BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Indigenous People Mandatory Representatives (IPMRs) in this capital town are encouraged to continue upholding customary laws and practices, at the same time be the voice of the community concerning indigenous people’s rights.
This was the gist of the message of Atty. Wilson Kalangeg, the Provincial Director of the provincial office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Vice Mayor Eusebio Kabluyen and Sangguniang Bayan (SB) member Alsannyster Patingan during the meeting of the IPMRs on April 26, 2022, at the SB Session Hall of the Municipal Capitol.
In his message, Kalangeg commended the IPMRs stating that their presence in the meeting is a manifestation of their commitment of their responsibilities in their respective communities.
He also reminded the IPMRs some of their powers, functions, duties and mandates. Some of these include intervention in cases which is advisable to be settled or resolved in the barangay level before it will be filed in court, involvement in the solution of boundary dispute, advocate the protection of watershed, ensure that programs and projects implemented in their respective barangay are culture-sensitive, and assist and participate in the documentation of customary laws.
SB member Patingan in his message mentioned that despite modernization, customary practices and laws should be respected and observed in which the IPMRs have significant roles.
Likewise, Patingan thanked the IPMRs for their significant roles in the community and urged them not to burn out of their functions, duties and mandates as the community needs them.
“Your wisdom and guidance as elders in the community is respected. For without you, the rights of the IP communities will not be heard and recognized. We learn from you our customary laws and practices,” he remarked.
Relative to this, the IPMRs in Bontoc proved that they continue to uphold customary laws and practices in their respective villages.
This was reflected in the reports of Municipal IPMR George Luis Fakat together with the Barangay IPMRs of Alab Oriente, Alab Proper, Balili, Bontoc Ili, Caneo, Caluttit, Dalican, Guina-ang, Gonogon, Mainit, Samoki, Talubin, Tocucan, Samoki, Bayyo and Poblacion when they reported their accomplishments during the meeting.
Among the highlighted accomplishments of the IPMRs are their involvement in resolving conflicts either within the community members or to neighboring and other community such as land disputes; practice of customary rituals in wedding, death, thanksgiving, community traditional practices and others; attendance to barangay and municipal council meetings, seminars, trainings and orientation; and participation in community activities such implementation of community quarantine guidelines.
In closing, Vice Mayor Kabluyen acknowledged that there are problems, issues and conflicts in the community that the best solution is the practice of the customary laws or the intervention of the elders.
With this, he lauded the IPMRs of their accomplishments which are a manifestation that they uphold what they have vowed to do when they were appointed in the position.
Spearheaded by the Bontoc municipal government through the Office of the Sangguniang Bayan and the NCIP– Provincial Office, the quarterly meeting of the IPMRs is an avenue for the latter to report their accomplishments, discuss IP issues and concerns and strengthen camaraderie among IPMRs in the locality.