IPMR HOPES TO FILL BARANGAY OFFICES THIS NEW YEAR

December 28, 2024 Community Billboard

The office of the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative wants to fill the 50 identified barangays to have its IPMR seats this coming year. “Slowly but surely, we will fill all the identified barangays where IPMR offices should be installed,” said IPMR and councilor Maximo Edwin, Jr. in Filipino as he said that they will have four to five information and education campaign every month. With four to five of the identified barangays every month, Edwin hopes that they could complete the IEC campaigns by 2025.

Only nine offices had been filled since he took office in February 14 last year. However, two are now vacant with one of the barangay IPMRs having died while in office, while another had been convicted of a crime and thus must vacate the office. The barangays with a functional IPMR are Bakakeng Central under Samson Amistad, Eroll Tagle of Loakan Proper, Erlinda Lucenio of Irisan, Andy Bacod of Hallow, Norberto Antonio, Sr. of Camp 7, Joselito Shontogan of Loakan Liwanag and Eriston Calingayana of Loakan-Apugan.

The two villages without a functional IPMR are Gibraltar and Lucnab, the latter after the death of Basilio Pangod last
year. All the nine barangays have existing ancestral land applications. The villages which need to have IPMR and with ancestral claims are: Asin Road, Atok Trail, Aurora Hill South Central, Brookside, Camdas Subdivision, Country Club Village, Gibraltar, Greenwater Village, Guisad Central, Kias, Mines View, Pacdal, Pinsao Proper, Poliwes, Pucsusan, Santo Tomas School Area and South Drive.

Edwin’s office said that IEC has been done in Alfonso Tabora, Bakakeng Norte, Kias, Mines View, Pacdal and
Trancoville. Fairview, meanwhile, has already selected an IPMR “but (selected officer has) legal issues” that a reselection is needed. This goes as well with Pinsao Proper, while in Santo Tomas Proper, an overview on selection process has been done and is just “awaiting resolution of intent to proceed.”

Other villages where IEC must be done are in Balsigan, Bayan Park East, Brookspoint, Canp 8, Dagsian Lower and Upper, Happy Homes Lucban, Holy Ghost Extension, Honeymoon, Imelda Marcos, Magsaysay Private Road,
Military Cut-off, Pedro Zamora, Padre Burgos, Pinget, {insao Proper Project, Quirino Hill East, West and Middle, Rock Qujarry Upper, San Luis Village, Sa Vicente, Sanitary Ca,p North, St. Joseph Village and Victoria Village. The barangay IPMR officer will join the eight elected kagawads and Sangguniang Kabataan chair at the barangay council.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN