THE National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) is checking on the situation of the indigenous cultural communities (ICC) and the indigenous peoples (IP) in Misamis Occidental especially that the country battles with the raging coronavirus pandemic.

The NCIP continues to  conduct inter-agency visits and consultations to the IPs communities to provide immediate assistance, said in a press statement Monday.

On October 2, NCIPP visited and checked on the situation of the IPs of Concepcion, Sapang Dalaga, Calamba and Baliangao, Misamis Occidental, the report said.

NCIP chair Secretary Allen Capuyan, and the executive director of the the National Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said  the traveling from one community to another to establish means for full economic, social, and cultural development and empowerment among the IPs.

This in order for them (IPs) to become productive members of the community, according Capuyan

"We intend to do this activity to hear your concerns for us to address your desire to end this long-standing armed conflict," Capuyan told the IP members in Maragusan.

During the consultation, IP members were given the opportunity to also air their concerns to other national agencies.

“IPs should be given priority in government services with the provision of regular support through programs and projects,” Capuyan said.

Capuyan emphasized the salient provisions of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) as the basis to pursue the efforts of tribal communities for the issuance of CADT for their ancestral domains.

The NCIP chair also emphasized IPRA provisions that ensure the rights of the IPs to their ancestral domains.

“Our visits emphasized the four bundles of rights namely rights to ancestral domain, social justice, self-governance, and cultural integrity.

These are anchored on the 12 clusters identified under the National Task Force (NTF)-ELCAC program,” said Capuyan.

Meanwhile, First District Rep. Diego Ty reported the programs and services of the government to help the IP communities.
"The government is here. We cannot solve this problem if you will not tell us. We need unity and your participation," Ty said.

The NCIP masterplan will be operationalized by the NTF-ELCAC’s action plan, which will focus on governance.

In the said event, Capuyan together with NCIP Regional Director Jeanne Anne Zoilo and Office on Empowerment and Human Rights Director Jose Daniel Kimpo led the distribution of 2019 NCIP Annual Report to the national government agencies, local government units (LGUs) and Indigenous People Mandatory Representatives (IPMRs)/IP leaders.

The Department of DSWD through NCIP led by Zoilo and Kimpo also handed over the hygiene kits to IP communities and ancestral domains in Misamis Occidental.

NCIP monitored the 115 tribal communities of Misamis Occidental to strengthen President Rodrigo Duterte's Executive Order 70 which institutionalizes the Whole-of-Nation Approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace.  (Recthie Tolinero/SMRN/PIA Misamis Occidental)