03 JUL 2013

Republic ofthe Philippines Pa fl

at)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City (
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

985

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REP. TEDDY BRAWNER BAGUILAT

AN ACT CREATING A JOINT CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
FOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS ACT

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

‘The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997 (IPRA) was a landmark legislation, considered
to be one of the best in the world for recognizing and protecting the basic right and culture
of Indigenous Peoples (IP).

More than a decade since its passage, the IPRA still has been unable to successfully alleviate
the welfare of IPs in the country. What promised to be a shining beacon of hope for its
beneficiaries has been dimmed by the passage of time, the bureaucratic muddle and the
ineptness of those who have been tasked to oversee the implementation of the IPRA.

Over the years, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) have been accused
of collusion with individuals and other parties who take advantage of the lack of knowledge
and benign nature of IPs, the people whom they are supposed to protect. Vast tracts of
ancestral domains are not in the hands of non-IPs and its original owners uprooted from
lands that they have previously possessed since time immemorial. Scarce natural resources
located in lands owned by fellow IPs by virtue of their birthright as provided under the law
are being exploited by non-IPs. For these reasons, I am re-filing House Bill No. 4563, which
Thave authored in the 15 Congress.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

985

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REP. TEDDY BRAWNER BAGUILAT

AN ACT CREATING A JOINT CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
FOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS ACT

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives ofthe Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. The following section of Republic Act No. 8371 should read as follows:

Section82. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee- There is hereby created a Joint
Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor the implementation of this Act. The
Committee shall be composed of five (5) senators and five (5) Representatives. The
Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and the Chairperson of the
House Committee on National Cultural Communities shall be ec-gfiéo members of the
Committee. The four (4) Senators and four (4) Representatives shall be appointed by the
Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively, the
Oversight Committee shall be co-chaired by the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on
Cultural Communities and the Chairperson of the House Committee on National Cultural
Communities.

‘The mandate given to the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee under this act
shall be without prejudice to the performance of the duties and functions by the respective
existing oversight committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Section 83. Section 82 x x x x

Section 84. Section 83 x x x x

Section 85. Section 84 x x x x

{CTION 2. Separability Clause. — If any portion or provision of this Act is declared void or
unconstitutional, the remaining portions or provisions hereof shall not be affected by such
declaration.

SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. — Any provision of law or regulations inconsistent herewith is


hereby repealed, revoked or modified accordingly.

SECTION 4. Effetisity. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its
publication in the Offial Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation in
the Philippines.

Approved,