Indigenous peoples group probes NGCP transmission project

THE National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) started a field–based investigation (FBI) to determine the acceptability of the proposed Ambuklao–Binga and Binga–San Manuel transmission line project of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

The FBI will start today, Tuesday, in Cluster 1 of Itogon, which will be followed by clusters 2 and 3 on February 6 and 7, respectively.

The NCIP will then proceed to Bokod’s cluster 1 to 3 on February 12 to 14. On February 19 to 21, the FBI team will be in Tuba for the clusters 1 to 3.

On February 22 to 28, the FBI team is supposedly preparing the final report as result of the investigation which will be submitted to NCIP.

The functions of the FBI team are: Undertake FBI to determine the affected areas; identify the elders and determine the presence of disputes with adjacent ancestral domains; gather information; prepare, under oath, and submit a report with recommendations to the NCIP’s regional director; and to perform other functions which the higher authority will mandate.

The team initially identified indigenous peoples’ leaders within the three soon-to-be affected towns. They are Blas Dalus and Tita Bugtong of Tuba, Benjamin Medino and Andres Panayo of Itogon, and Thomas Walis and Pancho Esnara of Bokod.

The investigation is among the process the proposal should undergo before the NCIP will issue a certificate of precondition to NGCP pursuant to the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act.

After the FBI, the free prior and informed consent will be conducted for the people’s participation and their permission on the project.

The FBI group is headed by team leader Abilene Cirilo.