AN INDIGENOUS peoples' organization in Kabayan, Benguet has urged the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to deny the application of a hydro electric company in their water right permit application.
Representatives from the Onjon ni Kasikuran shi Kabayan (ONKASKA) filed their petition to the NWRB after Hedcor Benguet applied for a water right permit in the municipality following the company's bid to put up a hydro electric plant in the area.
ONKASKA in its petition cited the lack of a free and prior informed consent (FPIC) to indigenous peoples citing section 57 of the IPRA law adding Kabayan is a recognized ancestral domain for Ibaloy, Kalanguya, and Kankan-ey.
The group is contesting the water rights being applied by Hedcor at the Nalatang River and all its tributaries in Lusod for hydro electric power generation.
While the group remains in favor of putting up a hydro electric plant in the area, ONKASKA said the right to utilize water resources is covered by the IPRA law adding all applications for water permit will be subjected to FPIC of the Ibaloy, Kalanguya and Kankana-ey tribes.
Onkaska said through the years, the three ethnic tribes in the town had been continuously appropriating all the water resources within their ancestral domain since time immemorial long before the entry of investors on hydro power generation.
ONKASKA added the ancestral domain and ancestral land claims over and other resources within Kabayan has always been a concern to the residents who are determined to protect their rights and interests over their ancestral land and domain.
The group added the water right permit application of Hedcor, according to ONKASKA, was not referred to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) which is the proper government agency for the required FPIC.
The petition added the different indigenous cultural communities in Kabayan were never consulted by the government or the NCIP on the proposed water rights permit.
ONKASKA in their petition is hoping the NWRB would refer the water application of Hedcor to the NCIP for the conduct of an FPIC process.