Aeta-Magbukon tribe member takes oath as SP member

What happens when an Aeta becomes a lawmaker?

BALANGA CITY, Bataan – A member of the Aeta-Magbukon Tribe of Limay, Danilo B. Salonga yesterday took his oath as ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan representing the Indigenous Peoples/Indigenous Cultural Communities (IPs/ICCs), during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan with Vice-Governor Efren Pascual as presiding officer.

As such, the Hon. Danilo B. Salonga is now allowed to attend and participate in all sessions, programs and activities of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

This development is part of Bataan’s commitment to meet the standards of the three core components set by the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) which all local government units (LGUs) are required to adhere to. Said core standards are: Good financial housekeeping, Disaster preparedness, and Social protection. To date, Bataan has satisfactorily complied the first two components.

The assumption of Hon. Salonga as the Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative, is in compliance to Section 467 (b) of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code and RA 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997, providing for the representation of the indigenous cultural communities in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Incidentally, compliance to the above mentioned laws is one of the requirements to pass the third component, Social Protection.

Salonga’s nomination as mandatory representative of the Indigenous People to the SP was affirmed by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). Likewise, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Regional Office 3 issued a Certificate of Recognition for this purpose. Last January 12, DILG Undersecretary Austere A. Panadero upheld the validity and legality of the Indigenous People Mandatory Representation in the Sanggunian.