Department of Finance at National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, lumagda ng kasunduan para matiyak na nababayaran ng tama ng mining firms ang Indigenous Peoples communities
DOF Usec. Bayani Agabin / courtesy of PCO
Mas paiigtingin ng Department of Finance (DOF) at National Commission on Indigeneous Peoples (NCIP) ang kolaborasyon, para matiyak na nababantayan at nababayaran ng mining firms ng tamang royalties ang indigeneous peoples communities.
Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng nilagdaang memorandum of understanding ng DOF- Philippine Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (DOF- PH -EITI) at NCIP, para sa data sharing at monitoring guidelines sa IP-related payment ng mga minahan.
Layunin nito na maging transparent, tama at kumpletong naitatala ang royalties at masiguro na natatanggap ng IP communities ang mga ito na magagamit sa kanilang mga programa gaya sa edukasyon.
Sa tala ng PH-EITI mula 2013 hanggang 2022, umabot sa P100 bilyon ang naibayad na royalties ng mga minahan sa IP communities pero ito ay maaaring mas mataas pa.
Ayon kay finance undersecretary Bayani Agabin, “We think it is much higher, with this MOA if were able to share data, then we will see the true picture as to how much the royalties are we think the figure is understated.”
Sinabi naman ni NCIP Chair Jennifer Pia Sibug-Las, “With this partnership that we have with PH-EITI which fosters transparency, accountability as well as sustainability and inclusivity sa ating mga katutubong Pilipino, we are confident that our indigeneous peoples with the resources that we have, with the resources that are open to infomation, we will be able to come up with projects with directions that will fully support whatever their plans for the future most esp. yung sa ating scholarship.”
Moira Encina-Cruz
