Army facilitates summit of IPs

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 28): Army facilitates summit of IPs

Forty–seven leaders of the Indigenous People (IP) from the various towns of Capiz and Iloilo attended the IP summit last June 25 to 26 at the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division at Camp Macario Perlata in Jamindan town.

The participants locally called “managhusay” or arbiter came from the municipalities of Lambunao as well as Calinog in Iloilo and Dumarao, Tapaz and Jamindan towns in Capiz.

3ID Public Affairs Office head Maj. Ray Tiongson said that the initiative of the soldiers is part of the continuous efforts to further improve the IPs welfare as stipulated in the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA Law).

The two-day activity was led by the 301st Brigade of the Philippine Army in coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous People and Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

In his message, 301st Brigade commander Col. Arnold Quiapo said that the IPs are their partners in promoting peace and development.

“You are very much welcome here at Camp Peralta that’s why we conducted this summit here. Your Army here in Panay together with the NCIP and other stakeholders will always be in partnership to serve you as our clients,” he added.

The salient features of IPRA Law was among the topics discussed during the summit that include resource persons from NCIP and OPAPP, among others.

Last year, a lecture on IPs culture and tradition for the platoon and squad leaders of the 61st IB’s Bayanihan Teams was facilitated by the 301st IB at Camp Carreon in Calinog, Iloilo.

Bayanihan teams are 61IB's primary units tasked to look into the concerns of the IPs of Panay, particularly in the municipalities of Tapaz and Jamindan in Capiz and Calinog town in Iloilo.

The Department of National Defense and the NCIP have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the conduct of survey of public lands in and out of the military reservation areas particularly at the 3ID camp.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1001372390294