MANILA — The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and 101 indigenous cultural communities (ICCs) on Wednesday renewed their commitment to nation-building.

The renewal ceremony was held during the National Indigenous Peoples Summit held at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Officials and representatives from government agencies, such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and Philippine National Police (PNP) were also present.

The NCIP institutionalized the 11 “building blocks” of ancestral domains mandated under the Indigenous Peoples Right Act of 1997 (IPRA) to ensure that IP communities are resilient and responsive.

NCIP chairperson Allen Capuyan explained the importance of the “building blocks.”

“Twenty-five years since the enactment of the IPRA, the NCIP fortifies its commitment to fulfill the rights guaranteed under the IPRA for the operationalization of the building blocks for relevant communities in ancestral domains,” Capuyan said.

“These building blocks serve as a guidepost for communities in their collective journey towards the fulfillment of their rights guaranteed by the law and under their shared aspiration for inclusive peace and sustainable development," he added.

“This summarizes to provide basic understanding of what needs to be accomplished inside ancestral domains as prerequisites for collaboration, cooperation and convergence between communities and stakeholders, including national and local governments and the society.”

The “building blocks” include the confirmation of the Indigenous Political Structure; registration and accreditation of IP organizations; certificate of ancestral domain title and certificate of ancestral land title delineation process; establishment of the Ancestral Domains Management Office; and ancestral domain sustainable development and protection plan formulation.

Also included are the IP wealth management-community resource management and development plan formulation; institutionalization of certificate precondition; effective IP mandatory representative in local legislative bodies; efficient and enhanced memorandum of agreement formulation; socio-economic activities with IP cooperatives; and ancestral domain defense system.

Capuyan said the capability of ICCs and IPs to contribute to nation-building does not end in economic growth. In fact, he added, IPs’ vast tract of land is teeming with resources, boosting with potential for the establishment of ecological and cultural tourist destinations, improvement of local supply chains through road networks and economic zones, and better access to potable water sources.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, for his part, underscored the importance of government agencies, the public and private sectors, and stakeholders in coming together to help nation-building as IPs exercise their rights to self-governance and secure their ancestral domains and ancestral lands.

“Nasa batas na ang ancestral domain ng IPs ay dapat pangalagaan. Ito ay para sa mga anak nila, apo nila. Bawal ibenta ito. Dapat proteksyunan natin sila eh,” Abalos told reporters. “It is for them as a community, para sa future generations, sama-sama sila doon. Iyan ang posisyon natin dito. Pinoproteksyunan natin sila kasi nae-exploit sila eh.”

“Ang ating kultura, ang ating IPs ay napaka-diverse. Dapat pangalagaan at proteksyunan sila. Iisa-isahin natin, ano ba ang mga problema nila? Pabahay ba? Kalusugan ba? Para sa akin, ang nakakabahala, one in ten IPs ay hindi nakakapagtapos ng pag-aaral. Dapat pati iyon tinitignan natin,” he added.

Capuyan encouraged IPs to take part in the implementation of the 11 “building blocks” in recognition of tribal leaders who worked hard for the formulation of the IPRA 25 years ago.

While the National Indigenous Peoples Summit is being held, several human rights groups, environmental groups and IP organizations conducted a protest outside Camp Aguinaldo, calling the event a “red taggers’ summit.”

Eloisa Mesina, secretary-general of Kabataan para sa Tribung Pilipino, said the groups believe that the NCIP and the government divided IP communities instead of unifying them and protecting their interests.

“Sa buong panahon ng termino ni Capuyan since 2019, wala naman po siyang ginawa para paunlarin ang ICCs. Sa katunayan, parang naging middleman pa ang NCIP para makapasok ang corporations. Ang free prior informed consent, kung saan may dialogue sa communities bago sila pumayag na pumasok ang corporations, ay naba-bypass at nama-manipulate ang mga katutubo. Nagagamit ang kanilang vulnerability para makapapasok ng mining, dams, illegal logging,” Mesina said.

According to the NCIP, IPs constitute almost 18 million of the country’s total population.

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