CHAPTER 1

The Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines

1.1 Definition of indigenous peoples

The indigenous peoples in the Philippines are defined by the Indigenous Peoples‟ Rights Act
(IPRA) of 1997 as:
“A group of people or homogeneous societies identified by selfascription and ascription by
others, who have continually lived as organized communities on community-bounded and defined
territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed
and utilized such territories, sharing common bonds of language, customs, traditions and other
distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads
of colonization, non-indigenous religions and cultures, become historically differentiated from the
majority of Filipinos.

ICCs/IPs [Indigenous Cultural Communities/indigenous peoples] shall likewise include

peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from populations which
inhabited the country, at the time of conquest or colonization, or at the time of inroads of non-
indigenous religions and cultures, or the establishment of present state boundaries, who retain
some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions, but who may have
been displaced from their traditional domains or who may have resettled outside the ancestral
domains (IPRA, Chapter II, Section 3h).”

1.2 History

As a result of colonization, a Spanish royal dynasty claimed rights to the islands and power
over the country. U.S. officials then institutionalized legal powers to dispose of all land, canceling
any earlier land permits by Moro or Lumad chiefs and others in the Philippines that had been
awarded without government authorization. Only individuals or corporations with ownership of
land could file private claims. This left no room for the concept of ancestral or communal land,
which the indigenous Lumad had held to be sacred and not subject to individual title or ownership.

Two key sections were incorporated into the 1987 Constitution due to the efforts of the
Lumad of Mindanao and their advocates in the lowland Christian Filipino population. Article XII
(5) requires the state to "protect the rights of indigenous cultural communities to their ancestral
lands in order to ensure their economic, social, and cultural well-being," whereas Article XIV (17)
requires the state to "recognize, respect, and protect the rights of indigenous cultural communities
in order to preserve and develop their cultures, traditions, and institutions."
However, the state maintained to protect land rights, and national development goals were
determined by significant economic and political interests. Lumads have continued to demand the
restitution of lands seized from them through intimidation and unlawful manipulation, as well as
the cancellation of all plantation licenses and logging concessions. They want self-government
inside their ancestral territories, as well as the preservation of their indigenous customs. Lumad
fought an uphill struggle throughout all of these things.
Increased democracy following the fall of President Ferdinand Marcos' government
resulted in a lot of favorable reforms regarding indigenous peoples' rights. This was largely owing
to legal objections to the legitimacy of both, which the Supreme Court of the Philippines did not
determine favorably until 2002. Under the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997, indigenous
peoples have a theoretical right to mother tongue education, however this right is as yet
unimplemented. Privately established indigenous schools, which occasionally teach in local
community languages, continue to face registration challenges from Department of Education
officials, and in recent years have been attacked by armed groups, many of whom are suspected to
be linked with security forces, on suspicion of promoting support for the communist insurgency.

1.3 Population
Due to the lack of a regular census, there are no exact data on the number of indigenous
peoples in the Philippines. The lack of particular questions on indigenous ethnic identification in
the national census survey questionnaires has prevented data disaggregation for indigenous
peoples from being completed. According to the most recent data based on an unofficial study
done by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the indigenous population in
the Philippines is estimated to be 12-15 million. However, the real population may be larger than
what government polls show.

Indigenous peoples make up around 10-15% of the overall population of the Philippines
and are found in 65 of the country's 78 provinces. The majority of indigenous peoples (61 per cent)
are found in Mindanao, 33
per cent are found in
Luzon, and 6 per cent are in
Visayas (NCIP 2009).

Figure 1 shows the

geographic distribution of
major groups of
indigenous peoples in the
Philippines.

1.4 Ethno-linguistic
groupings
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Region I, Region II, Region III and Rest of
Luzon, Island Group, Southern and Eastern Mindanao, Central Mindanao, and Northern and
Western Mindanao are the eight ethnic regions identified by the IPRA in the Philippines. However,
the Government defined these ethnographic zones largely for administrative purposes and
participation in its National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), rather than on the basis
of true ethnolinguistic groups. The indigenous peoples of the Philippines represent a vast range of
civilizations.
The overall number of
different indigenous ethnic
groups is believed to be between
70 and 140. The NCIP website
lists 90 indigenous
ethnolinguistic groups and
subgroups, but a compilation of
data from several sources reveals
109 indigenous ethnolinguistic
groups and subgroups. Each
indigenous group has its own
individual identity, language, and
indigenous sociopolitical and
cultural institutions and customs, yet there are significant parallels between and among them.
Although indigenous peoples often identify as belonging to a certain ethnolinguistic group or
subgroup, specific generic names are used to refer to indigenous peoples in different parts of the
country. The following are the major indigenous peoples groups in the Philippines:
 Igorot is derived from the prefix i- (people from) and golot (mountain) to literally mean
"people from the mountains". Igorot make up 99 per cent of the population in the Cordillera region.
They currently total about 1.5 million in population and are composed of various ethnic groups
and tribes.
Lumad is a Visayan phrase meaning native, indigenous, "of the land". The Lumad are a
diverse group of indigenous peoples spread over the island of Mindanao. Subanen, Blaan, Tboli,
Mandaya, Mansaka, Tiruray, Higaonon, Manobo, Bagobo, Bukidnon, Tagkaolo, Ubo, Banwaon,
Kalagan, Dibabawon, Talaandig, Mamanwa, and Manguangan are the 18 major Lumad groups.
They inhabit in Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur,
Surigao, Zamboanga, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Cagayan de Oro, North Cotabato,
South Cotabato, and Saranggani Province's mountainous areas.

In Mindanao, a distinction is made between the Lumad or non-Muslim indigenous peoples

and the Islamized population or Moro peoples. Many do not recognize the Moro people as
indigenous, although some of them are listed by the NCIP in its list of indigenous peoples. There
are seven major ethnic groups among the Muslims in the region - the Maranaw, Maguindanao,
Tausug, Yakan, Samal, Iranun and Kalagan.
Mangyan is a collective word for the indigenous peoples of Mindoro and Sibuyan. They
are traditionally divided into two groups: northern Mangyan (Tadyawan, Alangan, and Iraya) and
southern Mangan (Buhid, Taobuid and
Hanunuo). Tagbanua (Kalamianen),
Palaw-an, Molbog, and Batak are among
the indigenous peoples who live in the
Palawan islands.
Negrito is a general name for
indigenous peoples with particular
physical characteristics - short, dark
complexion, curly hair - who live in
various parts of the Philippines from north
to south. Around 30 groups of Negrito
have been identified, living in different regions of the Philippines from north to south. They include
the Agta in the remote forested areas of Cagayan in northern Luzon and the Dumagat in Sierra
Madre Mountains in eastern Luzon. Others are found in western and southern Luzon, with larger
populations living in the Zambales-Bataan mountains.
Further indigenous peoples include the Bugkalot or Ilongot, Ibanag, Gaddang, Ikalahan,
and Isinai of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and Nueva Ecija's Caraballo Mountains, the Remontado of
Rizal, Quezon, Negros, and Sibuyan, and the Tumanduk of Panay.

1.5. Characteristics of Indigenous Peoples

Land is life to indigenous peoples. It is their abode since time immemorial and the material
basis of their collective identity and survival. Access to and control of land and resources are
regulated through customary laws, which the communities themselves evolved. Indigenous
knowledge serves as a collective set of guides in the use and management of resources within their
ancestral domain.

CHAPTER 2
The Laws and Programs Concerning the Indigenous Peoples

Laws
A. Constitutional Anchors

i. 1987 Constitution, Declaration of State Policies and Principles, Article II, Sec. 22

“The State recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities
within the framework of national unity and development”

ii. 1987, Constitution, National Economy and Patrimony, Article XII, Section 5
“The State, subject to the provisions of this Constitution and national development
policies and programs, shall protect the rights of indigenous cultural communities
to their ancestral lands to ensure their economic, social, and cultural well-being.

iii. 1987 Constitution, Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports,
Article XIV, Section 17
“The State shall recognize, respect and protect the rights of indigenous cultural
communities to preserve and develop their cultures, traditions, and institutions. It
shall consider these rights in the formulation of national plans and policies.”

B. Republic Act 8371 - Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA)

The Act includes provisions for the promotion and respect of Indigenous Cultural
Communities' rights. It also intends to safeguard their culture, traditions, and institutions.
The Act is divided into the following chapters: General Provisions (I), Terms Definition
(II), Ancestral Domain Rights (III), Social Justice and Human Rights (V), Cultural Integrity
(VI), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) (VII). The Act establishes the
National Commission on Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (NCIP),
which will act as the principal government agency for ICC/IP support. It also establishes
the Ancestral Domains Fund to provide compensation for expropriated property, as well as
the delineation and development of ancestral domains.

b.1. Ancestral Domains/ Lands

o Ownership;
o Develop & manage lands & natural resources;
o Stay in territories;
o Rights in case of displacement;
o Regulate entry of migrants;
o Claim reservations; Right to safe & clean air & water;
o Resolve conflict through customary law;
o To transfer ancestral lands;
o To redeem ancestral lands lost through vitiated consent.

b.2. Right to Self-Governance and Empowerment

o Freely pursue economic,
o social & cultural well-being;
o Free Prior Informed Consent in use of resources therein;
o Use commonly accepted justice system/conflict resolution institutions/peace
building processes/customary laws;
o Participate in decision-making that may affect them;
 o Mandatory representation in policy-making bodies & local legislative councils;
o Determine their own priorities;
o Organize;
o Granted means to fully develop their institutions & initiatives

b.3. Social Justice & Human Rights

o Equal protection & non-discrimination
o Rights during armed conflict
o Equal opportunity & treatment
o Basic services
o Protection to women, children & youth
o Integrated system of education

b.4. Right to Cultural Integrity

o Protection of culture, traditions and institutions

o These must be considered in the formulation and application of national plans and
policies;
o Access to cultural opportunities;
o Recognition of cultural diversity;
o Practice & revitalize their customs & traditions & the state must protect
manifestations thereof;
o Religious, cultural sites & ceremonies;
o funds for archaeological & historical sites;
o Ownership and recognition of cultural and intellectual rights

Programs

A. Ancestral Domain/Land Recognition

Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs) are issued under the

Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) to formally recognize the rights of
possession and ownership of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples
(ICCs/IPs) over their ancestral domains as identified and delineated by this law,
whereas Certificate of Ancestral Land Titles (CALTs) formally recognize the rights
of ICCs/IPs over their ancestral lands.

B. IP Culture Services

Considered as a tool for aiding cultural groups in safeguarding their cultural

and historical legacy while also raising public knowledge and respect for IPs and
their rights, assistance is provided to them in the conduct of their rites and
ceremonies whenever they are held. The performance of cultural manifestations
such as rites, songs, dances, chants, and games, as well as the presentation of their
native life ways, literature and arts, fabric and architectural designs, artifacts and
instruments, in their original versions or in the manner in which they have been
held over time, is essential to the IPs authentic flow of life and inherent world views
at work, without romanticism or simply aesthetic motivation.

C. IP Education and Advocacy Services

The Support and Advocacy Program – this collective term refers to

education-related projects and activities that complement the EAP and MBSP and
Advocate holistic development. The Merit-Based Scholarship Program. It is a
program that aimed of providing meaningful scholarship to qualified/deserving IP
students based on screening criteria and benefits or privileges.
 D. IP Health Services

The Universal Health Care (UHC)/Kalusugan Pangkalahatan (KP) (AO

2010-0036) addresses inequities in health outcomes ensuring that all Filipinos have
equitable access to health care. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples 2007 (UNDRIP) states that Indigenous Peoples have the right to
improvement of their economic and social conditions without discrimination.

E. IP Rights Advocacy and Monitoring of Treaty Obligations

The IP Human Rights Program, with full participation and consultation with
ICCs/IPs, aims to contribute to the organizational outcome of the Commission. It
seeks to promote the IPRA as a national framework of their human rights, to
advocate ancestral domains as territories of peace and human development.
\
Indigenous peoples/indigenous cultural communities (IPs/ICCs) basic
social, political, cultural and economic rights are respected, recognized, protected
and promoted. The program strategy shall focus on the IPRA, international rights
and other instruments from legal frameworks into a well-defined call for action.

F. Adjudication Services

The IPRA requires the NCIP, working through its Regional Hearing Offices
(RHOs) and the Commission En Banc (CEB), to decide all claims and disputes
regarding ICC/IP rights, according to the terms of the IPRA, its implementing
Rules, and other laws, as well as relevant jurisprudence. As a quasi-judicial
tribunal, the NCIP, through its RHOs and CEB, evaluates cases presented to it for
adjudication and, following appropriate processes and hearings, determines the
matters filed for adjudication.

G. Assistance to Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan

(ADSDPP) Formulation

Providing technical and/or financial assistance to the Indigenous Cultural

Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) in the formulation of their Ancestral
Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP). These holistic,
comprehensive, and integrated plans shall promote a culture and rights-based
approach to development.

H. Legal Services

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), through its lawyers

and legal officers, renders legal assistance to IP clients. Paralegal training seeks to
educate and inform ICCs/IPs of their rights and the various applicable remedies
they have in case these rights are violated and abused. Adequate and appropriate
training is a must for paralegals in order that they may be able to assist other
members of the community in accessing justice. The Indigenous Peoples Rights
Act of 1997 provides for the primacy of customary laws and practices in resolving
disputes.

CHAPTER 3
CURRENT ISSUES INVOLING THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Lumad schools continue to suffer closures, attacks during pandemic

The pandemic has not halted the persecution of the Lumad, and their schools have been the
worst impacted, with 178 of them closing since 2016, according to the Save Our Schools (SOS)
Network.
 SOS Network observed 32 attacks on Lumad schools from March to May 2020. According
to the late Chad Booc, a volunteer teacher at ALCADEV Lumad School, these attacks include
forced closures, unlawful arrests of children, and aerial bombs.
Although martial law in Mindanao was lifted in 2019, Booc stated that the latest anti-terror
law has given military personnel the confidence to camp in Lumad settlements.

Increasing attacks on Indigenous Peoples

In the first quarter of 2021, the infamous "Bloody Sunday" episode occurred in the
Southern Tagalog area, with at least three progressive leaders dead and six more arrested in
"tokhang-style" police raids. These are extrajudicial killings carried out under the guise of
"resisting arrest" or "nanlaban" (fighting back).
Among those slain were two Indigenous Dumagat from Rizal who were part of a Dumagat
organization that had been fighting the Laiban Dam and, more recently, the Kaliwa Dam for for
two decades. Bloody Sunday, as well as the preceding Tumanduk Massacre, were the outcome of
Synchronized Enhanced Managing Police Operations (SEMPO), which are typically used to
apprehend drug-related offenders. In July, three Indigenous Manobo were slaughtered by troops
from the Philippine Army's 3rd Special Forces Battalion in Surigao del Sur. Lenie Rivas, a woman,
and Angel Rivas, a 12-year-old boy, were two of the casualties. According to Karapatan, a group
that works to safeguard and promote human rights in the Philippines, the military said the three
were armed rebels who engaged in a gunfight with them. However, family members and
townspeople denied this, claiming that the three were farmers who were growing abaca hemp when
they were slain. Angel attended the Lumad school's Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur
(TRIFPSS), while Rodriguez and Lenie belonged to the Lumad group Malahutayong Pakigbisog
Alang. Angel attended the Lumad school's Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS),
while Rodriguez and Lenie belonged to the Lumad group Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa
Sumusunod (MAPASU). The Save Our Schools (SOS) Network refuted the troops' assertions that
the three had "fought back"/nanlaban. Soldiers from the Karapatan-CARAGA region were alleged
to have carried their bodies to the military brigade in Lianga, where they were posed as members
of the New People's Army's armed opposition (NPA).
In the same month, CARAGA area Manobo leader Julieta Gomez and development worker
Niezelle Velasco were detained. Gomez is the secretary general of KASALO, the CARAGA
region's Indigenous Peoples' organization. They were later misrepresented as New People's Army
leaders during a news conference.
In 2021, a total of 24 people (including the eight stated above) were illegally detained, with
17 of them being Tumanduk.
The case of Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) leader Windel Bolinget, who had previously
been detained on bogus murder allegations, was one triumph for the Philippine Indigenous Peoples'
struggle in 2021. On March 8, 2021, the Regional Trial Court in Tagum City, Davao del Norte,
approved Bolinget's plea for reinvestigation of the false allegations. The same court judgment also
authorized the recall or removal of the arrest warrant issued against him.

Indigenous women, children and COVID-19

In 2021, Innabuyog and CWEARC (Cordillera Women's Education Action, Research
Center) interviewed a number of women who had given birth during the pandemic. The women
admitted that going to hospital for ante-natal checks was expensive, worrisome and made them
very anxious for fear of contracting COVID-19. Post-natal vaccination for newborn babies was
again anxiety-inducing for the mothers since this required venturing out of the home and into the
health centers. Indigenous women and children in the Cordillera region have also suffered losses
due to the COVID-19 response measures of lockdowns and quarantines, without any safety nets.
This was exacerbated by the smuggling of cheap but unsafe vegetables from China into the
country, resulting in a sudden drop in price and demand. Indigenous youth are experiencing bouts
of mental health problems because of their inability to cope with modular learning, while
unverified reports of suicide have also been noted.

Health Situation of Indigenous Peoples

 The general health situation in regions and provinces with the largest concentrations of
indigenous peoples is below the national average. A study on the health situation was conducted
among indigenous peoples of the Cordillera, Agta of Northeastern Luzon, Aetas of Mt. Pinatubo,
Mangyans of Mindoro, Batak of Palawan, Negritos of Negros Oriental, and the Lumads of
southern Mindanao. It was found that the infant mortality rate and the maternal mortality rate were
high for the Lumads of southern Mindanao. Health and nutrition problems, which should be
preventable and treatable, continue to persist. This is due to the continued absence or lack of basic
health personnel, facilities, resources and information in these extremely poor upland groups.
The study also found that for many indigenous peoples, poor nutrition, especially among
children and mothers, is often a direct or indirect cause of their common illnesses and deaths. They
have deficient food intake and diet due primarily to the poverty conditions in these areas,
aggravated by the rapid depletion of their natural resources. The nutrition value in their food is
unbalanced, with more carbohydrates and starchy foods that are deficient in protein, vitamins and
minerals.

Food Security
For indigenous peoples, food security is more of an aspiration than a reality. The loss of
ancestral land due to relocation by development projects and extractive industries (e.g., mining,
dams, and logging) or natural causes is a major source of food insecurity and poverty among
indigenous peoples (e.g. the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo). Another aspect is environmental
degradation, which includes the destruction of forests, water pollution, and the loss of
agrobiodiversity as a result of extractive industries and agricultural modernization. Because
indigenous peoples are so reliant on their land and resources, these issues have harmed their ability
to exist. For example, the Ibaloy and Kankanaey of Itogon, Benguet, have been subjected to large-
scale mining for more over a century, which has depleted their forests, damaged their mountains,
and emptied their natural water supplies. After the mines were closed, the mining firms did little
to restore the ecosystem. Most residents in mining-affected areas now rely on sporadic cash-
generating income to survive.
Modern agriculture is seen as the factor that has most extensively constrained indigenous
peoples’ food systems. It has caused loss of agrobiodiversity and emergence of new types of pests
and diseases. The shift from traditional to hybrid and genetically-modified crops has also caused
the extinction of superior traditional varieties of crops.

CHAPTER 4
GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS WORKING
WITH THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

iAMplify. A youth organization formed to raise awareness on issues surrounding the IPs of the
Philippines.
Aeta ako, Pilipino ako Foundation Inc. Aeta ako, Pilipino ako is a foundation dedicated to
providing nutrition and livelihood opportunities for poverty-stricken Aetas who have been
adversely affected by the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
PROJECTS:
Balik Lusog Batang Aeta Milk Feeding and Nutrition Program
Kabuhayan Sa Gulayan Project
Tuklas Katutubo. Tuklas Katutubo (National Organization of Indigenous Peoples in the
Philippines) is a volunteer tribal organization comprised of professionals, teachers, farmers, health
workers, fishermen, and community leaders committed to the protection and promotion of the
rights, welfare, and development of the country's indigenous peoples. Tuklas means discovery,
while Katutubo means indigenous people. It was created in 1998 in response to indigenous peoples'
lack of respect and representation in the Philippines, notably on issues of peace and development.
It admits that disinformation contributes to poverty and violence. Nationally, the group already
has 20,000 members and 67 branches in diverse tribes and localities.
PROJECTS:
Balik-Tribo Programme (Return to Tribe)
The National Indigenous Peoples Summit
IPeace (IPs)
IWGIA. International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs is a global human rights organization
dedicated to promoting, protecting and defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Since 1968, IWGIA
has cooperated with Indigenous Peoples' organizations and international institutions to promote
recognition and implementation of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. IWGIA works to empower
Indigenous Peoples through documentation, capacity development and advocacy on a local,
regional and international level. To achieve their mission they provide documentation, support
advocacy and empower indigenous peoples’ organizations and institutions via global partnerships.
Cordillera Peoples Alliance for the Defense of the Ancestral Domain and for Self-
Determination. The Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) is an independent federation of
organizations, most of them grassroots-based organizations among indigenous communities in the
Cordillera Region in the Philippines. CPA is committed to the promotion and defense of
indigenous peoples’ rights, human rights, social justice, and national freedom and democracy.
Through the years, CPA has launched sustained information drives, advocacy activities,
campaigns and direct actions and local struggles on indigenous peoples’ rights and related issues.
These activities were implemented alongside organizing work of various indigenous communities
in the region and building their capacity through education seminars, trainings and various types
of assistance.
Kabalikat sa Kaunlaran ng mga Ayta Inc. KAKAI was formed in 2003 and is a SEC-registered
service-oriented organisation in the Philippines. It is based in Bgy. Sta Juliana, Capas, Tarlac
operating in thirteen Aeta sitios between the O’Donnell River and the Zambales provincial and
San Jose, Tarlac municipal boundaries.
The primary strategy of the organization is to partner with Aeta communities to build their
capacities to claim their ancestral land rights, access basic services, and develop culture-based
leadership. The guiding principle of the organization is to “help the people help themselves” to
ensure that at the end of the partnership, the Aeta communities themselves will be able to
effectively address issues that affect them. Thus, KAKAI is committed to the process of
consciousness-raising in order to achieve its goals.
Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas. (National Federation of Indigenous
Peoples‟ Organizations in the Philippines - KAMP) is composed of ten regional-level indigenous
peoples‟ organizations covering provincial and community level grass-roots organizations. It has
four regional formations in Luzon, one in Visayas and five in Mindanao that are united in the
principle of upholding their basic rights to ancestral land and self-determination.
Inter-peoples Exchange. IPex is a national indigenous peoples’ institution that facilitates the
extension of its services to indigenous peoples in some areas of the Philippines; these services
include an ancestral domain support program, cultural exchange, youth development and
community empowerment.
Anthropology Watch. Anthrowatch is an NGO that is composed of anthropologists and other
social scientists who work with and for indigenous peoples in the Philippines. It assists in land
titling, culturally appropriate community development planning, capacity-building and advocacy
on indigenous peoples’ issues.
Tanggapang Panligal ng Katutubong Pilipino. Legal Assistance Center for Indigenous Filipinos
– PANLIPI is an organization of lawyers and indigenous peoples‟ advocates. It was established in
1985, and in 1995 participated in the legislative advocacy culminating in the enactment of the
IPRA. Its programmes focus on indigenous communities‟ self-determined development through
the provision of legal expertise and assistance with institutional capacity development, ancestral
domains delineation and resource management planning.
Kusog sa Katawhang Lumad sa Mindanao. Alliance of Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao-
KALUMARAN is an alliance of various Lumad organizations in Mindanao.
Philippines Association for Intercultural Development Inc. PAFID is a social development
organization focused on developing partnerships with indigenous communities to recover or secure
ancestral territories.
Indigenous Peoples Links. PIPLINKS is a human rights organization based in the United
Kingdom and in the Philippines. It was founded in response to a request from indigenous
organizations in the Philippines for international support in addressing their issues. It is focused
on providing support for indigenous peoples to protect and promote their rights.

CHAPTER 5
MATIGSALOG

5.1 Origin, Distribution, and History

The tribal name Matigsalog is a giveaway of their origin. It means "a resident from the
Salug River" (Davao River) specifically along its watershed. After the victorious rebellion led by
their hero, Datu Gawilan in 1975, the name took a new meaning which is the entire tribe distributed
in Bukidnon, Cotabato, and Davao. The Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) has noted as
affirmed by the natives in Panganan, that "the true Matigsalog are the residents in the area bounded
by Kalanganan in the North, up to but not including the Lasang River watershed in the east;
Gumitan in the south; Kulaman River, North Cotabato in the southwest; and Sinunda in the west."

Most Matigsalogs have strong Indian-Malayan features, light-brown skin relatively high
nose bridge, and a generally angular body build. The average height of men is about 5'4" and
women about 5 feet.
Men wear knee-length short tight-fitting pants and coat shirts with long sleeves. The
costume is decorated all over with multi-colored, cloth tape painstakingly sewn on the bodice and
sleeves of the shirt. The design is repeated on the pants from the waist down to the knees. A Datu
wears beaded or tie-dyed turbans fringed with goat's hair. They also wear a beaded waistband and
a sling bag, also decorated with goat's hair and multi-colored beads. Kampilan. a decorative sword
is a mark of distinction worn by the Datu.
Women on the other hand wear equally colorful garments. Red, orange, blue, and yellow
are the dominant colors of their two-piece costume. The plaid knee-length skirt is coordinated with
a waist-length blouse. Usually floral printed and polka-dotted, the blouse has elbow-length bell
sleeves.
 Body ornaments for the women would include a comb usually festooned with dangling
beads or tiny yarn balls; necklace and/or sul-oy, a necklace with earplugs as attachments; bracelets
made of brass or fashioned from a sea shell; several leg fitting rings made of plant material. These
leg rings, tikus, worn by both men and women just below the knees, are said to provide greater
walking endurance. Some women also use anklets adorned with hawk bells.

5.2 Cultural Change

The bloody resistance staged by the Matigsalog against the government in 1975 is perhaps
one of the most significant parts of their struggles as a people. Led by the legendary Datu Lorlenzo
Gawilan, Jr., the revolution with the battery "Pundak sa Kasilag, Panimalos Laban sa Yutang
Natawhan" (literally means - "incensed group rise and retaliate to fight for the land of birth.”)
lasted for 2 months and 2 weeks. It was sparked by the unabated abuses and exploitations of the
tribe; and the growing threat of
disfranchisement as a result of
encroachment to their ancestral
domain by loggers, ranchers,
and lowland migrants.
The imposition of
national laws and the
encroachment of the non-
Matigsalog in their land have
caused irreversible changes in
the structure and function of
their society. These changes
have the corresponding effect
on their subsistence economy
derived from swiddening,
hunting, and food gathering.
The demands for survival in a
land divested of its natural
resources had driven many of
the 20,000 Matigsalog farther to the mountains, while those who remained eked out a living as
wage workers.
The multi-datu system form of governance has been modified after the rebellion in the
organization of a compact village in Sinunda in 1975 by the PANAMIN associated with Manda
Elizalde. Under the new structure, the supreme Datu (Datu Gawilan) wielded two political powers,
from being a traditional datu and from being a mayor of the municipality of Kitaotao.

5.3 Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices

The IKSP (Indigenous knowledge systems and practices in the Philippines) of the
Matigsalog have been handed down through generations by word of mouth. Despite the swirling
changes in their environment and the struggles to adapt to these, their indigenous knowledge
system and practices, technical skills, and reverence toward nature and environment to some
degree, have endured. Some important factors that contribute to the retention of their beliefs,
traditions, and customs are their large extended family, the language that unites them, their
traditional network of relatives, and community relations.
A. Natural Resources and the Supernatural
The Matigsalog believes that Manama whom they call God occupies the highest
position in the hierarchy of the supernatural. Using the government set up as an analogy,
Manama is the President. He has a vice president and a command of cabinet secretaries.
They are unseen forces that control the physical world. They are powerful but kind when
respected. It is therefore important to the Matigsalog to maintain a harmonious relationship
with the unseen forces through rituals and respect for their presence in the rocks, water,
trees, flowers, and adherence to their belief in the unseen forces would bring life and
abundance of food from the natural environment.
B. Matigsalog Community as a Political Unit

A small Matigsalog Community unit consists of extended kinds under a leader-datu

who is both a spiritual and economic leader. He acts as a judge in settling disputes and a
father to provide for the needs of the entire community.

In earlier times, no outsiders were known to have settled with the Matigsalog. It was only
in the 1940s that an influx of outsiders began. No rights and privileges were accorded to
them nor extracted from them. The Matigsalog allowed the outsiders to use their resources
in the thought that they would care for them in the manner of Matigsalog tradition. By
nature shy, the forefathers of the Matigsalog were gradually driven away by the bold
intruders.

The word boundary has no equivalent term in the Matigsalog language. Their territory has
no boundary. As a people, the Matigsalog do not comprehend land ownership - only
stewardship as a sign of respect to the rightful owners - the spirits.

Use of land is defined by the extent of the area cultivated either communal or individual
family. The area left to fallow would still belong to the same unless another family or clan
requests for its use after the two- or three-years rest period.

In some instances, a part of a cultivated area may be shared or "loaned out" to another
Matigsalog family who for some circumstances failed to produce for their yea's
subsistence. It is understood that in the next cycle, an area equivalent to what was provided
to the needy family will be paid. Other "exchange" item of a greater or equal cost, like a
horse, is also acceptable.

C. Inland Fishing
Fishing is both a male and female job. Work-related activities requiring physical
strength such as the construction of fishing implements and setting up fish traps are male
responsibilities. The Matigsalog learned the skills early in life through the observation of
their parents/adults when they tag along in the food quest.
Moreover, fishing or catching aquatic food does not require so much preparation.
Fishing gears are almost always found in every Matigsalog home. Individuals may elect to
fish any time of the year, but the beast season is during panuig which falls in March. The
Matigsalog can fish using a torch during the night or at that time. Women usually fish
during the latter time.
Rituals for this
activity are performed
by the individual
fishers in their
respective abode.
However, divination
may be performed in
the workplace when
there is difficulty in
making a catch. The
Matigsalog invoke the
pleasure of
Gamow0pgamow, the
spirit who owns the
water and the living
creatures therein, for generosity, Alumughat is also appeased so that no harm befalls the
fishers.
To ensure their safety, the fishers are warned not to laugh or to make noise while
fishing so as not to disturb the spirits. The rocks and stones are places of spirits, it is
prohibited to touch them. Throwing stones, additionally, is a disturbance that displeases
the spirits who dwell in the fishing area
D. Traditional Medicine
 The ancestors of the Matigsalog believed that ailments are inflicted on people by
trespassed spirits. Enjoying good health, like an abundant harvest greatly depends on how
well one relates to the spirits. Angered spirits can inflict not only diseases but also capture
the mortal's spirit, and lock it up inside a tree which may lead to death unless the angered
spirit is appeased.

In addition, the Matigsalog depends on the gifted Tumanuron, a traditional

medicine man. He has the power to cure and mediate, to plead for the cause of the afflicted
offender. Moreover, through his intercessions in the ritual. ma's spirit held captive by the
offended spirit can even be released and eventually cured. The Tumanuron has a wide
knowledge of plants; where to find them in the forest, and how to use their curative value.

5.4 Cultural Preservation

Acculturation, state, and corporate intrusions into the Matigsalog ancestral domain have
irreversibly altered their ways. No longer isolated, their culture and traditions have become subject
to changes. These changes which are for adaptive reasons find traces of these in their IKSPs.
Lately, there seems to be growing consciousness sweeping elders to find a solution to the threat
on the culture manifested in the young people's indifference to learning the IKSPs and their
preoccupations which are markedly influenced by the western media and dominant culture.
The imposition of national laws and the encroachment of non-Matigsalogs in their ancestral
domain have adversely affected their lives. Most time, their non-literate folks find the legal system
of the government non-comprehensible and overwhelming.
In practicing their traditional upland farming, the diminution of what used to be their
resource base has downscaled the productivity of the land. One reason for this is that most of the
Matigsalog have lost their land area because of their debts to the Visayan. With this ironical
"scarcity" of land, the Matigsalog are constrained to dispense with the traditional practice of letting
the land fallow.
Their financial difficulties have also driven some of them to engage in ways that are against
their culture. The chainsaw which is a lowlander's tool has found its way into the Matigsalog's
experience.
EFFORTS:
a. Matigsalog culture-based education at all levels in the formal school with
interventions to address problems of married young people especially, the young
women/girls.
b. Fast-track adult literacy integrating rights, local governance, etc.
c. Advocacy campaign on ICCs with emphasis on the meaning of the Matigsalog's
struggle and survival of the dominant culture.