DILG BUKIDNON MEETS WITH NCIP TO EXPEDITE FPIC ISSUANCE

BUKIDNON – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Province of Bukidnon recently met with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for the harmonization of the issuance of the Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) document as part of the technical documentary requirement for the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) in the Province.

Provincial Director Carmelo Enrique B. Libot emphasized the need to achieve a common understanding on the issuance of the FPIC to ensure the smooth operationalization of the program since the projects under SBDP would cater Indigenous People (IP) beneficiaries living within Ancestral Domain areas.

“I hope that through this meeting, we can come up with a resolution on how to fast-track the issuance of the FPIC. The project will not just help the barangay, but the IP community as well,” said Director Libot.

Moreover, NCIP’s Provincial Officer Shirlene D. Sario presented the revised guidelines on FPIC and related processes.

Officer Sario emphasized that the FPIC is a certificate issued by the NCIP, of which is a consensus of all members of the IPs in accordance to their respective customary laws and practices.

To fast-track the issuance of the document, a field-based investigation will be conducted together with the DILG and NCIP officers in two weeks’ time.

With the said levelling-off meeting, the DILG Bukidnon hopes to strengthen their partnership with NCIP in achieving the common goal which is to address the welfare of the IPs. (DILG 10/DILG Bukidnon/Daphne Kirstie Fabria/Maria Cecille Nagac) (Revised copy/DILG-10/Princess Jia Andriza Artajo)