PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The local office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) here will soon have a bigger office at the government center in Barangay Sta. Monica.
Engr. Roldan Parangue, the provincial head of the NCIP, said Monday though they have a 48-square meter two-story building office, it is no longer enough to provide accommodation to their indigenous peoples (IP) guests from far-flung barangays and to service their other clients.
He said the transfer to the government center, which is also in Sta. Monica, was encouraged by the PHP1 million fund provided by 2nd Palawan District Rep. Eric Abueg.
The construction of the new office building, targeted to start within this year, will be managed by the Department of Public Works and Highways, but the problem is that the proposed area given by the city government has not been prepared yet.
“What we are worried about is that we cannot implement the construction yet because the area is not yet ready. When the city gave us the area, its processing was not completed,” Parangue said.
Parangue said in 2016, Mayor Lucilo Bayron granted his request for the use of a 500-square meter lot property at the government center, allowing them to process a contract of usufruct or the right to enjoy the use and advantages of another’s property.
However, the processing of the agreement was halted due to the problem the city government faced when Bayron was suspended by the Ombudsman’s Office and an acting mayor was placed.
He admitted not returning to complete the contract process as he was afraid it might get invalidated in the long run and if the decision against Bayron is overturned.
“Hindi ko binalikan ang usufruct noong merong acting mayor, baka mas maging mahirap ang proseso at isa pa baka ma-invalid, magka-problema pagdating ng panahon. Pero noong nakabalik na si Mayor Bayron, I was informed na may nabago sa rules and regulations ng city sa pag-grant ng lupa sa government center, (I did not return for the usufruct when there was an acting mayor, thinking processing would be more difficult and it would be invalid, and it would become a problem in the future. But when Mayor Bayron came back, I was informed there were changes in the city’s rules and regulation in the granting of land at the government center) ” he said.
One of these conditions was the granted property must be utilized and developed within a period of one year, he said.
“Ang mag-de-desisyon nito ay si Mayor Bayron at hihilingin ko muna na e-exempt kami sa bagong policy para mapadali ang proseso, (The decision will be up to the mayor and I will ask for us to be exemplted from the new policy so the processing (of the usufruct) will be expedited) ” he said. (Celeste Anna Formoso/PNA)
