The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in Negros Oriental has been monitoring local government units (LGUs) in the province who are qualified for Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representatives (IPMRs).

NCIP head Virginia Espante reminded indigenous peoples (IPs) or indigenous cultural communities (ICC) of their mandatory representation in the legislative council as among their rights.

Ancestral domain areas are qualified to have an IP mandatory representative (IPMR), either in the barangay council or the Sangguniang Bayan.

IP focal program officer, Mary Joy Torralba of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Negros Oriental, said the IP tribal leader in the area would go through a selection process to be a representative on the council.

“They are the voice of their community so that they can raise and address their issues and concerns in the Sangguniang,” said Torralba.

Currently, only the local government of Mabinay has an IPMR among the local government units in the province.

Rafael O. Bornea, 27, member of the Ata ICC, is an IPMR or member of Mabinay Sangguniang Bayan.

Bornea, who is serving his 2nd term, thanked the NCIP for facilitating the selection process of the IPMR.

Espante said the process was also supported by the local officials headed by Mayor Ernie T. Uy for accepting Bornea to sit on the municipal council and for giving him the chance to work for the welfare of the ICCs in Mabinay.

Currently, the NCIP has recorded a total of 32,166 IPs with 10,576 Bukidnon and Ata IPs in the 1st District; 7,820 in the 2nd District; while 13,770 Bukidnon and Magahat in the 3rd District.

So far, over 2,000 indigenous people families are now part of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as beneficiaries.

“This is among our efforts to uplift the state of living of IPs to include them to the 4Ps,” said Torralba.

The NCIP official also acknowledged the support of the Bayawan City government for granting P600,000 every year for IP activities.

For three consecutive years, Bayawan City has funded the activity for the celebration of IP Day every October of every year, where seven Bukidnon ICC barangays were given a subsidy for their ethnic attire, for their Payag or Kubo-Making, and their food, said Espante.

These barangays are Cansumalig, Kalamtukan, Maninihon, Minaba, Nangka, Narra, and Tayawan.

“I would also like to thank Canlaon City government for its funding support every year for the IP Day celebration of the Bukidnon ICCs of Barangays Pula, Malaiba, Lumapao and Masulog,” added Espante. (PIA-7 Negros Oriental)