SECTION 59. Certification Precondition. — All departments and other governmental agencies shall
henceforth be strictly enjoined from issuing, renewing, or granting any concession, license or lease, or
entering into any productionsharing agreement, without prior certification from the NCIP that the area
affected does not overlap with any ancestral domain. Such certification shall only be issued after a field
based investigation is conducted by the Ancestral Domains Office of the area concerned: Provided, That no
certification shall be issued by the NCIP without the free and prior informed and written consent of ICCs/IPs
concerned: Provided, further, That no department, government agency or governmentowned or controlled
corporation may issue new concession, license, lease, or production sharing agreement while there is a
pending application for a CADT: Provided, finally, That the ICCs/IPs shall have the right to stop or suspend,
in accordance with this Act, any project that has not satisfied the requirement of this consultation process.
SECTION 60. Exemption from Taxes. — All lands certified to be ancestral domains shall be exempt
from real property taxes, special levies, and other forms of exaction except such portion of the ancestral
domains as are actually used for largescale agriculture, commercial forest plantation and residential
purposes or upon titling by private persons: Provided, That all exactions shall be used to facilitate the
development and improvement of the ancestral domains.
SECTION 61. Temporary Requisition Powers. — Prior to the establishment of an institutional surveying
capacity whereby it can effectively fulfill its mandate, but in no case beyond three (3) years after its creation,
the NCIP is hereby authorized to request the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
survey teams as well as other equally capable private survey teams, through a Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA), to delineate ancestral domain perimeters. The DENR Secretary shall accommodate any such
request within one (1) month of its issuance: Provided, That the Memorandum of Agreement shall stipulate,
among others, a provision for technology transfer to the NCIP.
SECTION 62. Resolution of Conflicts. — In cases of conflicting interest, where there are adverse claims
within the ancestral domains as delineated in the survey plan, and which can not be resolved, the NCIP shall
hear and decide, after notice to the proper parties, the disputes arising from the delineation of such
ancestral domains: Provided, That if the dispute is between and/or among ICCs/IPs regarding the traditional
boundaries of their respective ancestral domains, customary process shall be followed. The NCIP shall
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out its adjudicatory functions: Provided, further,
That any decision, order, award or ruling of the NCIP on any ancestral domain dispute or on any matter
pertaining to the application, implementation, enforcement and interpretation of this Act may be brought for
Petition for Review to the Court of Appeals within fifteen (15) days from receipt of a copy thereof.
SECTION 63. Applicable Laws. — Customary laws, traditions and practices of the ICCs/IPs of the land
where the conflict arises shall be applied first with respect to property rights, claims and ownerships,
hereditary succession and settlement of land disputes. Any doubt or ambiguity in the application and
interpretation of laws shall be resolved in favor of the ICCs/IPs.
SECTION 64. Remedial Measures. — Expropriation may be resorted to in the resolution of conflicts of
interest following the principle of the “common good”. The NCIP shall take appropriate legal action for the
cancellation of officially documented titles which were acquired illegally: Provided, That such procedure shall
ensure that the rights of possessors in good faith shall be respected: Provided, further, That the action for
cancellation shall be initiated within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act: Provided, finally, That the
action for reconveyance shall be within a period of ten (10) years in accordance with existing laws.