TABUK CITY, Kalinga — A group of elders and Indigenous leaders in Kalinga is asking the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to stop the consultation process for two planned hydropower projects.

The process was unfair and did not properly include the community, the group claimed.

Most villagers fear environmental harm and the possible loss of their cultural heritage when the hydropower projects are pursued.

The elders told NCIP-Cordillera Director Roland P. Calde that the consultation process violated the rules, referring to Section 29 of NCIP Administrative Order No. 3, 2012, which allows discontinuation of the process if there is evidence of cheating, pressure, or lack of real community involvement.

The Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process is a legal requirement. It ensures Indigenous Peoples (IPs) agree to any project on their ancestral land before it begins.

The petition highlights the need for fairness, honesty, and respect for Indigenous rights in big development projects.

Director Calde said he received the petition and promised to review it carefully. He added that any decision to stop the process will follow the proper legal steps. — Artemio A. Dumlao

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