INDIGENO

US PEOPLE
The Philippine Indigenous Communities
CONTENT PRESENTATION:

a. (REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8371) “The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997.”
b. Popular Ethnic Tribes in the Philippines
c. Issues concerning the Philippine Indigenous Communities
d. Significant role and place in the Filipino community
CHED MEMORANDUM
ORDER: NO.2, S. 2019
Subject: Integration of the Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) Studies/Education into the relevant higher
education curricula – for the primary purpose of addressing issues concerning IPs’ Communities
such as poverty and human rights abuses, as stipulated in RA 10908 or an “Act of Mandating
the integration of Filipino-Muslim and IPs History, Culture and Identity in the study of
Philippine History in both Basic and Higher Education;” and RA 8371 or the “Indigenous
Peoples Rights’ Act (IPRA) of 1997” which affirms IP rights to ancestral domains, self
governance and empowerment, social justice, human rights, and rights to cultural identity.
 This Act shall be known as “The
 SECTION 1. Short Title. —
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997”.
 SECTION 2. Declaration of State Policies. — The State shall recognize and
promote all the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous
Peoples (ICCs/IPs) . . .
a) The State shall recognize and promote the rights of ICCs/IPs within
the framework of national unity and development;
b) The State shall protect the rights of ICCs/IPs to their ancestral
domains to ensure their economic, social and cultural well-being and shall
recognize the applicability of customary laws governing property rights or
relations in determining the ownership and extent of ancestral domain;
 c) The State shall recognize, respect and protect the rights of
ICCs/IPs to preserve and develop their cultures, traditions and institutions.
It shall consider these rights in the formulation of national laws and
policies;
d) The State shall guarantee that members of the ICCs/IPs regardless
of sex, shall equally enjoy the full measure of human rights and freedoms
without distinction or discrimination;
e) The State shall take measures, with the participation of the
ICCs/IPs concerned, to protect their rights and guarantee respect for their
cultural integrity, and to ensure that members of the ICCs/IPs benefit on an
equal footing from the rights and opportunities which national laws and
regulations grant to other members of the population; and
 f) The State recognizes its obligations to respond to the strong
expression of the ICCs/IPs for cultural integrity by assuring
maximum ICC/IP participation in the direction of education, health,
as well as other services of ICCs/IPs, in order to render such
services more responsive to the needs and desires of these
communities.
Towards these ends, the State shall institute and establish the
necessary mechanisms to enforce and guarantee the realization of
these rights, taking into consideration their customs, traditions,
values, beliefs, interests and institutions, and to adopt and
implement measures to protect their rights to their ancestral
domains.
IPS IN THE
PHILIPPINES
A group of people or homogenous societies
identified by self-ascription and ascription
by others, who have continuously lived as
organized community on communally
bounded and defined territory, and who
have, under claims of ownership since time
immemorial, occupied, possessed customs,
tradition and other distinctive cultural traits,
or who have, through resistance to political,
social and cultural inroads of colonization,
non-indigenous religions and culture,
become historically differentiated from the
majority of Filipinos.
 The Philippines is a culturally diverse country with
an estimated 14- 17 million Indigenous Peoples (IPs)
belonging to 110 ethno-linguistic groups. They are mainly
concentrated in Northern Luzon (Cordillera
Administrative Region, 33%) and Mindanao (61%), with
some groups in the Visayas area. The Philippine
Constitution, in recognition of this diversity and under the
framework of national unity and development, mandates
state recognition, protection, promotion, and fulfillment of
the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Further, Republic Act
8371, also known as the “Indigenous Peoples Rights Act”
(1997, IPRA), recognized the right of IPs to manage their
ancestral domains; it has become the cornerstone of current
national policy on IPs.
 IGOROT, LUMAD AND
THE
MANGYAN
The indigenous groups in the mountains of northern Luzon are collectively known
as Igorot, while the groups on the southern island of Mindanao are collectively
called Lumad. There are smaller groups collectively known as Mangyan in the
central islands, and even smaller and scattered groups in the central islands and
Luzon, including several groups of hunter-gatherers in transition.
Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines have retained much of their traditional, pre-
colonial culture, social institutions and living practices. In general, they live in
geographically isolated areas with lack of access to basic social services and few
opportunities for major economic activities, education or political participation. In
contrast, commercially valuable natural resources such as minerals, forests and
rivers are found mainly in their areas, which makes them continuously vulnerable
to aggression against development and land grabbing.
THE IGOROT
They are a group of wet-rice agriculturalists
occupying the mountains in the area of
northern Luzon, Philippines. Igorot are any
of various ethnic groups in the mountains of
this region, all of whom keep their traditional
religion and way of life. Some live in the
tropical forests of the foothills, but most live
in rugged grassland and pine forest zones
higher up. They numbered about 1.5 million
in the early 21st century and the main
identified groups are Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao,
Isneg, Kalinga and Kankanaey.
 Agricultural terracing and farming are their
principal means of livelihood. Their main
cultivation is rice. They cultivate sweet
potatoes too. They use to raise pigs and
chickens, primarily for the numerous rituals
and sacrifices.

The Igorot live in small hamlets scattered

among the rice terraces. Traditional houses were
composed by wooden floors,
windowless walls and pyramidal thatch
roofs. They are elevated from the ground by trunks.
The inhabitants used removable staircases that were
hoisted up at night to protect the family inside.
THE LUMAD
 In 1986, fifteen of the more than eighteen ICC in Mindanao
adopted the term lumad, a Bisayan word for “native” or
“indigenous,” to distinguish themselves from the Christians
and Muslims in Mindanao. Republic Act 6734, enacted during
Corazon Aquino’s time, used the term to differentiate these
ethnic communities from the Bangsamoro people.
 Lumad are non-Muslim or non-Christian, although “the
orientation of their cultural developments … appears to be
toward the Muslim groups” (Jocano, 1998). The
anthropologist Felipe Landa Jocano stresses that “in most
cases, language is the only differentiating element in ethnic
cultures, particularly among those which occupy adjacent and
contiguous territory.”
The lumad who live within the southern
highland ranges are swidden farmers, and
practice little trade. Like many of its
neighbors, Bagobo society is ruled by a
class of warriors known
as magani or bagani. The Bagobo’s
elaborate dress and personal adornment
are well known among anthropologists.
The T’boli and Teduray are also known
for their baskets, trinkets, bracelets, and
earrings made of brass. The
T’boli’s t’nalak are prized fabrics
believed to be inspired by the dreams of
the woman weavers.
The Mandaya, Agusan Manobo, and Ata share numerous
cultural traits and social institutions such as in clothing
and religious rituals. They practice slash-and-burn
farming and trade with neighbors. Warriors, headed by
the datu, are greatly valued and respected.

On the mountains and plateaus of Bukidnon live a

number of ICC collectively known as Bukidnon (from a
Bisayan word for “mountain people”) but who call
themselves Higaonon, or “mountain dwellers.” The
mountains and ravines had separated them from their
neighbors, and may account for why many of their
traditions and practices have been maintained. In recent
years, however, the Higaonon are slowly being
assimilated into the prevailing lowland culture.
THE MANGYAN
Mangyan is the generic name for the
eight indigenous groups found on the island
of Mindoro, southwest of the island of
Luzon, the Philippines, each with its own
tribal name, language, and customs. The total
population maybe around 280,000, but
official statistics are difficult to determine
under the conditions of remote areas,
reclusive tribal groups and some having little
if any outside world contact.
The ethnic groups of the island, from north to south, are Iraya, Alangan,
Tadyawan, Tawbuid (called Batangan by lowlanders on the west of the
island), Buhid, and Hanunoo. An additional group on the south coast is
labeled Ratagnon. They appear to intermarry with lowlanders. The group is
known on the east of Mindoro as Bangon may be a subgroup of Tawbuid, as
they speak the ‘western’ dialect of that language. They also have a kind of
poetry which is called the Ambahan.
 Mangyans lived in peaceful societies as
compared to the head-hunting tribes of
North Luzon and the brave defiant
warrior tribes of the South. Social
scientists theorized that some societies
become peaceful because their system of
norms and values reward peaceful
behavior but disapprove of aggressive
and impulsive behaviors.
Among the most remarkable aspects of their rich
culture is the writing system known as “Mangyan
Scripts” that remains in use by the Hanunuo and
Buhid Mangyan in southeastern Mindoro. The Scripts
are among the last surviving examples of a writing
system that was once used in the Pre-Hispanic
Philippines.
Mangyan is mainly subsistence
agriculturalists, planting a variety
of sweet potato, upland (dry
cultivation) rice, and taro. They
also trap small animals and wild
pigs. Many who live in close
contact with lowland Filipinos sell
cash crops such as bananas and
ginger.
THE AETA
The Aeta (Ayta /ˈaɪtə/ EYE-tə), Agta, or Dumagat, are
collective terms for several Filipino indigenous peoples who
live in various parts of the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
They are considered to be part of the Negrito ethnic groups and
share common physical characteristics of dark skin tones, short
statures, curly to Afro-textured hair, and a higher frequency of
naturally lighter hair colour (blondism) relative to the general
population. They are thought to be among the earliest
inhabitants of the Philippines, preceding
the Austronesian migrations.
The Aetas live in the northern part of the Philippines on the
island of Luzon. Historians and anthropologists debate
precisely when and how they migrated here, the consensus
being that they crossed from the island of Borneo between 20
and 30 thousand years ago, using a land bridge that was
partially covered by water around 5,000 years ago — the
remaining part of which is now the island of Palawan.
Whatever the migration path was, they are without doubt
among the first — if not the first — inhabitants of the
Philippines. One area of that country where the Aetas had lived
for thousands of years was Mount Pinatubo. An active volcano,
it erupted in June of 1991. The eruption was one of the worst in
history and was devastating to the nearby Aeta population.
Around a quarter of a million people lost their homes — many
of them Aetas. Although the Filipinos are still cleaning up the
ash to this day, the Aetas have long since re-settled in urban
areas of Luzon. It is doubtful they will ever return to their
former homeland.
Traditionally, Aetas are hunting and
gathering indigenous people. They’re
actually among the most skilled when it
comes to jungle survival – they are even
able to make use of plants as herbal
medicine and possess tools and weapons.
While they’re nomadic, they are able to
build temporary houses made of sticks.
Issues concerning the Philippine Indigenous Communities
ISSUES CONCERNING THE PHILIPPINE
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
 Despite the abundance of natural resources around them, the indigenous peoples (IPs) in the Philippines, like
their global counterparts, are ranked among the poorest and most disadvantaged sector. They are deprived of
rights and opportunities to develop capacities to cope with the fast-changing social, economic, and political
environment.
 Many of the 110 ethno-linguistic indigenous groups in the Philippines experience discrimination, degradation
of resource bases, and armed conflict. IP communities, generally located in distinct ancestral territories, have
high rates of unemployment, underemployment, and illiteracy. While their socio-economic, cultural, and
spiritual lives revolve around their ancestral domains, indigenous peoples see their ownership of land
shrinking and disregarded.
 Climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity today. Its effects, however, are disproportionately
distributed, in particular affecting vulnerable and socially marginalized population groups. Indigenous
peoples are among the first to face the direct impacts of global warming on the ecosystems or landscapes they
inhabit, owing also to their dependence upon, and close relationship with the environment and its resources.
 Indigenous people across the globe have engaged in a constant struggle to take control of natural resources
and land against intrusion by external developers, state interest and commercial pressures brought up by
practices such as mining and agribusiness (Meilasari-Sugiana, 2018).
 Escalating attacks against Indigenous Peoples’ organisations and human rights defenders, Red-Tagging and the
Criminalization of Indigenous Activists
SIGNIFICANT ROLE AND PLACE OF THE IPS
IN THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY
 They hold vital ancestral knowledge and expertise on how to adapt, mitigate, and reduce climate and disaster
risks.
 Studies shows that forests and ecosystems that are better kept are found in Indigenous territories, which
means that the Indigenous Peoples have been practicing sustainable practices for environmental management
and development. Conserving unique biodiversity relies on the knowledge, innovations, and practices of
indigenous and local communities who live in direct contact with nature.
 Their history, culture, arts and way of living are proof of evidence that we have our own.
 The significance of preservation of indigenous languages also mean the preservation of traditional knowledge
on the climate, medicine, hydrology, business and astronomy. There are indigenous peoples in the Philippines
who believe that the invocation of the right words or phrases can call rain or heal ailments. Language is the
filament through which the blood of the culture flows.
TRENDING IPS MANILA, Philippines - BA Behavioral Science
graduate Norman King has recently made history after
becoming the first Aeta to graduate from the University
of the Philippines Manila (UP Manila). During the
university’s 108th Commencement Exercises held on
Wednesday, June 21 at the Philippine International
Convention Center, King received his diploma wearing
a bahag or g-string, his tribe’s traditional attire.

“Nung umakyat ako ng stage, I’m doing this not simply

because for show-off. No it’s not. It’s a matter of
representation ng mga Aeta,” King explained.

Becoming the first Aeta to graduate from UP Manila

wasn’t an easy feat for King. In fact, the scholar flunked
Math five times.

-“Maraming adjustments, di ko kinakahiya na madalas

ako bumagsak noon sa Math,” King recounted.
On June 30, 2020, Joeffrey Mambucon, "Joeff" to his friends,
finally achieved more than he thought he could at age 31.
He graduated from medical school with two distinctions.
Joeff received the Dean’s Special Award for Research and
the Dean’s Special Award for advocacy, inclusiveness, and equity
as First Tigwahanon-Manobo LaSallian MD.
The new doctor hails from the Philippine's indigenous tribe called
Lumad.
On the same day, he posted on Facebook a message thanking his
professors and mentors at the De La Salle Medical and Health
Sciences Institute in (DLSMHSI) Dasmarinas, Cavite.
He honored his mother and late father in his message "To my
mother, siblings, and to my late Datu Father who is already in
heaven, this is for all of us.
"Mama and Papa, you know how much my heart beats for both of
you always value the importance of education."
Joeff did not forget to acknowledge the support of his tribe: "To my
fellow tribesmen who make me feel like a celebrity every time I
come home bringing me lots of food such as sweet potatoes,
cassavas, native chicken, and exotic foods that I love, together, this
milestone is our success.”
SOURCES:
 https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1997/10/29/republic-act-no-8371/
 https://psa.gov.ph/content/indigenous-peoples-ips-1
 https://www.undp.org/philippines/publications/fast-facts-indigenous-peoples-philippines
 https://www.ilo.org/manila/areasofwork/WCMS_402361/lang--en/
index.htm#:~:text=Many%20of%20the%20110%20ethno,unemployment%2C
%20underemployment%2C%20and%20illiteracy.
 https://chedro1.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CMO-No.-02-Series-of-2019-
Integration-of-Indigenous-peoples-studies-into-the-relevant-Higher-Education-
Curricula.pdf
 https://www.pinterest.ph/possiblymayb/identity/
 https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/a-guide-to-the-indigenous-tribes-of-the-
philippines/
 https://www.iwgia.org/en/philippines.html
 https://nomadictribe.com/tribes/the-igorot

 https://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/articles/the-lumad-of-mindanao/

 https://interaksyon.philstar.com/politics-issues/2020/08/11/174720/deped-indigenous-groups-day-lumad-schools/

 https://www.usphsociety.org/2018/08/24/help-preserve-the-art-of-mangyan-scripts-a-philippine-national-culture-
treasure/#:~:text=Mangyan%20refers%20to%20an%20indigenous,Buhid%20Mangyan%20in%20southeastern
%20Mindoro.

 https://mnlop.com.ph/2019/09/11/mangyans-life-and-culture/

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeta_people

 https://www.peoplesoftheworld.org/text?people=Aeta

 https://www.journalijar.com/article/32904/the-struggle-of-philippine-indigenous-peoples/

 https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples

 https://www.thesummitexpress.com/2017/06/first-aeta-up-manila-graduate-norman-king.html