“We hope you will help us in this requirement, which is the last document we need for the application,” Tarino’s September 23 letter to Mayor Florencio Flores, said. Tarino’s letter was written in Cebuano.

Flores endorsed the request to the city council on the same day. The legislators have calendared it for October 7, Tarino said, adding Councilor Manuel Dinlayan, the council's committee on indigenous people's chair, assured here it will be tackled this week.      

She noted the tribe's great difficulty in acquiring an endorsement from the barangay government in Dalwangan village, where the tribe is based.  

She also cited questioning by the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) when the tribe sought its endorsement. She said it was difficult because the tribe's claim covers a portion of the Mt. Kitanglad Range and Natural Park, declared a protected area under the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Act and under the management of PAMB. 

But the tribe eventually obtained endorsements from the barangay and PAMB in 2005, Tarino said. 

She quoted Ma. Shirlene D. Sario, NCIP provincial officer, as having said they need to obtain an endorsement from the city government to prepare "just in case it's needed".    

The Bukidnon tribe plans to maintain, develop and enrich the area's flora and fauna reserves, to produce more rattan for furniture and related industries, and manage the natural resources in the area once they get its CADT, she said.

She said they might also consider opening the area for eco-tourism as long as it will really help the tribe, will not affect the environment and will respect their culture and traditions. (Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)   

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