DAILY STAR: Negros Oriental

A group of indigenous people who belong to the Ata Negritos Tribe in Negros Oriental sought the assistance of Gov. Roel Degamo on the full implementation of Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997.

The law mandates the rights of indigenous cultural people and communities to be given a fair representation in the lawmaking body like the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the group said.

Tribe spokesperson Oto-an Reynante Cabanag said they sought the assistance of Degamo so that their tribe will be properly and formally represented to protect the welfare of the remaining population of indigenous people in the province.

PHL says no new
mining permits
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje yesterday said the government will not approve new mining permits until Congress will pass a measure increasing the royalties as part of new rules governing the sector.

The policy is contained in a new executive order signed by President Benigno Aquino III aimed at overhauling policies governing the industry to boost state revenues while putting in place measures to protect the environment, tourism and agriculture, he said.

Errol Gatumbato, vice president and managing director of the Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc., said that somehow, this (EO) is good to give natural ecosystems a rest on resource exploitation.

Online PWD
registration ongoing
BY RENE GENOVE

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office is encouraging persons with disabilities in Negros Oriental to join the ongoing online registration for the differently-abled, a government press release said.

The activity includes the registration of PWD voters for the 2013 election.

“We are gathering data to capture the number of PWDs in each local government unit in the province,” Alice Lagarde of the Provincial DSWD said in the press release.

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