March 24, 2008 [ Manila Bulletin Online ]
Tribal councils in Palawan, which have a total membership of 8,000, yesterday asked Malacañang to block the aggressive lobbying of non-government organizations and local government units for the move declaring the entire Mount Mantalingahan as a protected landscape zone, saying that it would deny them of their rights to their ancestral domain.
In a letter sent to Malacañang, the Brooke’s Point Federation of Tribal Councils (Brofetrics) argued that the declaration, purportedly meant to preserve the mountain’s landscape and natural resources, would only "defeat their rights to their ancestral lands" that are within the contested mountain.
Chieftains representing 28 major tribal groups in southern Palawan signed the letter, hoping that President Arroyo would intercede in their behalf.
In a proposal initiated by environmental groups and some local government officials, the protected zone will be managed by the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), a government unit under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
"We do not want our lands to be re-taken by government, or by those who are alien to our lands. Under Republic Act 8371 (IPRA Law), we have the sovereign right and responsibility to manage and protect our lands," said Chieftain Renila Dulay, president of Brofetrics.
The group cited the specific provision of the IPRA Law mandating them to plan for the management of their lands, through the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development Protection Plan (ADSDPP).
It chided groups initiating the reclassification of their lands for allegedly unilaterally drafting plans without consulting them as they will have adverse impact on their tribes.
The IPs stressed that even if Mount Mantalingahan is declared a protected zone, it is no guarantee that it will deter denudation of forest lands.
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