Tribal councils unite to save ancestral lands

[ Manila Bulletin Online ] May 14, 2008 Indigenous peoples (IPs) from Palawan province scored non-government organizations and some local officials yesterday over their proposals for government to reclassify and retake control of Mount Mantalingahan by declaring the mountain range as "protected zone" saying the move will "illegally deprive us (natives) from rightfully enjoying the bounties on our very own ancestral domain." News about Mount Mantalingahan escalated anew after a coalition of indigenous people (IPs) lambasted the plan’s advocates, for "wanton disregard" of the native’s lawful rights and political traditions, when an NGO recently accused the tribes as allegedly being "bribed by mining firms," just to oppose the reclassification proposal of Mt. Mantalingahan. Tens of thousands of natives have been thriving in the mountain range for the longest time which foreign-funded environmentalists, NGOs and some local officials wanted to reclassify as "protected zone," allegedly to protect from destruction. The Brooke’s Point Federation of Tribal Councils (Brofetrics), a federation of over 20 councils of Indigenous People (IP’s) from the mineral-rich southern municipality of Brooke’s Point said, in a statement that, it is "saddened by the fact that the very people who are supposed to lead and enlighten us are the very ones who are promoting disunity and sowing intrigue, while completely disregarding the very ways and workings of the IPs." Chieftain Renila Dulay, president of the Brofetrics said, "There is no need for anyone to tell us what to do, or for us to get directions from anybody, as we know very well our rights under the law." The tribal chieftain suspects that there might be some "very enterprising individuals" from these groups who only want to personally benefit from the bounties that can be derived from their lands, which, in contrast, will consequently deprive the IPs of their rightful and legal claim. There are several mining concessionaires who are about to operate, if not actually operating yet, within the Mt. Mantalingahan range. Under the Mining Act, IPs inhabiting a particular mining site are entitled to royalties from the gross earnings of the operations. The group reiterated that they were not consulted in the proposal building for the reclassification of Mt. Mantalingahan, despite the fact that "we are the ones immediately and directly to be affected by such plans." Dulay reasserted their claim that the IPs "lawfully have the sole right and responsibility on how to manage our lands," citing Republic Act 8371, or the IPRA Law that empowers IPs.

The Brofetrics said they are now organizing thousands of their members to consolidate their position and bolster their unity, in the "face of threats to our ancestral rights."
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