IP Rep. Add’l Member of the Sanggunian

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza, MPA

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Sanggunian (legislative council) all over the country will be seeing their members debating, compromising, and passing laws with a member of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) based on the instruction of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) that an IP representative will be part of the legislature.

“Based on the national policy nagbigay ng kautusan ang national government and the different national agencies with regards to the implementation of the installation of an I.P sector or sectoral representative not just sa sanggunian panlalawigan even the sanggunian bayan when applicable. Kaya ang utos po ngayon ng national government, of course, the sanggunian panlalawigan would follow the guidelines,” said by Pangasinan Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino.

Lambino cited that the Sanggunian Panlalawigan (provincial legislature) in Pangasinan will be creating a body composed of its selected seven members to identify those IP and their groups in the province.

“And from there iyong (inaudible) will be conducting regular consultation. Mag iinvite po ng iba’t ibang mga stakeholders. Even the different department po ng provincial government, the legal officer, and the mga iba’t ibang I.P representatives, even the different LGUs po na meron ng mga I.P representatives we will also invite them to seek their position dito. Of course we have to invite officials from the different national agencies –NCIP for one -- para mabigyan din kami ng proper guidance kung paano po ang implementation nito,” he stressed.

The lawmaking body of the provincial government is composed of twelve regularly elected Board Members (BMs) from the six districts of Pangasinan with three ex-officio members from the presidents of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) - Pangasinan Chapter, provincial chapter of the Liga ng mga Barangay, and the Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan. With one lawmaker from the IP, the total members of the Sanggunian Panlalawigan will become sixteen.

Just like the three ex officio members, the one from the I.P will be ex-officio too. It means “by right of office”.

The last term Vice Governor said there are IP in the towns of San Nicolas, Sison, Mangatarem, Aguilar, Labrador, Sual, Infanta, and Umingan.

Those in Labrador and Sual are not homegrown but settlers (dayo) there.

“Pangalawa, we have to identify what are the indigenous people’s groups here in the province. Meron tayo sa western (Pangasinan), meron din po tayo sa eastern Pangasinan and what are the different organized group na rin po ng mga I.Ps dito”.

SELECTION

An indigenous person is selected to sit as an Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) in a local legislative council (Sanggunian) through a community-driven process based on customary laws, rather than through standard government elections. This process is governed by the NCIP guidelines under Republic Act No. 8371 (IPRA Law).

CORE QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be a natural-born, bona fide member of the specific Indigenous Cultural Community (ICC) or Indigenous People (IP) in that local government unit
• Must be recognized and trusted as a leader by their traditional Indigenous Political Structure (IPS) or community elders.
• Must be knowledgeable about tribal customs, traditions, and practices.
• Must be a registered voter and able to read and write.

The Selection Process

• Community Assembly: The local indigenous community and clan elders convene to discuss, draft, and ratify their own localized selection guidelines in harmony with national NCIP rules.
• Nomination and Consensus: Nominees are chosen through traditional consensus-building, dialogue, or assemblies, avoiding partisan political campaigning.
• Validation and Certification: The NCIP validates the proceedings, confirms that customary laws were followed, and issues a Certificate of Affirmation (COA).
• Assumption of Office: After getting the COA and taking an oath before an authorized officer, the chosen Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) officially sits as a full-fledged member of the Sangguniang Barangay, Bayans/Municipal, or Panlalawigan/Provincial level