December 18, 2021 | National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) central office delegates led by the Chairperson conducted an Ancestral Domain (AD) Visitation to the Ati ICCs/IPs of Brgy Manok-Manok, Malay, Aklan.
Present were the Ati ICCs/IPs leaders/elders and members, IP Youth, PNP, Commissioner Jeorge M Largado, Regional personnel headed by Dir Ana Burgos, Directors of NCIP OEHR and AS and representatives from ADO, LAO, OC, and MIPYO.
The series of visits aim to gain first-hand information and address burning issues of the ICCs/IPs as well as to establish a common understanding of the 11 Building Blocks among the stakeholders and their significance in making the ICCs/IPs resilient, responsive, and relevant in their ADs/ALs.
Highlights of the activity were:
1. Discussion and determination of actions to be taken on Illegal Settlers within their AD as well as on fencing activities community
– write the Municipal Mayor for assistance (csw on legal and administrative documents to be prepared by NCIP together with the community)
– Follow up letter shall be forwarded in case no action is taken by the local government
– For the NCIP CO to write the DILG for intervention after a negative response on the second letter
2. On all other issues under the 11 Building Blocks specifically on the documentation and strengthening of their Indigenous Political Structures the Chairperson stressed on empowerment of their leaders and for NCIP to focus on addressing them which have been discussed since 2019 to present – one of the actions to be undertaken by NCIP is to designate new Regional Hearing Officer and no less than the Commissioner for Island Groups and the rest of Visayas as Provincial Officers for both the Provinces of Antique and Aklan
– the immediate actions to be monitored are the endorsement letters to all concerned agencies local chief executives and the congress requesting intervention and collaborative actions
In closing the chairperson donated financial assistance for the community to register their community cooperative with the CDA
Finally, the Chairperson with the community visited the illegal settlers to explain to them the respect for the rights of the IP communities as the IP communities also respect the exercise of their rights.
