Table Talk By: Mike S. Apostol Universal Health Care (UHC) for all local groups The Department of Health (DOH), The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), signed last Monday, the guidelines on how to implement this UHC. If this will be successfully implemented, the group that will benefit most and the group who needed them most are the Indigenous Peoples (IP) whose communities composed for at least 13 % of the total Philippines population but they are the most neglected. But the success of the UHC remains to be seen, even with all these guarantees by the implementing government agencies. *** The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA Law) or Republic Act No. 8371, approved on October 29, 1997 by then President Fidel Ramos when Honorable Jose De Venecia Jr. was Speaker of the House of Representatives and Honorable Ernesto M. Maceda was President of the Senate, incorporates all these basic services. Under Chapter V, Social Justice and Human Rights, Section 25, Basic Services it states “The ICCs/IPs, have the right to special measures for the immediate, effective and continuing improvement of their economic and social conditions, including in the areas of employment, vocational training and retraining, housing, sanitation, health and social security. Particular attentions shall be paid to the rights and special needs of indigenous women, elderly, youth, children and differently-abled persons. Accordingly, the State shall guarantee the rights of ICCs/IPs to government basic services which shall include, but not limited to, water and electrical facilities, education, health and infrastructures”, (unquote). This IPRA Law is in existence for sixteen (16) years, older than the many Republic Acts which are totally implemented like the Juvenile Law. Meantime, the great majority of IPs in the country is wallowing in misery due to government neglect. This UHC guidelines although a welcome relief but it is long overdue and nobody can predict that it can address to the health problems of the IPS for as long as the funding for this program will be provided by the Local Government Units, City Provinces and Municipalities, where except for a few cities, most municipalities and provinces are bankrupt. *** Another provision of the IPRA Law long neglected by the government and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is the mandatory representation of a qualified member of an IP in the Legislative Body of all local government units and decision making bodies. Chapter IV, Right To Self-Governance and Empowerment, Section 16, Right to Participate in Decision-Making, it states ”ICCs/IPs have the right to participate fully, if they so choose, at all levels of decision-making in matters which may affect their rights, lives and destinies through procedures determined by them as well as to maintain and develop their own indigenous political structures. Consequently, the State shall ensure that the ICCs/IPs shall be given mandatory representation in policy making bodies and other legislative councils” (unquote). A memorandum Order from the DILG ordering all local government units to provide funds in their Annual Budgets, but, this DILG Memo was ignored by almost all local government units so until today ICCs/IPs are not aptly represented in all policy making bodies which is a gross violation to Republic Act 8371. *** Republic Act 8371 or the IPRA Law was enacted by the Philippine Government to correct the “centuries of neglect and mistake” done to their aborigines and Indigenous Peoples. In Fact the United Nations adopted the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 1989 adopted ILO Convention No. 169, declaring it “the only international instrument relating exclusively to indigenous and tribal peoples and setting forth in a comprehensive manner the basic rights of these peoples and the obligation of the State towards them. It was adopted in June 7, 1989 and came into force in 1991. The Convention revises an earlier one, the Indigenous and tribal Population Convention (ILO Convention No. 107) adopted by the ILO in 1957”. A few years ago the Government of Australia issued a nationwide apology to their aborigines for all the wrong they have done them starting from their forefathers and promised to make up. The United States of America are now giving concessions in business and industries to include protection from their homeland to their American Indians (red necks). Japan, Taiwan and South Korea are now preserving and protecting their Indigenous peoples and cultures, even if their IP numbers are only few because of integration. Malaysia and Indonesia preserved their culture and tradition and made it part of their governments. Only in the Philippines, home of more or less 137 tribes and sub-tribes spread in her 7000 islands and composing 13 % of its national population are still treated as “Indios” even with all the Constitutional guarantees. *** Scoop: All brown Filipinos came from a certain tribe and the Filipino legend of “Malakas at si Maganda, putok sa kawayan” is a myth. Take time to know your roots and you will be freed from your vanities. Agree or disagree. ***
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 00:30:13 +0000
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