Land Acquisition, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy, 3rd edition (2006) CHAPTER VI. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES A. NON-IPS Grievances related to any aspect of the project or sub-project will be handled through negotiations and are aimed at achieving consensus following the procedures outlined below: 1. The grievance shall be filed by the PAP with the Resettlement Implementation Committee (RIC) who will act within 15 days upon receipt thereof, except complaints and grievances that specifically pertain to the valuation of affected assets, since such will be decided upon by the proper courts; 2. If no understanding or amicable solution can be reached, or if the PAP does not receive a response from the RIC within 15 days of registry of the complaint, he/she can appeal to the concerned Regional Office, which should act on the complaint/grievance within 15 days from the day of its filing; 3. It the PAP is not satisfied with the decision of the Regional Office, he/she, as a last resort, can submit the complaint to any court of law. PAPs shall be exempted from all administrative and legal fees incurred pursuant to the grievance redress procedures. All complaints received in writing (or written when received verbally) from the PAPs will be documented and shall be acted upon immediately according to the procedures detailed above. B. IPs 1. Inside Ancestral Domains Conflicts within the affected IP community will be addressed within the community itself in the context of its customary law and customary dispute resolution process and mechanisms, in the presence of the relevant staff of the NCIP office with jurisdiction over the area, and if so invited, project-related staff and other stakeholders, e.g. formal local leadership in the barangay and/or the municipality. Inter-community conflicts will be addressed between the communities themselves, according to their customary or agreed upon dispute resolution processes and mechanisms. If an outside facilitator, mediator, or arbiter is required or requested for, the PMO and project implementing and monitoring units in the field will seek the intervention of the NCIP to act as facilitator, mediator, or arbiter. The RAP focal person at the District Engineering Office with the assistance of regional and central office counterparts shall document the proceedings of the discussion or negotiations. This is in addition to the documentation done by the IP community/ies themselves and by the NCIP. If no satisfaction is obtained or an impasse Environmental and Social Services Office Department of Public Works and Highways March 2006, Revised October 2006 35