HOUSEOF REPRESENTATIVES |
| (RECEIVED |
22 AUG 2016
Republic of the Philippines DATE ish
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TIVE:
Quezon City By: Ww

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SEVENTEENTH CONGRES$

REGISTRATION UNIT
Hist Repair nese! LS. AND IN VICE
3221 aoe

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HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. RONALD M. COSALAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill was originally introduced as House Bill No. 3153 by the Hon. Rufus B.
Rodriguez during the 14 Congress where it was approved by the House of
Representatives and transmitted to the Senate. It was again refilled during the 15t and
16% Congresses as HB. No. 604 and 1220, respectively, where it was approved by the
Committee on National Cultural Communities. It was substituted by HB No. 3747,
approved on 3"! reading and transmitted to the Senate, but was not acted upon.

Republic Act 8371, otherwise known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of
1997 (IPRA) is a landmark legislation intended to address the concerns of the cultural
communities and indigenous peoples throughout the country. Section 12 thereof
provides indigenous peoples an option to secure title of ancestral lands in their
continuous possession and occupation for a period of not less than thirty years. Under
Section 64, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) is mandated to take
appropriate actions to recover legal domains which were illegally acquired.

For failure of the NCIP and the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources to effect the implementing, rules and regulations for Section 12, the option
was not provided to indigenous peoples, especially in the Cordilleras where ancestral
lands usually have a slope of eighteen percent or more, being, a mountainous region.
‘The twenty year period to exercise this option expires in 2017.

The NCIP is also given two (2) years to perform such functions as provided for
under Section 64 but the prescribed period has already expired on 22 November 1999.

This bill seeks to remedy this unfortunate situation. The hope is that our
indigenous brothers and sisters will be given the opportunity to finally own the land


they till and acquire a better chance to improve their lot. Ownership of their land
would not only give them pride, but would even allow them to seek financial and
technical assistance to improve their production.

Hence, it is hereby proposed that the option in Section 12, IPRA be extended to
another twenty (20) years and the NCIP be granted a new ten (10) year period to

perform the same task as provided under Sec. 64 of the IPRA.

Support for this bill is earnestly sought.

rete

RONALD M. COSALA\
istrict, Benguet



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3221

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON, RONALD M. COSALAN

AN ACT

EXTENDING THE PERIOD FOR INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COMMUNITIES/
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO EXERCISE THE OPTION TO SECURE TITLE TO
THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS UNDER LAND REGISTRATION ACT 496 AND
GRANTING A NEW FIVE (5) YEAR PERIOD TO THE NATIONAL COMMISSION
ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (NCIP) TO TAKE APPROPRIATE LEGAL ACTION
FOR THE CANCELLATION OF OFFICIALLY DOCUMENTED TITLES WHICH
WERE ILLEGALLY ACQUIRED, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 12
AND 64 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8371, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS ACT OF 1997”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assenibled:

SECTION 1. The option to secure a Certificate of Title under Commonwealth
Act No. 141, otherwise known as the Land Registration Act 496, as amended, as
provided for under Section 12 of Republic Act No, 8371, otherwise known as the
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act, is hereby extended for another twenty (20) years
effective upon the expiration of the first period.

SECTION 2. The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) is hereby
granted a new five (5) year period within which to take appropriate legal action for the
cancellation of officially documented titles which were acquired illegally, as provided
for under Section 64 of Republic Act No. 8371.

s TION 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in any
newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,