the mountain fastness of Biabas in Guindulman to show solidarity and commitment for indigenous people’s rights and their advancement, while retaining their cultural identity.

During the Inter-Agency (IA) Community Visitation to the Ancestral Domain and Consultation with the Indigenous Cultural Community (ICC) specifically the Eskaya who have been living here for centuries, Eskaya communities in Cantaub, Sierra Bullones, Taytay Duero and Lundag, Pilar donned in their traditional undyed sinamay and head-dresses and took to the trails to meet with the government brought to their traditional village center in Biabas, Guindulman.

Over this, National Commission for Indigenous People’s Regional Director for regions 6 and 7 Ana Burgos hailed the government agencies, who allotted their time and efforts to be there at the consultation.

This is the first time that I am seeing this sincere show of support with the most number of government agencies gathered for the benefit of the IPs, she said.

Director Burgos, who travelled from Ilo-ilo, also met the elders of Taytay, Lundag, Cantaub and Biabas, gathering their issues for the government agencies heads to commit in its solutions or resolutions.

Although, Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado and Vice Governor Dionisio Victor Balite could not make it to the consultation, they were ably represented by Romeo Teruel, and Engr. Vicente Loquellano: executive assistants, while two regional directors crossed the seas to be with the indigenous cultural community (ICC) whose claims to their ancestral domains have remained shaky.

National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Regional Director for regions 6 and 7 Ana Burgos and National Food Authority Regional Director Maria Fe Evasco joined the over 20 national government and local government officials showing solidarity to the IPs and their claims.

Organized by NCIP Bohol through Emmilou Gonzaga, the IA community visitation to the ancestral domains of one of the country’s acknowledged ICCs, allowed the communities here to level off with the government especially the Department of Agrarian Reform and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources who, at the pendency of the ICCs processing of the Certificates of Ancestral Domain Claims (CAD-C) for the communal claim of their hallowed grounds, issued Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA) and reported Certificates of Stewardship Contracts (CSC) to individuals for individuals claims.

A CLOA, by law, allows the beneficiary to sell the property after 10 years, and when this is inside the claimed ancestral domains, it would necessarily the preservation of the integrity and whole-ness of the ancestral domains.

The gathering also had Pilar Mayor Engr. Wilson Pajo, Guindulman Mayor Albino Balo, Sierra Bullones Vice Mayor Eugenio Datahan, mayor’s representatives of Duero, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s Maria Teresa Abella, the Philippine Information Agency, Domingo Subiano representing DENR CENRO Talibon, Fernando Lopez for DOLE Bohol, Lt Col Norman Nuez for the Philippine National Police, Mardonio Roxas for the Department of Interior and Local Government, Ma. Rocite Angela Josol for Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Flor Figarido of Social Welfare and Development, Rhea Mae D. Bulala for NIA-7, Rey Anthony Regis for Department of Trade and Industry, Genesis Manalili for the National Housing Authority, DAR representatives, DepED, TESDA, DA, DOH, CDA and the department head of Guindulman.

The DPWH through Engr. Queenie Balo informed the Biabas Eskaya Community that the government is funding a multi-purpose building or covered court in the community, to which the NCIOP through RD Burgos reminded everyone of the IPRA law that demands pre and prior consent from the Ips before any projects can be implemented here.

The DTI through Regis also dangled possible assistance through the one-town one product funds, but these have to be for already set up entrepreneurs and skilled crafts.

Besides, the Eskaya still have an unsettled Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim (CAD-C) which still hangs in a balance the question of resource use of the claimed ancestral domains which form the supply chain for the manufactured products that the DTI can assist in technical production.

The NHA also brought in the Housing Resettlement for IPs in the 23 units designed 8x10 single detached housing units.

PhilHealth on the other hand brings in a medical mission and coordinates a service caravan for the Biabas Eskaya community in the next few months.

The DENR also promised to allow the NCIP to consolidate their records on CLOA holders and the integration of the lots to finally match the granted lands with the domain claims. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

BIGGEST GATHERING OF NGAS NCIP SAW. The NCIP claimed this is, in their history, the biggest gathering of NGAs and LGUS concerned for the welfare of the indigenous cultural communities in Pilar, Sierra Bullones, Duero and Guindulman. While the NCIP continues to advocate for the rights of the indigenous people, in Bohol, that advocacy has advanced so much. (PIABohol)

FOR THEIR GOOD. Members of the Eskaya communities in Bohol listen as the NCIP and the government agencies discuss strategies to hasten the conversion of the Eskaya Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim (CAD-C) to Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CAD-T) amidst a controversy in the presence of CLOAS granted to individuals well within the claimed domains. (PIABohol)