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BIBAK to reclaim Harrison property

BAGUIO CITY (Feb. 17) — Benguet, Ifugao, Bontoc, Apayao, Kalinga (BIBAK), together and the Cordillera National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP-CAR) initially set an organizational assembly to tackle issues concerning the reacquisition of the controversial properties along Harrison Road that the former Cordillera Regional Assembly and Cordillera Executive Board are now occupying.

Just recently, BIBAK and NCIP-CAR set a general assembly with the Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR)-Cordillera to talk about the status of the said land and building.

BIBAK students and officers from different universities and colleges here said that the properties should be reclaimed and be officially titled in their name. They are now seeking help from the city council for some legal assistance.

Based on a report by Atty. Juvy Ramirez-Manwong, legal officer of NCIP-CAR, city councilor Faustino Olowan has passed a resolution to Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo requesting the proclamation of title in the name of BIBAK.

However, DENR-Cordillera remains firm with the law that private corporations like BIBAK cannot own real properties. Nordis learned that the properties are now under the administration of DENR-Cordillera that allowed the subject land’s exclusive use of “current” BIBAK students and not the old ones.

The general assembly also talked about the development plans of the group for 2006. They also concurred to solicit funds from the Igorot Global Organization (IGO).

Meanwhile, last January 28 in a meeting organized by Technical Working Group of NCIP, the BIBAK came up with an ad hoc committee that will temporarily head the organization. According to Atty. Manwong, the meeting decided for an ad hoc only to be fair with other schools that were not represented in the meeting.

Official leaders will be chosen as soon as all representatives of various schools, agencies, and organizations concerned are convened. Elected officers in the meantime are Denver David from Saint Louis University (SLU) as chairperson and Ben Umila from University of the Cordilleras (UC) as vice chairperson.

Participating schools in the assembly were University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB), University of Baguio (UB), SLU, UC, Benguet State University (BSU), Cordillera Career Development College, Baguio Central University, STI, AMA, Data Center College, Meridian School, and Easter College.

Meanwhile, Congressman Mauricio Domogan pledged P5,000 for the BIBAK fund during the assembly.

A report by Crislyn Zarate, development management officer II of NCIP, said that five committees were raised in the said meeting namely sports, environmental concerns, academic, socio-cultural, and paralegal.

Finally, Zarate added that they will be conducting series of workshops and leadership trainings for the committees this coming summer break. # Keith Sison/UP Intern for NORDIS

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