IP Communities, to Implement Customary Laws and Strengthen IP Political Structure in Ancestral Domain Areas of Tarlac

IP Communities, to Implement Customary Laws and Strengthen IP Political Structure in Ancestral Domain Areas of Tarlac
The Ancestral Domains (ADs) of Bamban and Capas, Tarlac were visited by Sec. Allen A. Capuyan, the Chairperson of National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) and Executive Director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) together with various government agencies during the Interagency Community Consultation and AD Visitation held in separately at Barangay San Vicente Covered Court, Bamban and Barangay Sta Juliana, Capas both of Tarlac last February 14, 2022.
During the activity, the IP tribal leaders agreed to strengthen their respective IP Political Structure to ensure IPs collective rights to their ADs; strengthen their political institution, and implement their customary laws and practices as part of the IPs way of decision-making and governance.
Sec. Capuyan discussed the eleven (11) Building Blocks of a Resilient, Responsive and Relevant IPs provided by the IP Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997. He also emphasized the need to protect the IPs Ancestral domains in respective IP communities. “Dapat nating protektahan at pangalagaan ang ating lupaing ninuno para sa susunod na salinlahi,” said Sec. Capuyan.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Eugene Henry Z. Cabusao, the Commanding Officer of the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion expressed his gratitude for the commitment of all government agencies in addressing the issues in the IP communities, saying
“nagpapasalamat ako sa patuloy na pagbabayanihan ng lahat ng ahensiya ng pamahalaan upang mabigyan ng lunas ang mga isyu patungkol sa mga lupaing ninuno ng ating mga katutubo. Sa ganitong paraan ay ating napoprotektahan hindi lamang ang mga katutubo kundi ang ating kultura at kasaysayan.”
Government agencies present during the consultation were, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), LGU Bamban and Capas, National Housing Authority (NHA) BCDA, Bamban and Capas MPS and the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion.