“The diversity of cultures and languages lies with indigenous peoples.”

 Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, executive director of Tebtebba, shared about indigenous knowledge, cultural identity, and resource conservation during the Indigenous Peoples Month Celebration and 26th Commemoration of IPRA, also known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997 or Republic Act 8371, at the National Economic Development Authority - Regional Development Council (NEDA-RDC) Hall in Baguio City, Philippines on October 18, 2023 organized by the NEDA Cordillera Regional Development Council (RDC-CAR) through its Committee on Indigenous Peoples' Concerns (CIPC) in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples - Cordillera Administrative Region (NEDA-CAR) and the University of the Philippines Baguio.

During her presentation, Tauli-Corpuz highlighted the importance of national and international instruments, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the IPRA7, that protects the rights of indigenous peoples in the country.

The Tebtebba executive director emphasized the critical role of Indigenous Peoples in preserving cultures and biodiversity and their contribution in climate solutions. She pointed out provisions and articles that focused on indigenous peoples’ rights to self-determination and cultural integrity.

The former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples concluded her presentation by sharing the challenges, recommendations, and gains of indigenous peoples in the Philippines.

In celebration of the National Indigenous Peoples Month, the Ugnayang Pambansa para sa Katutubong Kaalaman at Talino (UPAKAT) Inc. and the Indigenous Navigator (IN) initiative in the Philippines, both through Tebtebba, hosted a three-day event entitled “Empowering Filipino Indigenous Peoples through Strengthened National Advocacy Work” held at the Camelot Hotel, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines on October 3–5, 2023.

The event's objective was to increase awareness and strengthen knowledge about the laws and policies that affect the lives of indigenous peoples and their communities. Its goal was to create an inclusive platform for conversations and exchanges with government agencies, allowing a better understanding of various topics such as the Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIP) Code in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the Cordillera Regional Autonomy and House Bill 3267, as well as the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Code of Arakan, North Cotabato.

In her opening remarks, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, executive director of Tebtebba, stressed the need to understand the community's priorities for effective advocacy with government and local units. She highlighted the role of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in implementing the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) and stressed the need for dialogue with them. Tauli-Corpuz also underscored the concept of "intercultural dialogue", which involves understanding community and country situations. This understanding would assist government agencies in taking appropriate actions based on the priorities of indigenous peoples in their communities.

Various Ugnayang Pambansa para sa Katutubong Kaalaman at Talino (UPAKAT) Inc. members from Luzon and Mindanao attended the event. Representatives from the Cordillera Administrative Region included the Pidlisan Tribe Organization (PITO), Ganak da iLlicoy Inc. Other Luzon  representatives were Nagkakaisang mga Tribu ng Palawan (NATRIPAL) and Samahan ng Katutubong Tagbanuang Tangdulanen sa Binga, Inc. (SAKATTABI).

Partners from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao included the Erumanen ne Menuvu Kamal, Lambangian Peoples Organization (LPO), Timuay Justice and Governance (TJG), and Dulangan Manobo Tribal Justice and Self-Governance (DMTJSG).

Furthermore, partners from Mindanao (outside of BARMM) were the Manobo Lumadnong Panaghiusa sa Arakan (MALUPA), Kulamanen Menuvu Development Initiative (KMDI) Inc., Sarangani and Southern Davao Tagakaulo Ancestral Domain Association (SASDATAD), Panaghiusa Alang Sa Kaugalingnan Ug Kalingkawasan, Inc. (PASAKK), Limpong nang Mangkatadong sang Maragusan, Magpet Pusaka Impon Conservation Association of Don Panaca, Imamaling, Manobisa, Manobo and Amabel (MAGPICA DIMMA), and SILDAP Southeastern Mindanao, Inc.

Expected outcomes of the event included a deeper understanding of the NMIP Code, a more comprehensive grasp of the Cordillera Regional Autonomy and its related House Bill 3267, and an insight into the Arakan IP Code. Additionally, discussions of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), and other laws and policy instruments about indigenous peoples were held.

The event facilitated a consolidation of challenges faced by communities as well as good and bad practices concerning indigenous peoples’ adaptation and mitigation of different issues on the ground. The gathering also provided an opportunity for indigenous peoples to make recommendations towards enhancing community-strengthening efforts to promote and preserve indigenous knowledge systems and practices and effectively engage in national advocacy work.

On October 5, 2023, during the three-day celebration of the National Indigenous Peoples Month at Camelot Hotel, Quezon City, Philippines co-organized by the Ugnayang Pambansa para sa Katutubong Kaalaman at Talino (UPAKAT) Inc. and the Indigenous Navigator (IN) through Tebtebba, community voices resonated with the impact of IN’s monitoring and the transformative community-led data gathering.

The Indigenous Navigator initiative is more than just knowledge sharing. It is also about equipping communities with the tools and know-how to monitor and uphold their rights within their territories. It started in 2007 when the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted signaling the need for watchfulness. Monitoring became a lifeline, detecting gaps, holding duty-bearers accountable, and paving the way for meaningful implementation.

So, what exactly is under the watchful eyes of the IN?

Emma Dacquigan, program officer of the Indigenous Navigator, emphasized that it is not just the implementation of the UNDRIP; it is the also about the emphasis of core human rights values, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP). Gender equality is not overlooked either; it is a vigilant guardian ensuring no voice is left unheard.

The initiative has already made impacts on three Philippine municipalities—Binga, San Vicente (Palawan); Carmen and Pigcawayan (North Cotabato); and Benuan, Kuya, South Upi (Maguindanao) where stakeholders actively participated in planning and reviewing, leading to a thorough data-gathering process. Afterward, validation within the community was conducted which ensured the accuracy of the gathered information.

During the event, community representatives shared their experiences as they expressed gratitude for being part of the IN project.

Elinita Orquesta of Samahan ng mga Katutubong Tagbanuang Tandulanen sa Binga (SAKATTABI) in Palawan, shared gratitude for their involvement in the project despite their remote location. Their team of five researchers underwent training in Puerto Princesa before commencing data gathering. Initial findings revealed positive access to health services through various agencies but highlighted challenges in education, particularly the distant senior high schools hindering college opportunities for students. Unfortunately, their community faces distressing land issues with ancestral lands lost and ongoing struggles with logging activities, even amid applications for their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT).

Billy Pobre, representing Erumanen ne Menuvu Kamal in North Cotabato, shared their journey with the Indigenous Navigator initiative, starting in 2018 as one of the key informant interviewees. The data collected helped shape their project, resulting in the creation of an orthography with the aid of Tebtebba and the University of the Philippines. Despite acknowledging the time-consuming nature of data gathering, they found it immensely rewarding. Their exploration led to a deeper understanding of their people's history, aided by IN's assistance in collecting cultural data. Challenges like time management were overcome by conducting data gathering during weekends with volunteers, and leveraging social gatherings for interviews. They highlighted the alarming decline of indigenous languages and gained a clearer insight into Erumanen’s culture, history, and identity. The data gathered serves as a baseline for their activities, aiding in partnerships and expanding their network.

Bendrick Angit, from Lambangian Peoples Organization in Maguindanao, summarized their project duration from June to August, unveiling critical findings in their areas. They identified significant gaps in education, noting the absence of daycare centers in several locations. Health facilities lacked infrastructure and staff, impacting community access. Government benefits like the 4Ps and SSS were inaccessible to many. Disturbingly, instances of harassment and human rights violations, including land grabbing and armed conflict, emerged from their interviews.

Also, from LPO, Roel Datuwata shared insights involving six volunteers conducting data gathering across six “fenuwo” (clusters of villages). This process significantly broadened their knowledge. Despite challenges like rains during Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), they enjoyed these sessions and successfully gathered data. They highlighted cases of domestic violence in Barangay Pilar, where social status hindered justice. Land issues and resource struggles were specific concerns. They noted challenges in education, with many children unable to attend school due to the distance of the school from their homes and obstacles like difficult river crossings.

In the end, IN stands as a testament to the power of collective action, emphasizing that no community should be left behind. It is an example of how partnership and shared goals can pave the way for a brighter, more equitable future for indigenous peoples. ###

“Ang karapatang maging maunlad ay karapatan nating mga katutubo.”

(The right to self-determined development is our right as indigenous peoples.)

Baguio City, Philippines—Maribeth Bugtong-Biano, coordinator of the Elatia Indigenous Peoples Training Institute of Tebtebba, stressed indigenous peoples’ right to self-determined development during the Community-Based Training and Workshop on Indigenous Peoples’ Self-determined and Sustainable Development (IPSSDD) held last August 30 and 31 in Gubatan, Maco, Davao De Oro in the southern Philippines participated in by about thirty (30) Mansaka community members including indigenous elders and leaders and some local government officials..

The primary objective was to orient members of Gubatan’s Mansakas indigenous political structure (IPS), enhancing their understanding of core concepts and principles within various approaches of IPSSDD. The activity aimed to establish connections between global crises and the challenges faced by indigenous peoples, highlight the crucial roles and contributions of indigenous peoples as both local and global actors in addressing contemporary challenges, and provide a foundation for better understanding of and cooperation in community strengthening.

Rande C. Bayate, executive director of SILDAP-Southeastern Mindanao, Inc. based in Tagum City in the southern Philippines, stressed that IPSSDD is a framework, not a project. This framework guides indigenous peoples in deciding the development they want for their communities and sustains their lands, territories, and resources. He underscored that the human rights-based approach as one of the IPSSDD approaches, serves as the foundation of IPSSDD especially for the indigenous peoples.

In addition, Bugtong-Biano emphasized that the approaches in IPSSDD, as a developmental framework, are drawn from the diverse experiences and perspectives of indigenous peoples not only in the Philippines but also in other regions of the world. She emphasized that it is the responsibility of the government or state to fulfill the rights of indigenous peoples.

During the training, Maricar Perez, a staff of SILDAP-SE, provided information on the rights of indigenous peoples as embodied in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as well as on the human rights mechanisms available to Indigenous Peoples.

Furthermore, Danilo Quidato, another staff of SILDAP-SE, engaged the community members in a workshop on indigenous knowledge systems and practices (IKSPs), encouraging them to revive and document their own.

The training also provided a platform for participants to express their perspectives on well-being, stating the importance of sustainable livelihood, access to education and health programs, and unity with discipline, among other factors.

In the session on indigenous women and human rights facilitated by Perez, the participants expressed the need for continued participation in local arenas such as in the barangay local government units,  youth involvement and capacity building.

At the conclusion of the training, Bayate shared a basic plan on strengthening and partnership, encouraging community members to discuss and finalize the details.

The activity was organized by SILDAP-SE with support from Tebtebba, the municipal and barangay governments of Maco, and the IPS of the Mansaka people in Gubatan, funded by SwedBio.