LIVELIHOOD, NOT LIP SERVICE FOR OUR INDIGENOUS TRIBAL PEOPLES

LIVELIHOOD, NOT LIP SERVICE FOR OUR INDIGENOUS TRIBAL PEOPLES

Let’s get real. Despite countless promises and programs from one administration after another, many of our Indigenous Tribal Peoples (ITPs) are still living in poverty. They remain cut off from basic services—healthcare, education, infrastructure, and livelihood. It’s a national shame we should no longer tolerate.

Mr. President, with your recent appointment of a new management team at the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), there’s a spark of hope. Maybe this time, the promises will be backed by real change. But let me offer one straight-to-the-point proposal: tell your new team to focus on livelihood.

Why? Because livelihood is strategic. It’s not just aid—it’s empowerment. It allows ITPs to provide for themselves—food, shelter, clothing—on their own terms, with dignity. If we can help them generate sustainable income, we’re not just giving charity; we’re giving them a future.

Now, let’s be clear. The problem is not the lack of government programs. I believe most agencies are willing to help. But the issue is the same old bureaucratic weakness: the lack of government coordination. The national government agencies (NGAs) don’t talk to each other. Worse, they don’t coordinate effectively with the local government units (LGUs) on the ground.

Here’s a painful truth. While NCIP is supposed to take the lead, it doesn’t have enough political clout. It’s not a cabinet-level agency. Some local officials treat NCIP field officers like they’re second-class citizens. Even more disturbing, some mayors and governors refuse to recognize the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representatives (IPMRs) in municipal councils and provincial boards. That’s a clear violation of both the spirit and letter of the law.

It gets worse. Reports have surfaced that some LGU officials are refusing to honor Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs) already awarded to indigenous communities. In some areas, tribal people are bullied or even threatened—sometimes allegedly by private armies—when they try to assert their land rights.

So, here's my first direct question to you, Mr. President: Can we finally task the DILG and the PNP to protect the ITPs and enforce CADTs? These communities are citizens of the Republic. They have land titles. And yet they live in fear? That should not be the case in your administration.

But back to livelihood—because protection means nothing without opportunity.

There are many agencies that can contribute to a real, integrated livelihood strategy for ITPs:

·       DOST can help with product development.

·       DTI can assist with packaging and market access.

·       DA can provide agribusiness support.

·       DENR can develop sustainable forestry programs.

Let’s not reinvent the wheel. What the ITPs need is not a new agency or a fancy task force—they need coordination among existing agencies and implementation on the ground.

One clear opportunity? Agribusiness. Many indigenous communities already have ancestral land and traditional farming knowledge. With the right support, they could go into tree farming, livestock, poultry, and aquaculture. These aren’t just livelihood options—they're climate-friendly, sustainable, and even profitable. With tree farming, for instance, they could earn carbon credits—a win for their income and a win for the planet.

Mr. President, I’ve seen with my own eyes that NGOs, state colleges and universities (SUCs), and concerned private individuals are more than willing to help. But what they often lack is access—to the people in power who can break red tape, fast-track permits, and bring agencies together.

So, what’s stopping us from acting?

Is it bureaucracy? Then cut through it.
Is it turf wars between agencies? Then resolve them.
Is it political posturing? Then let’s call it out for what it is.

It’s time we stopped treating our Indigenous Peoples like footnotes in our national story. They are stewards of the land. They are defenders of culture. And they are citizens—just like us—entitled to a fair shot at livelihood, dignity, and development.

So yes, Mr. President, appointing new NCIP leadership is a good first step. But leadership means action. And action means results.

Let this be the term when we finally get it right—not with more empty promises, but with livelihood programs that last.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

08-27-2025

 

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