KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato – August 25, 2025
A long-standing dispute over royalty shares among three groups of the Manobo-Aromanon-Dulangan Ancestral Domain Management Association (MADADMA) has been resolved through the facilitation of National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Commissioner Nancy A. Catamco.
Representatives of MADADMA Ilomavis, MADADMA Balabag, and the MADADMA SIDKA group reached a mutual agreement on Monday to ensure the fair distribution of royalty funds from the Energy Development Corporation’s (EDC) geothermal project in Mt. Apo. The official turnover of the funds is scheduled for tomorrow, signaling a new chapter of unity, transparency, and equitable sharing of benefits among the Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities.
The MADADMA Council of Elders extended their gratitude to Commissioner Catamco for her leadership in resolving the dispute, which has caused tension within the community for years. They said the settlement will help strengthen solidarity and foster inclusive development within their ancestral domain.
Also present during the proceedings were EDC representatives Nancy Ibuna and Karen Kay Abarrientos, along with officials from NCIP’s regional and provincial offices.
The resolution of the dispute is seen as a landmark step in promoting peace and ensuring that Indigenous cultural communities receive their rightful share from projects operating within their territories.