Gov’t urged to review IPRA

MANILA, Philippines - Businessmen and local government units (LGUs) have asked President Aquino to review the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA) being implemented by the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP).

In a forum organized by the  Liga ng mga BroadKaster sa Pilipinas at Rembrandt Hotel in Quezon City over the weekend,  they said  the NCIP has been claiming lands supposedly  for tribal people,  turning away investors and taking away jobs for the people in Coron, Palawan.

“The NCIP is claiming lands of residents who have long been in the province. Most of the us are not tribesmen, but local residents whose lands are being covered by the NCIP through the IPRA,” John Patrick Matta, Coron Sanggguniang Bayan spokesman, said.

He lamented that his municipality has been working hard to attract investors but the move is being  negated by the NCIP interpretation of the law.

Matta cited a pearl farm that was forced to close down because of a temporary restraining order given by the NCIP, while an owner of a first class resort was asked to pay P2.5 million for  permission to operate plus an annual fee of P500,000, including two percent in the resort’s gross sales as lease payment on the island.

“All these troubles are being faced by both big and small businessmen in the province due to NCIP’s existing claims on lands where those establishments are situated,” Matta said.