The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP) have forged a tie-up to improve existing guidelines on collective certificates of land ownership involving ancestral domains.
Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III spearheaded the NCIP reorientation on the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) with leveling-off of a joint administrative order between the two agencies.
The move was taken in recognition of the significant role of indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples to secure the efficient and effective implementation of the SPLIT project.
“This is an opportune time for us to discuss and hold consultations so that everything is done through consensus. Everything that we do here is always based on the provisions of the law. But of course, we are always compassionate to our people, especially our indigenous tribes,“ Estrella said.
The two-day in-depth orientation served as a platform for DAR and the NCIP to further discuss and improve existing policies and guidelines on the collective certification of land ownership award with potential overlaps to ancestral domains nationwide.
Because of the continuing collaboration, an enhanced joint administrative order is expected to be issued with streamlined processes for both government agencies to allow the fast-tracking of the SPLIT project.