Dissenting Opinion 5 G.R. No. 224469 twenty-five (25) years renewable for not more than twenty-five (25) years: Provided, That a formal and written agreement is entered into with the ICCs/IPs concerned or that the community, pursuant to its own decision making process, has agreed to allow such operation: Provided, finally, That the all extractions shall be used to facilitate the development and improvement of the ancestral domains. (Emphasis supplied.) Fifth. The IPRA bestowed not only rights, but also imposed obligations, upon the indigenous people, to conserve natural resources and maintain ecological balance therein. One way of fulfilling their obligation is to follow laws which are geared towards minimizing the unregulated and indiscriminate logging of trees. Sec. 9. Responsibilities of ICCs/JPs to their Ancestral Domains. ICCs/IPs occupying a duly certified ancestral domain shall have the following responsibilities: a. Maintain Ecological Balance- To preserve, restore, and maintain a balanced ecology in the ancestral domain by protecting the flora and fauna, watershed areas, and other reserves; b. Restore Denuded Areas- To actively initiate, undertake and participate in the reforestation of denuded areas and other development programs and projects subject to just and reasonable remuneration; x x x. Sixth. The IPRA does not exempt the IPs from the licensing requirement. The State did not relinquish its ownership over the natural resources found in ancestral domains. A perusal of the congressional deliberations on the IPRA, as pointed out by the esteemed and learned Senior Associate Justice Perlas-Bernabe, would show that it was not the intention of the Legislature, by enacting the IPRA, to bestow ownership of natural resources to the indigenous people. "The subject timber or dita tree in this case was OJVlled by the State even if it stood within an ancestral domain," viz: Relevant to the first element under Section 77 is Section 2, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution, which provides: Section 2. All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, flora and fauna, and other natural resources are owned by the State. With the exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources shall not be alienated. The exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the State. x x x. xxxx The Congress may, by lmv, aliow small-scale utilization of natural resources by Filipino citizens, as \Vell as cooperative fish farming, with priority to subsistence fishermen and fishworkers in rivers, lakes, bays, and lagoons. (Emphases and underscoring supplied.)

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