Local Partner: Dipaculao Egongot Tribal Association, Inc (DETA)
Background and objective: This project shall seek the recognition of the traditional governance of Ilongot communities over their ancestral waters. This shall be primarily pursued through the legal process of delineation and titling in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). As a complementary track, the Ilongot community shall update their Community Conservation Plan (CCP) and seek its adoption in local government policy. Local leaders and representatives in local legislative councils shall be provided skills training on constructive engagement with local government. Bantay dagat shall be provided a boat and support equipment to support law enforcement over their ancestral waters.
The Ilongot ancestral domain has a total area of 139,691 hectares covering territories in 3 Provinces in Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, and Aurora. Their CADT was formally awarded in February 2006 signifying state recognition of their ancestral domain; this unfortunately did not include their ancestral waters as part of the delineated territories. This project is therefore needed to support the delineation and titling of left out territories, particularly the totality of their ancestral waters.
Local partner information:
Through the assistance of Daluhay, a local civil society organization, DETA, Inc was established to consolidate the leadership of Egongots in Dipaculao, Aurora. Its mission is to promote the recognition of their traditional governance over their ancestral domain and natural resources, and to improve the quality of life of their members. It is governed by a Board of Directors composed of 7 representatives from each of the 7 villages that compose their territory. It has 4 officers managing day-to-day operations, which includes its President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
