MANILA — Newly appointed National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Chairperson Nancy Alaan Catamco formally took her oath of office late Monday, April 6, during a ceremony held at the Cotabato Provincial Capitol in Amas, Kidapawan City.
Catamco was sworn in by Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza in the presence of local officials, government representatives, and members of indigenous cultural communities in the province.
The oath-taking marked Catamco’s official assumption of the top post of the NCIP, the government agency mandated to protect and promote the rights and welfare of indigenous peoples in the Philippines.
Before she was appointed chairperson, Catamco served as the Ethnographic Commissioner for Central Mindanao at the NCIP, representing various indigenous groups in the region and helping implement programs aimed at strengthening their participation in governance and development.
Catamco also previously served as governor of Cotabato Province and as representative of the province’s 2nd district in the House of Representatives. Throughout her years in public service, she has been known for advocating the rights and welfare of indigenous communities, as well as supporting peace-building and development initiatives in Mindanao.
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples is tasked with implementing the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997, which safeguards the rights of indigenous cultural communities, including the protection of ancestral domains, preservation of cultural traditions, and promotion of social and economic development among indigenous peoples.
With her new role, Catamco is expected to lead efforts to strengthen programs that support indigenous communities across the country.
The report was based on information published by Politiko Mindanao.
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