THE NATIONAL Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) XI proposed to include a more descriptive technological transfer program in the planned Mt. Apo Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (MAWRCC).
NCIP XI regional director Atty. Geroncio R. Aguio stressed the need to include the much-overlooked technological transfer to Indigenous Cultural Communities/ Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) in the proposed bill.
“Palaging nakakaligtaan, doon sa nabasa ko na commitment, they cited pero hindi natuloy, hindi nasali ang program for technology transfer to allow ICC/IP to manage wildlife sanctuary,” Aguio said.
Aguio added that through the technology transfer, ICCs/IPs would have a sense of ownership of the property and ensure sustainability.
The NCIP pledged full support for the proposed bill, recommending deliberate and conscious plans and programs for technology transfer to enable ICC/IPs to manage and operate the MAWRCC in the future.
“Alam naman natin kung ikaw yung may-ari, aalagaan mo ang pag-aari mo, and since ancestral domain is owned by IP, the IP will take care of that property. Kung kakulangan man sa knowledge, ang kailangan kaya nilagyan ng provision, sana magawan ng technological transfer program,” he added.
He said the framers of the program should not focus only on attribution but craft a process or procedure on how the IPs would be trained and for how long.
Sec. 58 of the Republic Act 8371 or The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 reads: “The ICCs/IPs concerned shall be given the responsibility to maintain, develop, protect and conserve such areas with the full and effective assistance of government agencies. Should the ICCs/IPs decide to transfer the responsibility over the areas, said decision must be made in writing. The consent of the ICCs/IPs should be arrived at in accordance with its customary laws without prejudice to the basic requirements of existing laws on free and prior informed consent: Provided, That the transfer shall be temporary and will ultimately revert to the ICCs/IPs in accordance with a program for technology transfer,”
In response, Joey Remicilla, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Policy, Planning, and Projects Development Office (PPDO) director, said the manpower will prioritize the ICCs/IPs. “Ang mga empleyado nga kinahanglan sa facility, mag- gikan gyud sa tribu, part sila sa magdumala”.
NCIP XI signed a commitment of support with Mt. Apo Natural Park Protected Area superintendent (MANP PASu), Madadma Ilomavis Council of Elders, IPs head of Unified Bagobo-Tagabawa of Davao City, Forest Guard (Bantay Bukid) representative, and MinDA technical working group during the two-day consultation on Nov. 14-15 in Seda Abreeza Hotel.
