WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3115/96 by Maartje van PUTTEN to the Commission. National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) project, Philippines
Date: 1996-11-18
Institutions: European Parliament, VAN PUTTEN
Subjects: EU aid, Philippines, bilateral agreement, development plan, indigenous population, living conditions, project evaluation, protected area, public awareness campaign













EUR-Lex - 91996E3115 - EN






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91996E3115

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3115/96 by Maartje van PUTTEN to the Commission. National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) project, Philippines  


Official Journal C 105 , 03/04/1997 P. 0051 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3115/96 by Maartje van Putten (PSE) to the Commission (18 November 1996)Subject: National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) project, PhilippinesCan the Commission say whether the consultations with indigenous peoples for which the bilateral agreement between the Philippines Government and the Commission provides have already taken place within the framework of the NIPAS project?If so, can the Commission say what the outcome of these consultations was?Can the Commission also say precisely how the indigenous peoples are involved in the formulation, management, implementation and evaluation of the project?Do the indigenous peoples in the NIPAS area feel in any way threatened by the project?Can the Commission say how the NIPAS project will help to meet the short- and long-term needs of indigenous peoples living in NIPAS areas?Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission (9 January 1997)The national integrated protected areas programme (NIPAP) in the Philippines is currently approaching the end of its inception phase (recruitment of staff, setting up of office facilities, procurement of vehicles). So far only limited consultations have been carried out with indigenous peoples, intended essentially for introduction and briefing about the programme. The regular and in-depth consultations required for implementation, as specified in the bilateral agreement, should start next year when NIPAP will endeavour to carry out on-site field preparatory activities.The initial consultations would seem to indicate the NIPAP's objectives and activities are compatible with the desires and needs of the indigenous peoples. However, if during the subsequent stages of the project any of the indigenous people should choose not to participate further in NIPAP, their protected area will be dropped from the programme, as indicated in the bilateral agreement.Consultation with indigenous peoples will take place in various ways but mainly through the so-called community-based approach, which is generally adopted in Community-assisted development projects in the Philippines. The community-based approach ensures full involvement and acceptance of the project by the local communities.Although some indigenous peoples are concerned that the legislation in force (i.e. the national integrated protected areas system (NIPAS) law of 1992) might affect their culture and livelihood because of the enforcement of restrictions on their way of living, there are no indications that they feel threatened by the project. Moreover, the bilateral agreement specifies that no interventions will be undertaken without the consent of indigenous cultural communities.NIPAP actually helps the indigenous peoples to deal with their subsistence level in the short-term through the introduction of alternative economic activities. The long-term interests of the indigenous people will be taken care of through various measures such as delineation and demarcation of protected areas which are to be managed by the communities, assistance in their claims for ancestral domains and improvement of their living conditions.