BAGUIO CITY – The Committee on Indigenous Peoples’ Concerns (CIPC) of the Cordillera Regional Development Council (RDC) agreed to prioritize the updating of existing Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plans (ADSPPs) and the formulation of new ones. The Committee also finalized the plans for the July Cordillera Month activities during its second quarter meeting on May 9, 2023, in Baguio City.
Mr. Michael Umaming of NCIP-CAR shared that most of the formulated and updated ADSDPPs have been adopted by LGUs where the ancestral domains are located. However, there remains a concern in terms of their implementation and utilization. He added that most proposed projects in ancestral domains are not those listed in the ADSDPPs or that projects listed in the plans are not implemented. To address these, he recommended that the specific projects needed by the communities be among the topics in the training on the formulation of ADSDPPs. He said that there should be a proper review of project proposals to ensure that they are in line with the ADSDPPs.
Dir. Susan Sumbeling of NEDA-CAR recommended that the status of ADSDPPs be reported in the CIPC quarterly meetings, together with the status of the issuance of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs). This development is particularly important as it will pave the way for mainstreaming indigenous peoples’ concerns in a regional forum as indicated in the culture chapter of the Cordillera Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2023-2028.
On the Cordillera Month, the schedules and the program of activities were set. The NCIP will lead the opening program in partnership with the City of Baguio. This will be held on July 1. The candidates of Mr. and Ms. Cordillera: The Search for Youth Ambassadors for Cordillera Autonomy will be presented through a Pre-Search program to be staged at SM Baguio in the afternoon of July 1. The final Search night will be held in Luna, Apayao on July 14.
The Province of Apayao will host the commemoration of the Cordillera Day in Luna, Apayao on July 15. This will be celebrated through a parade and a short program that will highlight the convergence of the provincial and city gongs. Finally, the Culminating Program will be held in Baguio City which will be highlighted by the delivery of the State of the Region Address (SORA) by the RDC Chair, Gov. Elias C. Bulut, Jr., and the turn-over of hosting duties for the celebration in 2024. Next year’s host committee is the Development Administration and Good Governance Committee with the City of Baguio as the LGU host.
In the month-long celebration, residents can expect trade and food fairs that will display what the region offers, together with learning activities by higher education institutions such as the webinar series on indigenous knowledge, systems, and practices. Locals can also expect to know the planned projects that will be implemented in their areas during the localized Unity Gong Relays.
The NCIP-CAR is the lead agency for the Cordillera Month with the Province of Apayao as the host LGU, and the CIPC as the host Committee. By Victor Eugene Caccam
