Senator Loren Legarda emphasized anew the importance of indigenous communities in the very survival of the Philippine ecosystem.
During her privilege speech delivered on the occasion of National Indigenous Peoples Day on August 12, Legarda reiterated the importance of the indigenous knowledge of these communities due to their centuries’ worth of expertise in the land that they reside on.
“Ang ating mga katutubo ang nagsisilbing unang hanay ng tagapagpanatili at tagapagpangalaga ng ating kapaligiran at kalikasan,” Legarda said.
(Our indigenous people serve as the frontline stewards and guardians of our environment and nature.)
“Mahalagang ating kilalanin, na para sa ating mga katutubong pamayanan, karugtong ng buhay ang lupang sinilangan. Hindi lamang natin dapat pahalagahan ang kanilang karapatan para sa kanilang kagalingan, kundi para sa pangkalahatang kapakanan ng ating bayan,” she added.
(It is important to recognize that for our indigenous communities, the land they were born on is integral to their lives. We must not only value their rights for their well-being but also for the general welfare of our nation.)
“Sa loob ng maraming siglo, sila ang nagsisilbing tagapangalaga ng ating likas na yaman at tayo ay umaasa sa kanilang kaalaman at kasanayan upang mamuhay nang malapit sa kalikasan.”
(For many centuries, they have been the custodians of our natural resources, and we rely on their knowledge and skills to live closely with nature.)
The four-term senator highlighted an alarming report recently published by the World Bank, titled “No Data, No Story: Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines.”
One critical finding from the report is data from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), which estimates that the country has approximately 1,530 ancestral domains covering nearly 26 million hectares, representing about 44% of all land in the Philippines.
However, only 257, or a mere 17%, have approved Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles or CADTs, and of these, only 22% are fully registered.
She also stated that the estimated ecosystem value of ancestral domains with forest resources stands at around Php1.1 trillion, including carbon capture, water provisioning, soil conservation, and non-timber forest productivity.
“We must actively support and elevate our indigenous communities, recognize their invaluable contributions, and uphold their rights,” asserted the veteran lawmaker.
“The resources we dedicate to this cause should not be viewed as mere assistance but as valuable and strategic investments for them and ourselves,” she continued.
“It is an investment in indigenous knowledge that safeguards our natural resources, an investment in preserving our forests, the purity of our waters, and the richness of our biodiversity.”
Legarda is the principal sponsor of Republic Act No. 10689, which declared August 9 as National Indigenous Peoples Day.
