Inter-agency task force meets to address Lumad issues

IN a collaborative effort to address longstanding issues affecting indigenous tribes, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP-10) convened a Joint Regional Task Force 10 meeting on December 18, 2023, at 1 PM, at the Philtown Hotel.

The meeting brought together representatives from various government agencies with direct responsibilities for public service. Among the attendees were officials from the Philippine National Police, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Members of the Anglao Clan from the Manobo-Pulangiyon (MP) tribe of Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon, and the Sagubalan Clan from the Manobo-Kirintakan-Ilantungan tribe of Pualas, Don Carlos, Bukidnon, were also present. Both clans are actively seeking the restoration of their ancestral lands.

The NCIP focused on addressing specific issues related to the Anglao Clan, including their placement on the Kiantig Development Corporation (KDC) plantation. Land title concerns and Certificates of Land Ownership Award issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for the same land covered by the tribe’s ancestral domain were also discussed. A comprehensive profile of the Anglao Clan, including the approval of their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) on January 13, 2023, was presented.

Key issues deliberated during the meeting included the presence and operations of KDC on the tribe’s ancestral land claim, the expiration of the Forest Land Grazing Management Agreement issued to KDC in 2018, the removal of Ancestral Domain markers by KDC, and the status of ancestral domain beneficiaries residing outside the KDC plantation.

The NCIP put forward several recommendations, including expediting the registration of the CADT with the Land Registration Authority, reclaiming the tribe’s property from KDC, and requesting an interagency meeting to address installation issues. Additionally, temporary relocation options for the tribe on the unused portion of the KDC plantation were discussed.

Following this, the NCIP presented a brief profile and background of the Manobo-Kirintakan-Ilantungan Clan. The tribe’s CADT was approved on February 10, 2016. Issues discussed included overlapping land titles within the ancestral domain, the need to validate DENR-issued titles, DAR issuances to Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) beneficiaries in the same area, incidents of violence against tribe members, and the segregation and registration of CADT with the Land Registration Authority.

Recommendations for the Manobo-Kirintakan-Ilantungan Clan mirrored those for the Anglao Clan, focusing on fast-tracking CADT registration, repossession of ancestral land, and requesting an interagency meeting for comprehensive problem-solving. The collaborative effort underscores the commitment to address indigenous land issues and foster a sustainable resolution for these communities.