The Fate of IPRA

I was just wondering what happened to the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act or the IPRA.

IPRA is one of the Progressive laws we have. It basically recognizes and upholds the rights of the Indigenous peoples in terms of their ancestral domain, self-governance social justice and cultural integrity.

However, we barely hear what has happened to the implementation of the law since then, We barely here it in the news. The IP’s are obviously sidelined by government. In the senate and the house of representatives, I wonder how many are bringing their voices and advancing their rights.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples has been rendered almost useless because of lack of resources. In Misamis oriental alone, there are about 50 ancestral domain claims and only 1 has been given a certificate of ancestral domain title or the CADT. I heard that they have a target to issue one CADT per year. At this rate all the Claims will be finished in 50 years, at this rate the claimants are already dead before they are given the title.

One of the major obstacles in the Implementation is the mining act which President Gloria Arroyo authored. Through the mining act of 1995 which allows for 100% foreign ownership of mineral lands and the eviction of indigenous communities, hundreds if not thousands of lumads were displaced, their sacred lands plundered and turned upside down by mining companies.

Discriminated and marginalized these people are going through a lot. Barely represented in a supposed to be democratic government and basic social services hardly reach their communities.

Most of the Politicians use them, and after winning, forget them. I am hoping for the party-list system to work for the Lumads.I hope the next election will be kinder to them