NCIP-10 ‘useless’, lumads say

Displaced lumads encamped for over a month now at the provincial capitol park called the National Commission on Indigenous PeoplesNorthern Mindanao (NCIP-10) ‘useless’ and ‘inutile’ for the agency’s supposed repeated failure to address their plight.

The evacuees from Sitio Camansi, Banglay in Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental staged a 30-minute picket rally outside the NCIP regional office in TianoDel Pilar streets, this city, Friday, July 13, to seek help but the agency ignored them as none of its officials face the protesters.

Sariza Acosta, spokesperson of the Tagtabulon lumad organization, said they have been sending several position letters to the NCIP-Northern Mindanao but they received no answers.

She said they wanted the NCIP-Northern Mindanao to help them address the reasons why they refuse to return to their community.

“Gapatabang mi sa NCIP nga makauli mi kay ngalan nga NCIP kini maoy ahensya nga motubag sa problema sa mga lumad,”Acosta said.

Acosta said the NCIP-Northern Mindanao never visited them since the beginning of their encampment at the capitol park.

“Wala gyud na sila makaduaw sa amo diri dunay usa ka doktor nga nag-anhi nga taga NCIP daw pero gipangasab-an pa ang mga bakwit,”Acosta said.

“Sa among rally gidungawan ra mi nila ug nangatawa. Gikataw-an lang nila ang issue sa mga lumad,”she added.

Acosta said the government should instead dissolve the NCIP because it fails to deliver its mandate.

“Kung kami pabut-on may pa walaon na lang na nga ahensya kay wala man kanay nahimo unya gipasweldohan sa buhis sa katawhan,”.