Surigao del sur: An Indigenous People (IP) leader in Surigao del Sur, Datu Rico Maca, has expressed approval of the recent administrative change transferring the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) to the Office of the President (OP), a move that he believes will enhance government focus on IP issues.
According to Philippines News Agency, the transfer, which was formalized through Executive Order No. 71, shifts the NCIP from its previous placement under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Maca anticipates that this change will lead to improved resource allocation and more effective implementation of programs aimed at protecting IP rights and ancestral lands.
Maca extended his gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos for his decision to prioritize IP communities, stating, “This transfer assures us that our concerns will be heard at the highest level.” He highlighted that the move is expected to bolster accountability and transparency in delivering services to IPs, addressin
g long-standing issues within these communities.
The new arrangement overturns a previous executive order from 2018, which had placed the NCIP under the supervision of the DSWD. With the commission now operating under the OP, Maca foresees enhanced support for its programs, services, and advocacy efforts in the future.