Indigenous Communities Mourn Death of 1st Rep in Palawan Board; in No Hurry to Replace Him

Indigenous communities in Palawan are mourning the death of Board Member Noel Jagmis, their first Indigenous Peoples' Mandatory Representative (IPMR) in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, but they are not in a hurry to replace him.

This was revealed by the Nagkakaisang Tribo ng Palawan (Natripal) in a press conference called by the Palawan NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI) recently.

Brooke's Point IPMR Councilor Victor Colili said that at present, they have not yet talked about who will replace Jagmis, who died due to an ailment, in the Provincial Board.

"What we are actually planning right now is to set up the proper guidelines in the selection process at the provincial level. We want to fix the guidelines in the selection and endorsement process first," Colili said.

He added that the regional office of the National Commission on the Indigenous People (NCIP) has earmarked a budget for the said process.

"The NCIP has already earmarked a budget and once we convene, this is what we will discuss first so, that when the time comes that a representative is selected, it will be a consensus.

Unlike before, there are those who are supportive to the representative and yet there are also those who are petitioning for his replacement," Colili furthered.

PNNI Executive Director Atty. Robert Chan also aired sentiments regarding the previous process where he said that Jagmis did not actually undergo the selection process by the IP's.

"If you look at the history, former board member Jagmis was actually just appointed and did not go through the proper selection process," he said. "That is why we are one with Natripal in their position. Just like Councilor Colili here, who was...