Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado Estrella III on Thursday said he had led a two-day National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Reorientation on SPLIT Project cum Leveling-off of the Joint Administrative Order between the DAR and NCIP on 29 to 30 April.

Estrella said this is in line with recognizing the significant role of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) in securing the efficient and effective implementation of the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project.

"This is an opportune time for us to discuss and hold consultations so that everything is done through consensus. Everything that we do here is always based on the provisions of the law. But of course, we are always compassionate to our people, especially our indigenous tribes," Estrella said.

The two-day in-depth orientation served as a platform for DAR and NCIP to further discuss and improve existing policies and guidelines concerning Collective Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CCLOAs) with potential overlaps to ancestral domains nationwide.

"My hope with this Joint Administrative Order is that this will co-create what is happening on the ground, so instead of conflict, it will be peaceful communities brought about by our partnership," NCIP Chairperson Jennifer Pia Sibug-Las said.

Sibug-Las said that this undertaking will lead to peaceful communities among the indigenous peoples, as well as the non-IPs on the ground.

Representatives from the two agencies discussed what could be good, beneficial, and empowering for IPs.

Because of this continuing collaboration, an enhanced Joint Administrative Order between the DAR and NCIP is expected to be issued with streamlined processes for both government agencies that will allow the fast-tracking of the SPLIT Project.

The SPLIT Project intends to expedite and complete the parcelization of about 1.38 million hectares of CCLOAs and the issuance of individual titles to qualified beneficiaries.