NCIP asked to revive ancestral land clearing body

THE National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has been urged to reconstitute the Baguio Ancestral Land Clearing Committee (BALCC) as a safeguard against bogus claims.

The City Council approved on Monday Resolution 219, series of 2014, authored by Councilor Leandro Yangot Jr., urging the NCIP to void a resolution that set aside a 2009 measure abolishing the BALCC.

We strongly urge the (NCIP) en banc to reconsider or set aside NCIP en banc Resolution No. 06-025-2013 entitled A Resolution Revoking En Banc Resolution No. 090 series of 2009, the body said.

(BALCCs creation aims) to ensure that the manner by which lands within the jurisdiction of the City of Baguio are identified as ancestral be done with much diligence and to forestall future problems that may arise as a result of such declaration. The creation of the BALCC allowed the City of Baguio to actively participate in recommending to the NCIP lands in the City which are qualified or open for clearing taking cognizance of many important factors which include among others the presence of prior private claims, reserved lands and facilities for public use, the resolution stated.

In voiding the BALCC, the NCIP cited reasons that the BALCC failed to come up with internal rules subject to approval by the commission, that the internal rules could not be made as it will violate the provisions of the Indigenous Peoples Right Act and existing guidelines on delineation that exclusively places the authority to issue Certificate of Ancestral Land Title (CALT) with the NCIP; and that the city nevertheless and other stakeholders are protected as the specified claims will be processed where the city is duly represented.

It is worthy to emphasize that the spirit of City Resolution creating the BALCC does not in any way amend the provisions of the IPRA law, the City Council said. (Aileen Refuerzo)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on September 15, 2014.

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NCIP asked to revive ancestral land clearing body