NEWS
20February
Photo courtesy NCIP fb pages
IGRB facilitates agreement to strengthen IP’s rights in BARMM
- Feb 20, 2025
- Taher G. Solaiman
- HITS: 694
MOA signed to protect IP’s rights
On Monday, February 10, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MIPA) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the IGRB facilitating the process. This agreement aims to preserve the rights of IPs, ensure their welfare, and empower them to address emerging challenges to their well-being.
The signing of the MOA follows the expiration of a previous Memorandum of Cooperation between the NCIP and MIPA in November 2024. The IGRB established a technical working group in 2021 to address issues affecting IPs in the BARMM, leading to the signing of this new agreement.
Sustaining partnerships for IPs
Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, who also serves as the IGRB co-chairperson for the national government, emphasized the importance of the IGRB in facilitating this renewal.
“…the IGRB has taken necessary steps to facilitate its renewal, allowing the collaboration between the NCIP and the MIPA to effectively address the concerns of the indigenous peoples and indigenous cultural communities within the BARMM,” Pangandaman said.
Pangandaman also reaffirmed her department’s full support to IPs in the Bangsamoro.
“We remain fully committed to supporting the policies and programs that advance the interests and rights of our indigenous peoples,” she added.
Inclusivity as a guiding principle
BARMM Education Minister and IGRB co-chairperson for the Bangsamoro government, Mohagher Iqbal, highlighted the significance of the MOA for ensuring the inclusion of indigenous peoples in governance and decision-making.
“It is a guiding principle that reminds us that through autonomy and self-governances, [we] must immerse all voices, raising the voices especially of those of our indigenous communities whose rich traditions, ancestral lands and cultural heritage form an integral part of our region’s identity,” Iqbal said.
Commitment to protecting IP’s rights and promoting development
Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Sec. Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. emphasized that the MOA will “facilitate cooperation, provide protection, and champion the rights of our IPs.” He expressed hope that the agreement will expedite the resolution of key issues, fostering inclusive peace and development for non-Moro indigenous peoples and their communities in the Bangsamoro.
Strengthening peacebuilding and inclusivity
The signing of the MOA demonstrates the commitment of both the national and Bangsamoro governments to upholding the rights and interests of indigenous communities. It underscores the importance of collaboration and inclusivity in building a more peaceful and prosperous future for the Bangsamoro region.
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