First published on 09/05/2013, and last updated on 03/05/2018
By: Samson B. Pedragosa, ICCA Consortium Regional Coordinator for Southeast Asia and the Pacific Region
Four months after the founding general assembly in February 2013, the Philippine ICCA Consortium successfully convened the first meeting of its Steering Committee on 09-10 July. It would be the first and last meeting of the committee. The committee was replaced by a nine-member Board of Trustees that was created to lead the consortium. The composition of the Board includes an elected representative from each of the seven (7) ethnographic regions of the country who will be chosen by members of the Consortium from their respective regions. Two (2) seats are reserved for women who will be elected at large by the female members of the Consortium.
The following were elected members of the Board of Trustees:
1. Giovanni B. Reyes – Cordillera Administrative Region
2. Sammy Balinhawang – Cagayan Valley Region
3. Salvador “Ka Badong” A. Dimain – Central and the rest of Luzon Region
4. Artiso “Tisoy” Mandawa – Islands Groups and the Visayas Region
5. Datu Migketay Victorino “Vic” L. Saway – Northern and Western Mindanao Region
6. Datu Eduardo “Ed” A. Banda – Central Mindanao Region
7. Datu Ireneo “Makalipay” P. Rico Sr. – Southern and Eastern Mindanao Region
Immediately after its creation, the Board had its first meeting and elected its first set of officers, which includes Datu Makalipay (President), Ka Badong Dimain (Vice President), Giovanni Reyes (Secretary) and Sammy Bakinahwang (Treasurer).
Aside from the creation of the Board of Trustees and election of officers, the meeting formulated and approved the organization’s Articles of Incorporation, and its Constitution and By-laws that will govern the operations of the corporation. In addition, the meeting provided opportunity for the review and validation of the project information format for the proposed Philippine National ICCA Program that is being developed in partnership with the UNDP-Philippines for possible funding under the Global Environment Facility. If, and when approved, the project will vigorously promote support and recognition of ICCAs into the mainstream of biodiversity conservation in the Philippines.
The Steering Committee meeting was attended by 30 participants. These included six (6) permanent steering committee members, 4 alternate steering committee members, and guests and representatives from indigenous communities and support groups. The Interim Secretariat composed of representatives from AnthroWatch, KASAPI, PAFID, NTFP-TF and NewCAPP) provided support in managing and convening the meeting. Sam Pedragosa of PAFID and the international ICCA Consortium, acted as the main facilitator of the meeting. The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled in October 2013. It is expected that by then the processes and procedures for incorporation and registration of the Philippine ICCA Consortium would have been completed. The next meeting will be held in Mindanao.
