NCIP-CAR told to furnish city list of certificates of ancestral titles

City officials recently requested the Cordillera office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP-CAR) to furnish the local legislative body a list of certificates of ancestral land titles (CALTs) applicants within the 139-hectare property of the city government located within barangays Camp 7, Bakakeng Norte, Sto. Tomas Proper, and Sto. Tomas School area, including a composite map determining all ancestral land claims in the said area.

Under Resolution No. 116, series of 2023, local legislators stated that providing a composite map showing the positions and plotting the lots of ancestral land claims as well as the ancestral domain in the area covered by the city-owned property in the said barangays is necessary to determine areas that might be needing negotiations with the ancestral land claimants or there might be areas which are not covered by claims and free so that the local government can proceed with its plans regarding its solid waste management.

Earlier, resource persons from the NCIP-CAR who were invited by the city legislative body manifested that more than 80 hectares out of the 139-hectare city-owned property located in barangays Camp 7, Bakakeng Norte, Sto. Tomas proper and Sto. Tomas School area have applied for CALTs.

The city government is targeting to use a portion of this city-owned property for various uses, such as the establishment of an engineered sanitary landfill (ESL), socialized housing, among others, to help in decongesting the city’s central business area from development and to maximize the potentials of available lands for public use.

The NCIP is the government agency tasked to accept, process and issue the certificate of ancestral land titles of qualified applicants for the issuance of the same having occupied their lands since time in memorial.

Section 78 of Republic Act (RA) 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) recognizes the charter of Baguio City, however, all lands acquired through various judicial orders and administrative proceedings shall be respected. – Dexter A. See