BIBAK to reclaim CEB, CRA building 06-01-22

	NORDIS WEEKLY January 22, 2006
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BIBAK to reclaim CEB, CRA building
BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 21) — The Regional Development Council (RDC) here initiated recently the move for Benguet-Ifugao-Bontoc-Apayao-Kalinga (BIBAK) to reacquire its 5,000 square meter land and building from the Cordillera Executive Board (CEB) and Cordillera Regional Assembly (CRA). RDC, through the Committee on Indigenous People Concerns (CIPC), chaired by the Regional Director of National Commission on Indigenous People Cordillera Administrative Region (NCIP-CAR) lawyer Leilene Carrantes-Gallardo, has drafted a resolution and has formed the Technical Working Group supporting the BIBAK call. Report says, the idea of reacquisition came from indigenous people (IP) students from different Cordillera universities and colleges and the CIPC during bodong, their own forum, sometime in November last year. According to a narrative brief written by Atty. Juvy Ramirez-Manwong, legal officer of NCIP-CAR, the CRA then “unlawfully used and occupied the building for many years and it is now called as the CRA building, after a series of BIBAK management turn-overs.” Moreover, it was known that CRA, headed by Atty. Sergio Kawi, is not the only one occupying the hall but also some members of the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA). In addition, there are about 40 informal settlers on the said site all for residential and commercial purposes. Rosemarie Gonab of Progressive Igorots for Social Action (PIGSA) said that it would be better if the said lot and building were reverted to its original occupant which is the BIBAK. She said it should be maximized as student and information center for IPs instead of making it a commercial area. Furthermore, NCIP’s City Consultative Body Treasurer Jose Cawiding disclosed his group’s plan of pushing a centralized BIBAK organization from various school chapters to solidify their movement, and to establish a legal body that will act towards the cause. Ramirez-Manwong concluded that if the BIBAK properties will be reacquired, it would provide more benefits to IP students studying in the city like low-cost housing, more accessible youth and information center, among others. # Keith Sison/UP intern for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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	NORDIS WEEKLY January 22, 2006
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
BIBAK to reclaim CEB, CRA building
BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 21) — The Regional Development Council (RDC) here initiated recently the move for Benguet-Ifugao-Bontoc-Apayao-Kalinga (BIBAK) to reacquire its 5,000 square meter land and building from the Cordillera Executive Board (CEB) and Cordillera Regional Assembly (CRA). RDC, through the Committee on Indigenous People Concerns (CIPC), chaired by the Regional Director of National Commission on Indigenous People Cordillera Administrative Region (NCIP-CAR) lawyer Leilene Carrantes-Gallardo, has drafted a resolution and has formed the Technical Working Group supporting the BIBAK call. Report says, the idea of reacquisition came from indigenous people (IP) students from different Cordillera universities and colleges and the CIPC during bodong, their own forum, sometime in November last year. According to a narrative brief written by Atty. Juvy Ramirez-Manwong, legal officer of NCIP-CAR, the CRA then “unlawfully used and occupied the building for many years and it is now called as the CRA building, after a series of BIBAK management turn-overs.” Moreover, it was known that CRA, headed by Atty. Sergio Kawi, is not the only one occupying the hall but also some members of the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA). In addition, there are about 40 informal settlers on the said site all for residential and commercial purposes. Rosemarie Gonab of Progressive Igorots for Social Action (PIGSA) said that it would be better if the said lot and building were reverted to its original occupant which is the BIBAK. She said it should be maximized as student and information center for IPs instead of making it a commercial area. Furthermore, NCIP’s City Consultative Body Treasurer Jose Cawiding disclosed his group’s plan of pushing a centralized BIBAK organization from various school chapters to solidify their movement, and to establish a legal body that will act towards the cause. Ramirez-Manwong concluded that if the BIBAK properties will be reacquired, it would provide more benefits to IP students studying in the city like low-cost housing, more accessible youth and information center, among others. # Keith Sison/UP intern for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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