BK holds Mindanao IP Summit on Extractive Industry

Last September 8-9, Bantay Kita co-organized, with the Tribal Leaders Development Foundation Inc., (TLDFI) and USAID, the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Summit on Extractive Industry in Davao City inviting more than 100 indigenous peoples leaders and members from various tribes where there is presence of mining.

​The 2-day program aims to capacitate and further identify governance and capacity gaps in communities on matters such as royalty management, free prior, and informed consent (FPIC) negotiations, and issues on the indigenous peoples rights act (IPRA). Activities during the event included simulation of FPIC negotiations, regional action planning, and also sharing of good practices on royalty management.

Some participants have identified the need for capacity building on financial management systems while some mentioned gaps in the assistance extended by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) which is the primary government agency tasked to cater to the welfare of the IPs.

The event was held in Waterfront Hotel Davao. Representatives from the Philippine Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Secretariat and various CSOs were also present in the event.