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NEWS & Updates
ANCESTRAL LAND DOMAIN TITLE AWARDED AT LAST!
By Emmanuel Drewery, 20 January 2010
Tribal Leaders Raul dela Cruz and Carlito Domulot, with ADO Myrna Caogas, Fr. Shay Cullen, and NCIP Officials during the awarding of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title(CADT) by Presidential Usec. Lorelei Fajardo
After many years of struggle and hardship, the rights of the
indigenous people (IP) of Botolan to their ancestral domain were
formally recognized. This was done through an awarding ceremony of the
certificate of ancestral domain title (CADT) by Presidential
UnderSecetary Lorelei C..Fajardo last 14 January 2010 at the covered
basketball court in Botolan Town proper. Tribal Chieftain Raul dela
Cruz, NAGSIKAP Chairman and Carlito Domulot, Chairman of LAKAS IP Group
in Botolan spearheaded the event.
The award recognized what was already theirs by natural and
constitutional law - their rightful claim to their ancestral domain. It
recognized their lawful claim to15,000 hectare of land including Mt.
Pinatubo land mass and surrounding mountainous areas where the
indigenous people have lived for thousands of years.
The gathering was well represented by local, provincial and national
government representatives and non-government organizations that helped
advance this initiative of the indigenous people. Different Aeta
communities and leaders were also present to witness the historical
awarding of the land rights after long years of campaigning to have it
approved.
Among those who were present at the ceremony were National Commission on
Indigenous People (NCIP) Officials Chairman Atty. Eugenio Ensigne,
Commissioner Rolando Rivera, Regional 3 Director Salong Sunggod,
Ancestral Domain Officer (ADO) Director Myrna Caogas. Zambales 2nd
District Congressman Antonio Diaz, Board Member Atty. Wilfredo Pangan,
Botolan Vice Mayor Melly Basa, Botolan Municipal Administrator Erlyn
Rico, and Municipal Councilor Jesus Jaring.
Support groups like Project Development Institute (PDI) represented by
Aurea Miclat-Teves, Executive Director, and Non-Government Organizations
like Panlipi represented by Atty. Girlie de Guzman and Preda Foundation
represented by Father Shay Cullen, founder & President were also present
during the event.
Father Shay Cullen, gave a powerful speech emphasizing the rights of the
indigenous people to this land ever since civilization began in the
Philippines and calling on the stakeholders of human rights protection
especially the government to help the IP protect it from land grabbers
especially that Zambales is a hotbed for logging and mining in the
Philippines.
Preda has been assisting indigenous groups in Zambales through
organizing, seminars, workshops and for empowerment, educational
assistance and fair trading.