Indigenous people are an interesting group to assist and support now that the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has been transformed to the Department of Land Reform (DLR) by virtue of Executive Order 364 signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo which merges the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) and the Presidential Commission for Urban Poor (PCUP) with the DLR.

President Arroyo has assured representatives of the country’s different indigenous groups that the government is keen on protecting the rights and ancestral lands of these indigenous peoples, especially with regards to foreign investments in the mining industry or other upland ventures.

With this in mind, the DLR understands the need to protect the indigenous people’s rights to their ancestral domain, and to assist them in the delineation, titling and protection of their lands with their beliefs, customs and traditions. This same institution which would protect their rights shall also hear their concerns at all levels of the bureaucracy.

It should be also understood by all, especially the investors, that listening to the voices of these indigenous people and the local government that hosts them are the very same ones that can guarantee the stability and longevity of their investments.

Often called the “marginalized community” without access to resources, the media, and a capital for livelihood opportunities, this would not be so when the DLR would serve as a bridge between the two groups to foster cooperation that would result in projects that would in turn strengthen the livelihood of these natives and not to isolate them because of these projects as they also belong to the Philippine society.

These indigenous people are the backbone of our culture and the living symbols of our national heritage. And Filipinos who do not belong to the ethnic minority should journey to the innermost part of their souls to understand the need to really support our Filipino brothers.

The indigenous peoples’ concern is included in Arroyo’s 10-point agenda to create jobs and business opportunities, bring clean water, health services, electricity and education.

The ancestral domain bill, which became the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act, gave titles to 600 hectares of land all over the country for the natives. This bill was authored by Arroyo when she was still a senator.

In Ilocos Norte, towns with indigenous peoples such as Adams, Carasi, Dumalneg, Vintar, Marcos and Solsona are now also being supported by the DLR aside from the farmer-beneficiaries which it only used to assist in its DAR days.

But the DLR’s help is not limited to these as urban dwellers can also be assisted by the department.

Among the support services for urban dwellers include their technical training and one-month financial support with the assistance of Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Technical Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and their respective local government units.

Gertrude G. Albano