Tribal Cheiftain Urges Government to Soften Stiff Requirements in Utilizing Ancestral Lands

by Ben Serrano

July 3, 2009

BUTUAN CITY- Datu Paglaum, the supreme leader of the Manobo-Mamanwa Tribal Council based in San Antonio, RTR. Agusan del Norte today have called on concerned government agencies to soften stiff, irrelevant and unnecessary requirements in acquiring permits such as Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECC), Free-Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and other permits for utilization of Indigenous People’s ancestral lands

Datu Paglaum (Paglaum, a local Visayan dialect which means hope) also called for transparency in governance, honest and simple policy-implementation processes claiming perceived rampant corruption in the bureaucracy entices more illegalities in the countryside that caused losses of millions of taxes to the cash-strapped government.

“Instead of gaining our government losses by millions of uncollected taxes by which some of them goes to pockets of greedy but influential few who wields power from legitimate offices”, Datu Paglaum said.

Paglaum added that it is now high time for government to shift paradigms in governing laws that instead of always going against illegalities which actually are only made as an excuse by some corrupt government personnel and officials making it as a milking cow, implementation of policies must be made simple with an honest to goodness intentions.

Although not accusing anyone nether naming names, Paglaum claimed unabated rumored red tape in government entices more illegalities and makes life difficult to Filipinos who only wanted decent and economically independent living.

Paglaum cited many instances that requirements in acquiring permits are difficult much worst “grease money” to ease and fast release of official documents or permits have the most talked about dilemma of Philippine bureaucracy.

Paglaum said there must be a stop to the rumors, “under the table sometimes including the table syndrome” in every offices of the government particularly government regulating agencies.

Paglaum urged government to lower expenses in acquiring permits like ECC, FPIC and others.

“Acquiring ECC or Environmental Compliance Certificate at present cost allegedly to P800,000 while getting or conducting Free Prior Informed and Consent would cost any decent indigenous people to some P300,000, now where in God’s heaven indigenous people like us will get that huge amount of money”, Paglaum said.

Paglaum added that it is the reason why some will resort to illegalities because most of the lumads who wanted to utilize their ancestral lands for productivity were indebted sometimes to loan sharks or those with vested interests who only used or exploit their lands in exchange of extracting natural resources.

“This is where the problem start because government instead of helping the already helpless indigenous people are instead making life difficult for them”, Datu Paglaum.

Paglaum said it is not the system that posed grave problem to Filipinos especially the helpless lumads but the people behind the implementation the laws.

Paglaum added that bad governance is the number one recruiter of the New People’s Army.

“I am not blaming anyone but it is about time that we have to initiate reforms that must be started in different government offices before it’s too late”, Datu Paglaum said.

Paglaum claimed that while some government heads of offices keep on denying irregularities, “you can see their bank accounts becoming fatter and fatter each day as their secret hidden to public beautiful houses, big lands and properties sometimes not being name after them to avoid scrutiny are looming in the horizons not known to many poor taxpaying Filipinos”. Paglaum said.

Earlier tribal groups puzzled why there are many checkpoints along Agusan River stationed from Agusan del Sur that passes to Las Nieves town in Agusan del Norte to Butuan City when by law it only allowed three forest product monitoring stations.

Complaining tree farmers alleged that they are always pestered by some unknown checkpoint personnel asking money ranging from P500 to P5,000.00.

Tree farmers alleged the checkpoints were actually cash points wherein some are disguising environmental watch groups when in reality money making groups..

They wondered why total silent and not stopped by concerned government agencies.

They claimed some are dismantled then come back then dismantled then comeback again.

Paglaum on the other hand claimed the Philippines has rich natural resources mostly found in ancestral lands and it must be use wisely and sustainably with utmost protection of environment for the future use of the future generations.