NCIP’s Apostol visits Canatuan Subanons

Urges responsible use of royalties, warns against groups that cause disunity

“You are no longer the long-forgotten people in the highlands.”

Thus stressed Miguel Apostol, Commissioner for Northern and Western Mindanao of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), to the Subanon ancestral domain title holders of Canatuan during his recent visit to their mountain village in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.

NCIP Commissioner Miguel Apostol (in red) speaks with a Subanon woman during a dialogue with members of the Canatuan IP women’s and youth groups. “You are very lucky to have a mining company like TVIRD operating in your ancestral domain,” he said.

“Under the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) you are empowered to chart your own destiny; you now have plenty of opportunities to advance yourselves,” Apostol, a Subanon himself, said. “Whether or not you seize these opportunities, it will always be your decision. NCIP will not dictate what you should do. We are only here to guide you.”

Impressed by the benefits that TVI Resource Development Philippines, Inc. (TVIRD) has been providing its host Subanons, Apostol encouraged members of the tribal Council of Elders and officials of the Siocon Subanon Association, Inc. (SSAI) to spearhead socio-economic growth in Canatuan while keeping in mind that their rights guaranteed by the law also entail responsibility towards their people and community.

(Above) Apostol is welcomed at the SSAI Office by Council of Elders member Ely Comisas. (Below) Council Presiding Officer Celestino Guinagag expresses gladness over the Commissioner’s visit: “We are thankful that finally you have come to our place. We are indeed very happy to meet you.”

“Under the law, Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs) can never be sold, transferred or subdivided. Your CADT is for the Subanon and Kolibugan (Subanon-Muslim) people. You were chosen to lead your people. Be responsible in bringing them growth and development,” he said.

Very lucky

“You are very lucky to have a mining company like TVIRD operating in your ancestral domain. The company has built additional school rooms and hired teachers to educate your children. You have potable drinking water through its water supply project, electricity, adult literacy, livelihood programs and other developments as well as health care. That is what responsible mining is. They bring about development to the area as well as take care of the community,” Apostol told the tribal officials.

Speaking in the local dialect, Apostol said the company has been doing its legal responsibility to the Subanons by consistently remitting to them their royalties. TVIRD has paid the IPs royalties amounting to P5 million in 2005, P14 million in 2006, and P13.3 million from January to November 2007.

(Above) Yulo Perez, TVIRD vice president for Philippine Operations (middle), gives Apostol (left) and NCIP Ancestral Domain Office Chief Humphrey Hamoy (right) a tour of the Canatuan mine. (Below) The visitors pose with TVIRD officials: (from left) Hamoy, TVIRD Vice President for Social Commitments Feliece Yeban, TVI Pacific Corporate Advisor John Ridsdel, Apostol, Perez, TVIRD Public Affairs Manager Lullie Micabalo, and TVIRD Canatuan CReDO Asst. Manager Oscar Covarrubias.

“Dili nato abusahan ang ilang gihatag. Ang pagmina limitado. Pagkahurot na sa minahunon, wala na sila, wala na usab dayon kitay kwarta. Balik na usab kita sa wala [We should not abuse what they have been giving us. Money from mining is limited. When the mineral has been depleted, the company will go. You will go back to zero (if you mismanage your royalties)],” he said.

Council of Elders presiding officer Celestino Guinagag explained that the government awarded in 2003 more than 8,000 hectares of land to the beneficiaries of the CADT belonging to SSAI, which is the legal representative of the title-holders. Within this land is the 508-hectare Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) area that the government had granted to TVIRD in 1996, the same area where TVIRD has been mining gold and silver since mid-2004, and will begin extracting copper and zinc late this year.

Apostol, in response, reminded the tribal officials to respect people who had been granted rights in their lands before the issuance of the CADT.

Beware

In a separate dialogue with officers and members of Subanon women’s and youth groups, the commissioner cautioned the IPs against external organizations that can cause disunity among tribal members. “Beware of some non-government organizations (NGOs) whose agenda can destroy harmonious relationships within the tribe,” he said.

Apostol related that in other areas, relationships among IPs belonging to the same tribe were damaged and peace and order were compromised because of the resulting divisions caused by some NGOs.

“With all these developments they (TVIRD) have brought in, still they cannot please everybody. So, what I can tell you is not to believe in everything that their detractors will say,” he said.

Most of those present in the dialogue agreed with the commissioner. Zenaida Dandana, a 57 year-old member of the Siocon Subanon Women’s Association Inc. said it is true that there are NGOs that are misleading their fellow IPs, some of whom, as a result, are still against development in Canatuan. She added that the Subanon people are a peace-loving people, but the interference of some civil society groups has led to mistrust among members of the tribe. These NGOs who oppose mining, she said, have lured a few Subanons who have vested interests to side with the anti-mining cause.

Dandana also stressed that while TVIRD has provided projects and programs to improve the lot of the Subanons, the NGOs who oppose the company’s operations have not given alternatives that will help the IPs develop and prosper.

Cherry Tii, 16, for her part, said some NGOs are proving to be a hindrance to the development of Canatuan. The Siocon Youth Organization member said she has been witness to TVIRD’s efforts to help not only her elders, but the youth as well. Through the company’s youth development programs, the young people of Canatuan are being molded into becoming better citizens of the republic.

“In the future, Subanon tribes will be proud of Canatuan youths,” Tii declared. “We will become well-educated and will not be fooled by any group who wants to exploit us.”

Visit NCIP

Apostol also fielded questions from the different sectors of the community, going to great lengths in discussing their rights and privileges under the IPRA law, including its limitations. He said the IPRA seeks to recognize, promote and protect the rights of the IPs, including the rights to ancestral domain and lands; to self-governance and empowerment; to social justice and human rights; and to cultural integrity.

He encouraged the Subanons to visit the NCIP Regional Office if they want to know more about IPRA; he provided updates on the Commission’s plans and programs so that the IPs can avail themselves of services extended by the government.

“If you have problems regarding our rights as Subanons under the IPRA, please go to the right agency, our NCIP office. No other office or agency can help you except NCIP since that is our mandate,” Apostol stressed. “Never hesitate to visit our office. We are here to help you like TVIRD does. With regards to scholarships, we are happy to inform you that our office also has one. We may be able to help those who cannot be accommodated by TVIRD’s scholarship program.”

Apostol was accompanied by NCIP Ancestral Domain Office chief Humphrey Hamoy, as well as TVI Pacific Inc Corporate Advisor John Ridsdel, and TVIRD Vice President for Social Commitments Feliece Yeban. Apostol and Hamoy were provided an operations briefing by TVIRD Vice President for Philippine Operations Yulo Perez. (Lullie Micabalo, with reports from Raymond Acopiado and Rene Patangan)