SAN JOSE, Antique – The law recognizing and promoting the rights of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) needs more teeth to fully serve its purpose, according to Atty. Ade Santillan Fajardo, former national president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997 is a very progressive and radical piece of legislation but it seems lagging in terms of implementation, said Fajardo, a congressional candidate in Antique province, during the online program “Giya Kang Banwa”.
IPRA created the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to protect the rights of IPs but according to Fajardo, “Daw ganaog nga ganaog ang priority ka NICP.”
“With all due respect sa aton mga migo sa NCIP…kabay pa daad ibato ta gid ang ang Commission. Kis-a sa conflict with the other government agencies (like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture), ang ginapalabi ang iban nga national government agencies,” Fajardo observed.
There are several IP groups in Antique – Ati, Iraynon-Bukidnon and Cuyonen. Of these, only the Iraynon-Bukidnon has so far been granted with a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) provided under IPRA, particularly in towns of Valderrama and Lawaan.
In the whole country, only a few CADTs were issued as their processing is very expensive and tedious.
“Buhay ron ang layi, gamay pa lang na issue-han. In the meantime, nagasulod ang iban nga industries like mining. Road expansion..naga-implement ang iban nga government agencies to the prejudice of the rights of the IPs,” observed Fajardo, a native of San Jose, Antique.
IPRA can uplift the welfare and rights of the IPs, according to Fajardo, such as by providing them with livelihood and education aside from shelters but the NCIP lacks funding and support, thus it is often edged out by other national government agencies.
“Kinanglan gid nga may pwersa nga husto, may motivation nga mayad para matib-ong ang misyon o mandatu kang aton NCIP,” added Fajardo.
This is why, he stressed, it is important to choose the right leaders, especially the next President of the Philippines.
“Hay amo ra ma-appoint ka mga secretaries ka mga national government agencies kag sanda ka dya ma-set ka directions. Kon amo dya nga mga government heads nagasunod sa Constitution, sa layi (IPRA), naintindihan nanda mayad dya nga putoro daad kang aton mga IPs,” said Fajardo.
He described the 2022 elections as “very crucial.”
“Hay tungod ang tanan nga layi kon wara man ti suporta sa opisyal, sa aton elected officials, ti amo ran ang tawag naton nga dead law. Daw patay nga layi ri-a kinanglan nga banwahon,” Fajardo emphasized./PN
