NCIP regional director Ruben Bastero discusses his agency’s programs at the Bayanihan sa Northern Luzon radio program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Information Agency. Photo courtesy of PIA–3
TARLAC CITY – The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples cited its programs for indigenous peoples’ communities in Central Luzon.
NCIP regional director Ruben Bastero said that as part of their celebration of the World Indigenous Peoples Day, they printed maps of ancestral domains in the region which they have started distributing to the different government agencies.
“One of our ongoing projects is the distribution of map of ancestral domains to various government agencies, in order to inform and to raise awareness of the 55 ancestral domains in the whole region that must remain in possession of our IP groups,” Bastero said.
Bastero also cited the agreement between NCIP and the Department of Agriculture which recognizes the involvement of IP communities in the country’s food security in this time of pandemic.
“We had an agreement with DA wherein projects such as farm–to–market roads will be developed to help our IPs reach their market and for us also to benefit with their crops,” Bastero added.
In preparation for the IP Month celebration in October, he said, they are creating a coffee table book containing several IP communities and their culture which may help tourism flourish.
“In the book, you will find different IP communities, their unique identities, as well as the beautiful landscapes in their communities which can promote ecotourism in the country,” Bastero said.
Bastero noted that NCIP Region 3 is currently conducting a census of the IP communities to help them develop their governance structure.
“With an organized political structure, our IP communities will have a spokesperson who can manage the ancestral domains,” he said. — Gabriela Liana Barela/PIA 3
