# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02wGSbUcowd2Pxr6yUDt6Yk4EM3fN6YxTQdbcgSZpwfEkht2N6CHgBJtn2fCp9xrRMl&id=100080194733194

TITLE: Flight of Muslim students in USM

AUTHOR: Esmael Sumagayan Imbong

DATE: June 3, 2022

KEY INFO:
The author narrated how his sister in faith, a Muslim student, was being discriminated by one of the university teacher, because she is wearing a hijab. This incident occured because the teacher maybe wasn't aware why Muslim women wear hijabs.

This post is relevant to our research topic because the author talks about the discrimination towards Muslims that is being experienced by his sister in faith. This is due to the lack of awareness about the culture of the other religion besides Roman Catholic, especially Islam.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Discrimination a hurdle for job-seeking Mindanao youth (Researched by Nexius Jack Talisay and Marion De Guzman)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.rappler.com/nation/180528-youth-mindanao-unemployment-discrimination/

TITLE: Discrimination a hurdle for job-seeking Mindanao youth

AUTHOR: Patty Pasion

DATE: AUGUST 30, 2017

KEY CONTENT:
The article talks about the conflict of monitoring group that launches a set of guidelines that seeks to end discrimination on the basis of ethnic and religious belief.

Someone talked about their encounters with prejudice and stereotypes. Despite having graduated from university and trying to find work in a metropolis like Manila, they claimed that as people found out they were Muslims, they started stereotyping and discriminating against them.

This article relates to our research topic as it shows that discrimination against Indigenous people is evident no matter where they go. As mentioned they experience prejudice and stereotypes in their own workplace by their own co-workers. This article also relates to our research topic by providing a solution sample on how prejudice can be avoided by setting up guidelines to the community.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

MANILA, Philippines - Usman Mohammad, 23, just graduated from Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City this year. His aim of starting his professional life was interrupted by war as the government neutralizes terrorist groups linked to the extremist Islamic State.

Like him, other youth displaced from Marawi City would like to find a job to support their families, espcially that their properties have either been looted or bombed. But being a Muslim jobseeker is difficult because of the stereotypes in the workplace, he said.

"Based from what I observed from my friends who are also graduates of MSU, when they apply for companies in Manila, when they are identified as Muslim, there's already discrimination, thinking they are terrorists," he said in Filipino.

Since there's little large-scale economic activity in their area, their only choice is to go to Manila where majority of career opportunities are available. But because of the discrimination they are facing, they can't help but think of just going abroad for work. ( WATCH IN 360º: The Marawi humanitarian crisis)

All he could ask for now is make opportunities equal for Muslims.

"Magkaroon lang ng opportunity na kumbaga ay i-welcome ang youth na galing sa Marawi na nadisplace, mabigyan ng opportunity," he said.

(Hopefully, there could be opportunities to welcome the youth from Marawi City who were displaced, be given an opportunity.)

Another problem people from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) experience when it comes to employment is the lack of information and government support in those areas.

Abdul-Ajidz Abdurahman, 24, from Tipo-Tipo in Basilan, said jobseekers in their area do not know when and where there are job vacancies.

"Hindi nila alam saan sila pupunta, sino ang lalapitan, ano iyong mga opportunity kasi 'di kami accessible sa internet connection, sa mga publication," he said.

(They don't know where they would go, who to go to, what are the opportunities because we don't have access to the internet, to publications.)

"Walang mga job fair. Ang mga job fair lang kasi diyan ay sa mga cities pero walang nangyayari doon sa mga municipalities," he added.

(There are no job fairs because job fairs are only conducted in cities but none for municipalities.)

For Francisco Lara Jr, country manager of conflict monitoring group International Alert, limiting workplace discrimination for Muslims is a way of promoting peace in the region. (READ: EndDiscriminationNow: On being Muslim and discriminated)

Lara said "unfairness" is the root of the rebellion in Mindanao

"Injustice is a very big issue but oftentimes, its unfairness. Injustice is like you are not able to get an education after the madrassah and you don't go up - that's injustice. But when you have an education,when you've done everything that is needed but still can't find a job, that is unfairness," he said.

"Oftentimes, that triggers extremism, not poverty," he added, stressing that the crisis in Marawi City should be solved through creating social and business spaces in the region more than relying on the military.

Working in this framework, International Alert launched on Tuesday, August 29, guidelines for companies to include equality and diversity in their hiring and management policies.

The Red Flag project, done in partnership with the Mindanao Business Council (MinBC), provides a set of practical guidelines against the discrimination of employees on the basis of their ethnic or religious backgrounds.

Some 40 firms from the banking, finance, service and extractive industries have joined the commitment to uphold the guidelines set by the project.

Nikki dela Rosa, deputy country manager of International Alert, said they will look into giving incentives to companies that will adhere to the standards.

"We are going to develop a tool kit, along with some professors of the Asian Institute of Management, in creating accessible tools for employers in terms of operationalizing the principles," she said.

But beyond this intervention, the groups urge the government to promote investments in Mindanao, which will ultimately solve the unemployment problem in the region.

"This is just a segment of most of the problems we have on the ground. A lot of the graduates coming in Muslim areas have difficulty [finding] jobs there. They experience discrimination from companies operating outside the ARMM. We believe this is [just a] stop gap," she said.

"The best way is to pressure government [to come out with the ] proper package to encourage investors there," she added. - Rappler.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Discrimination a hurdle for job-seeking Mindanao youth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A conflict monitoring group launches a set of guidelines that seeks to end discrimination on the basis of ethnic and religious belief

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Indigenous peoples in Philippines decry continuing discrimination (Researched by Nexius Jack Talisay and Marion De Guzman)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/12/25/15/indigenous-peoples-in-philippines-decry-continuing-discrimination

TITLE: Indigenous peoples in Philippines decry continuing discrimination

AUTHOR: ABS-CBN News

DATE: December 25, 2015

KEY CONTENT:
Indigenous groups spoke of their continuing assertion for what they call their "ancestral domain," the prevailing threats to their peaceful settlement due to the existence of paramilitary and other armed groups, and the neglect by some government agencies in terms of development programs. Even though they reside in their own community, the indigenous people claim that they do not feel free because of the ongoing harassment  they endure.

This article relates to our research topic as it tackles the effects of prejudice experienced by the Indigenous people. That being, despite them living in their respective territory they do not feel safe due to the harassment that they experience. This may not be located particularly here in Mindanao, but their experience in our country is also being experienced by some of the ethnic groups here in Mindanao.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
MANILA - Despite a constitutional guarantee and the passage 18 years ago of a special law for the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples in the Philippines, the marginalized group that represent 14 percent of the country's 100 million population still complains of discrimination that suppresses basic rights and development.

At a recent forum organized by the European Union Delegation to the Philippines, different indigenous groups spoke of their continuing assertion for what they call their "ancestral domain," the prevailing threats to their peaceful settlement due to the existence of paramilitary and other armed groups, and the neglect by some government agencies in terms of development programs.

"We have to admit that despite the existence of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997, the security of their rights enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, and the abundance of international covenants and treaties which protect the rights of indigenous peoples, the indigenous peoples in the Philippines still figure in social discrimination, economic marginalization, and political disempowerment," Gillian Dunuan of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples said at the forum.

There are an estimated 14 million indigenous peoples in the country, subdivided into around 110 linguistic groups or tribes. Most are based in the northern part of the main island, Luzon, and in the southern island of Mindanao.

Among the prominent groups are the Badjao, B'laan, Bagobo, Mangyan, Manobo, T'boli, and Teduray.

"The indigenous peoples in the Philippines also face many challenges in the context of development, peace and security, and human rights, most notably in Mindanao...where the overall socio-economic indicators are some of the lowest in the country and where there has been long-standing armed conflict," said Mattias Lentz, the deputy head of the EU delegation to the Philippines.

Mendoza, of the Mindanao-based Teduray indigenous group and a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission representing the non-Muslim constituents in the proposed new Muslim-dominated Bangsamoro region, said more than 132,000 households in that region belong to different indigenous groups.

"The indigenous peoples want recognition of their distinct identity and their ancestral domain," she said.

The government has struck a peace deal with the country's largest Muslim rebel group, the Mindanao-based Moro Islamic Liberation Front, agreeing to transform the current autonomous Muslim region into a Bangsamoro region.

However, the law to authorize it is pending in Congress, despite a push from Philippine President Benigno Aquino, who is hoping the transition begins before his term ends in June.

The creation of the Bangsamoro political entity is aimed at ending the decades-long violence in Mindanao that has stunted regional and national economic development.

"In Mindanao, especially regarding indigenous peoples and other groups in conflict situations, there are often times of shadow and sometimes moments of 'where do we go, what is happening?'," shared Georgi Engelbrecht, a human rights expert with the EU delegation to the Philippines, assigned to an international team monitoring the Mindanao peace process.

"While there's no direct conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in these communities, land conflict persists, or maybe shadows of political violence and other tensions," he said.

Engelbrecht said these "pockets of conflict" are related to land ownership, boundary tensions, and unresolved clan feuds among indigenous peoples, and are challenging for outsiders to resolve because "there are many armed men on the ground."

He also said mining is causing the displacement of indigenous peoples and affecting their livelihood and health.

There is also a concern over indigenous peoples becoming mere laborers in their own lands once they allow outside investors to initiate economic development there, according to Mendoza.

She said poverty is so prevalent among indigenous peoples in the proposed Bangsamoro region that some claim never to have seen a 500 peso ($10.5) bill.

In another part of Mindanao, as well as in northern Luzon, the prevailing issue involving indigenous peoples is the threat from paramilitary groups, said Rhoda Dalang of the Cordillera Indigenous Peoples Legal Center.

Last September, three tribesmen in Surigao del Sur province in eastern Mindanao were killed by members of the Magahat Bagani paramilitary group in what the military called a "tribal conflict within the context of insurgency," wherein one tribal group is affiliated with communist rebels, while another, from the same community, is against the rebel group.

The incident triggered military operations in the area, causing the Manobo residents to flee for their safety. The displaced residents have yet to return to their homes.

"Many have been killed...as time goes on, more and more violations against our human rights are committed, and up to now, there has been no justice," Michelle Campos, 17, the daughter of one of the three slain tribesmen, said at the forum.

"And we indigenous peoples are still not free even if we live in our communities, because we continue to suffer from harassment."

Dalang is urging the government to eliminate all paramilitary groups "to provide an atmosphere where indigenous peoples can fully exercise their rights."

According to Mendoza, the conflict makes it hard for indigenous peoples to establish permanent houses and a secure community.

Seeing hope in eventually raising the status of indigenous peoples in the Philippines while still respecting their culture and traditions, Engelbrecht said, "I think the most fruitful solution to this question is still dialogue. It may be very complex, and maybe the steps which are taken are baby steps, but at least the process is ongoing. It is very important to sustain this process."

Dunuan also urges other government agencies to play a role in the implementation of the indigenous peoples' rights law. "(There's a need for) interagency coordination and wide dissemination of the law so that other agencies shall also understand or see that they have a role in its implementation."

Lentz said the European Union supported projects for the indigenous peoples in the Philippines since 2009, allotting roughly 540 million pesos ($11.4 million) of grants.
==Kyodo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
indigenous peoples in philippines decry continuing discrimination | abs-cbn news

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Indigenous peoples in Philippines decry continuing discrimination

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
MANILA - Despite a constitutional guarantee and the passage 18 years ago of a special law for the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples in the Philippines, the marginalized group that represent 14 percent of the country's 100 million population still complains of discrimination that suppresses basic rights and development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Equality and discrimination in the Philippines (Researched by Nexius Jack Talisay and Marion De Guzman)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.ilo.org/manila/areasofwork/equality-and-discrimination/lang--en/index.htm

TITLE: Equality and discrimination in the Philippines

AUTHOR: International Labour Organization

DATE : Did not mentioned in the article

KEY CONTENT:
This article talks about preventing discrimination against workers organizing into trade unions at the same time encouraging employers to organize and promote private sector interests.

Indigenous peoples have been marginalized and subject to historical discrimination, it is mentioned. The majority of indigenous populations, especially those in rural areas, do not reap the rewards of development. Numerous technical cooperation initiatives with indigenous peoples in the Philippines have been carried out by the ILO.

This article relates to our research topic as it talks about effects of prejudice experienced by the Indigenous. As mentioned they do not reap the rewards of development. Numerous technical cooperation initiatives with indigenous peoples in the Philippines have been carried out by the ILO.This article also talks about on how to prevent discrimination by organizing and promote private sector interests.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Central to ILO's work since its founding in 1919 is promotion of equality between women and men and ending discrimination in the world of work. Combating discrimination through promotion of equality is an essential component in the Decent Work Common Agenda. Discrimination stifles development opportunities for workers, indigenous and tribal peoples, women, children, people with disabilities, workers with HIV/AIDS, and other socially isolated sectors of society.

Through promotion of freedom of association, the ILO seeks to prevent discrimination against workers organizing into trade unions at the same time encouraging employers to organize and promote private sector interests. A Freedom of Association project is implemented to support address anti-union discrimination, inter alia. Indigenous peoples faced historical discrimination and marginalization. Most indigenous communities, particularly in remote areas, do not benefit from the fruits of development. The ILO has implemented various technical cooperation projects covering indigenous peoples in the Philippines. Campaign for ratification of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention 1989 (No. 169) is an ongoing concern of the ILO.

For further information please contact:

ILO Country Office for the Philippines (CO-Manila)
19th Floor, Yuchengco Tower
RCBC Plaza 6819 Ayala Avenue
1200 Makati City, Philippines
Tel: +632 8580 9900 or 8580 9915
Email

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Equality and discrimination in the Philippines

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Central to ILO's work since its founding in 1919 is promotion of equality between women and men and ending discrimination in the world of work. Combating discrimination through promotion of equality is an essential component in the Decent Work Common Agenda.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Group wary of discrimination vs Muslims in urban areas after Mindanao bombings (Researched by Nexius Jack Talisay and Marion De Guzman)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/01/19/group-wary-of-discrimination-vs-muslims-in-urban-areas-after-mindanao-bombings

TITLE: Group wary of discrimination vs Muslims in urban areas after Mindanao bombings

AUTHOR: ABS-CBN News

DATE: February 01, 2019

KEY CONTENT:
Muslims in urban areas may face discrimination after Islamic State-inspired terrorists were tagged in the deadly bombings in Mindanao, a peace building organization said Friday.

Because of the long history of peaceful relations between the peoples of Sulu and Zamboanga, Muslims in the two regions were protected from persecution. Public and private institutions can combat the negative stereotypes about Muslims by hosting "anti-discrimination" events or incorporating interreligious dialogue into their curricula and workplace rules.

This news video segment relates to our research topic as it shows how people target or stereotype the Indigenous people. As mentioned “Muslims in urban areas may face discrimination after Islamic State-inspired terrorists were tagged in the deadly bombings in Mindanao, a peace building organization said Friday.”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
FILE PHOTO: Filipino Muslims flock to Luneta Park in Manila to celebrate Eid al-Adha early Monday morning. September 12, 2016. Basilio H. Sepe, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Muslims in urban areas may face discrimination after Islamic State-inspired terrorists were tagged in the deadly bombings in Mindanao, a peace-building organization said Friday.

International Alert Philippines Project Officer for Women and Youth Program Nina Bahjin Imlan told ANC's Early Edition that Muslims in cities outside Sulu and Zamboanga, the site of recent bombings of worship sites, would likely experience discrimination.

"That discrimination against Muslims will most likely be felt in urban centers outside of Sulu and Zamboanga," she said.

She said Muslims within the two areas were safe from discrimination "because of the long history of good relations among the peoples of Sulu and Zamboanga."

"The demographics of Sulu have always been a combination of people with different religious and cultural backgrounds. Christians, Muslim, Chinese, Tausugs. These people have never identified themselves according to these divides," she said.

Citing International Alert's findings, Imlan said some Muslims have been "forced to remove their hijabs in schools or in their workplace just to conform to the uniformity" or "change Muslim-sounding names in their resumes just to get a shot at being interviewed or considered for jobs."

Several school administrators and employers do not realize that asking Muslim women to remove their hijabs "are discriminatory acts," she said.

Public and private institutions may help counter the stigma attached to Muslims by holding "anti-discrimination" activities or including inter-religious talks in their curriculum or office policies, she said.

"The hardest part is getting them to empathize with Muslims. They do not empathize because they do not understand," she said.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Group wary of discrimination vs Muslims in urban areas after Mindanao bombings

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
MANILA - Muslims in urban areas may face discrimination after Islamic State-inspired terrorists were tagged in the deadly bombings in Mindanao, a peace-building organization said Friday. International Alert Philippines Project Officer for Women and Youth Program Nina Bahjin Imlan told ANC's Early Edition that Muslims in cities outside Sulu and Zamboanga, the site of recent bombings of worship sites, would likely experience discrimination.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Indigenous peoples: Fighting discrimination (Researched by Nexius Jack Talisay and Marion De Guzman)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://youtu.be/ehpqPHx9kJE

TITLE: Indigenous peoples: Fighting discrimination

AUTHOR: FRANCE 24 English

DATE: August 16, 2018

KEY CONTENT: Indigenous people continue to experience violence, land theft, and discrimination from the North to the South. Because of the diversity of its population, Mexico is like most of the Americas—North, Central, South, East, and West—where Amerindians are suppressed.

Despite the fact that this segment discusses the American condition, the Philippines can also relate from what is said there. Language barriers exist in the community because Indigenous people continue to speak and utilize their original tongue despite language changes throughout time. This could make the Indigenous people feel excluded, discriminated against, or even mocked.

This News Video Segment relates to our research topic because it shows that this issue is not only present in our country but also in different wherein the Indigenous people struggle as time passes by and there are many changes such as language. This news video segment may not be located here in Mindanao, but it is relevant here because this video segment tackles the issue with possible language barrier due to the society's diversity. It was also mentioned that the Indigenous people experience violence, land theft and discrimination which is also evident here in Mindanao.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Southern Philippines: Fostering an Inclusive Bangsamoro (Researched by Rona Glyz Fortinez)

# data[].attributes.body
URL:
https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-east-asia/philippines/322-southern-philippines-fostering-inclusive-bangsamoro

TITLE: Southern Philippines: Fostering an Inclusive Bangsamoro

AUTHOR: Crisisgroup, Manila/Brussels

DATE: 18 February  2022

KEY CONTENT: The content was about the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019 renewed hopes for peaceful coexistence between communities after decades of war in the southern Philippines. It relates to our research topic because it tackles about Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao progress of the community with the help of raising the awareness. The region's majority-Muslim population's ambitions would be met by the peace process, which also pledged to safeguard minority rights and ensure that women would have meaningful political representation. The Bangsamoro peace process has been making progress.

The level of violence in the region is much lower today than it has been for decades, as the transition gains momentum, peace dividends such as more efficient social or health services are slowly trickling down to the people. The indigenous minority in the area is still being displaced, residents of the Sulu archipelago believe the local authorities are not paying enough attention to their needs, and relations between the ex-rebels and powerful clans are volatile, all of which put a cloud on these developments. To further strengthen inclusive peace and development, the interim government needs to institutionalize participation of all Bangsamoro peoples, of all genders, in policymaking; promote equitable development across the region, and work to resolve conflicts affecting indigenous peoples. For instance, it can endeavor to fairly share peace dividends to every Bangsamoro citizen and continue to promote policies that encourage minorities and women to participate in civic and political life. This would assist in realizing the goal outlined in the peace agreements: a Bangsamoro with effective administration and a region where people from all backgrounds can contribute to constructing a more peaceful future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Southern Philippines Inclusivity - 15 Feb 2022-2 (1)

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Public Service Announcement - muslim.mp4 (Researched by Rona Glyz Fortinez)

# data[].attributes.headline
8. Public Service Message or Promotional Video

# data[].attributes.subject
8. Public Service Message or Promotional Video

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gLdoNpuJwM

TITLE: Public Service Announcement - muslim.mp4

AUTHOR: JesComTV

DATE: June 1, 2011

KEY CONTENT: It's related to our research topic because it shows the impact of prejudice and a lack of awareness about the different cultures and religions in contemporary Mindanaoan society. The video explains what people think if they saw a Muslim. Some of the examples given in the video include War-freak, Abu Sayyaf, and Terrorists. Lack of awareness may affect a person's sentiments and perhaps his life. The video may be brief, but its message—telling us not to condemn people too quickly—is powerful. For all Filipinos, this video serves as an eye-opener. People must be treated equally.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Public Service Announcement - muslim.mp4

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Kasiyanna: Particular Challenges of Indigenous People in Facing COVID-19 (Researched by Samantha Hope Salise)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/kasiyanna-particular-challenges-indigenous-peoples-facing-covid19

TITLE: Kasiyanna: Particular Challenges of Indigenous People in Facing COVID-19

AUTHOR: Minnie Degawan

DATE: April 8, 2020

KEY CONTENT:
Even before the pandemic hit, the Indigenous People have been facing problems and challenges due to the lack of or limited access to information regarding important issues. This ongoing issue is the consequence of poor planning done by our national government. And due to this, it often results to discrimination and the disregard for the IP. When the pandemic hit, due to the lack of information and understanding regarding the current situation, the IP who had a similar culture or practice to the lockdown and quarantine, only thought lightly of the pandemic. But over time, they slowly began being more and more affected by the effects of the pandemic, causing them to be more and more vulnerable. Stripping them from their rights as a human being to be aware and safe from matters like this.

Relation to the Group’s Topic: Due to IP being looked down on as the minority, there is a clear barrier and gap between them and the rest of society. And although this shouldn’t be the case, we can’t deny the fact that they are somewhat separated from the rest. Due to this, they end up being belittled and disregarded. During this pandemic, where information and understanding regarding the current circumstances should have been priority, their limited access to information hinders them from realizing the severity of the pandemic. Once the pandemic passes, there may once more be a gap due to the lack of awareness. Making them once more fall behind in terms of development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Minnie Degawan

Now, four months into the worldwide crisis brought about by COVID 19, the situation of Indigenous Peoples is slowly coming to light with the dissemination of reports from different Indigenous organizations. Indigenous Peoples are facing particularly challenging times due to some basic facts including the susceptibility of Indigenous communities to infectious diseases due to their lower immunity and, their lack of, or limited access to information, among others.

Some of these realities are consequences of poor planning by national governments, and others are the result of discrimination and disregard for Indigenous Peoples. The impacts of the many exploitative projects in Indigenous territories, such as mining and mono-crop plantations are an added threat and challenge. All of these contribute to the further marginalization and greater risk Indigenous Peoples face, especially in times of crises.

Coping Mechanisms
Indigenous Peoples are no strangers to disease and disaster. Through generations, Indigenous Peoples have established responses and coping mechanisms - grounded in traditional knowledge, customs and practices - to different circumstances affecting their communities. These are all founded on one fundamental principle: to ensure that the community survives.

A common response across Indigenous communities is that of closing-off the community to all - this means no one can enter the community until deemed safe. Such community closures are done for different reasons. In the Cordillera, Philippines such practice is regularly observed during the agricultural cycle. Before or after the fields are ready for planting and harvesting, the community declares ubaya/tengaw which basically means everyone stays at home, no hard labor is to be done by anyone. This is a time for the community and the earth to rest and typically lasts a day or two.

The ubaya/tengaw is also declared in times of epidemics or other disasters. Rituals to shut off the community from outsiders, including bad spirits, are performed by elders all directed at expelling whatever harm is in the community. The ubaya/tengaw is not meant just to protect the community but also outsiders who might want to visit. The signs that a community is in ubaya is very simple - a knotted piece of branch/leaf is placed at the entrance of the community - yet a powerful deterrent.

During extended community lockdowns, traditional community practices come into effect, such as the binnadang/ub-ubbo which can be loosely translated as exchange labor where community members look out for those in need and extend help. Food is shared by those who have more with those who have less. In addition, the basic principle of ayyew, meaning to not waste anything from food to water is constantly practiced and enforced. Food, such as dried sweet potatoes, that have been preserved for the rainy period are brought out and portioned to last for the period of ubaya.

It is during the period of ubaya that one often hears the term kasiyanna meaning "all will be well". It is an affirmation that balance will soon be achieved. To the community, problems are reflections of imbalance in the world - whether it be between neighbors or with the natural or spiritual world, and to resolve it is to restore balance.

So, when this global pandemic came about, the Indigenous communities did not find the idea of quarantine a strange one. For example, when the Philippine national government imposed the quarantine measures across the country, several Indigenous communities further strengthened this by declaring ubaya/tungaw in their respective communities. The declaration of ubaya/tengaw meant that these communities were closing their borders to everyone, including members who were in the cities at that time. It was a difficult decision but one that had to be made to avoid proliferation of the virus. Such mechanisms are also practiced by the Karen and other groups in Thailand, as well as by Indigenous Peoples in Indonesia.

While on lockdown, the communities took stock of the situation to assess who from the community was still outside, where they were, if they were planning to come back, and if so, what could be done for them? Are there people who are sick in the community, what is needed? is there enough food for all and for how long? These questions and subsequently answers, were then used by the community to plan better for the days, weeks or months ahead. Some communities decided to forego the food packs distributed by the government, in favor of those in urban areas, specifically those in poverty, as they could be facing greater challenges in obtaining food.

In different parts of Asia, such as Malaysia, the Orang Asli, have decided to return to the forest as their defense against the pandemic. The forest has always been their home and their source for medicines, so it is a logical response for them to return to it during times of danger. This is also true for other Indigenous Peoples, such as those living in the Amazon.

Particular Challenges
Unfortunately, these traditional practices of coping with pandemics and other disasters is proving to be particularly challenging for Indigenous Peoples given the current threats they face from the extractive industry and climate change, among others.
The conversion of forests to mono-crop plantations or to logging and mining concessions means less agricultural lands for communities. In addition, the introduction of fast-growing, input dependent, genetically modified species has compromised the productivity of the community lands. Climate change, too, has impacted the agricultural cycle and yield. The result of these occurrences is that communities now have less food stocked, making them vulnerable to hunger if the quarantine period results to be longer than anticipated.

The destruction of their surroundings brought about by the extractive industry also add to these challenges. Mining and logging have caused water sources to dry up and contamination of traditional water sources to increase. Even the designation of forests as protected areas is a cause of concern. In the instance of the Orang Asli, for example, their return to the forests has caused some wildlife protection groups to demand stronger protection for endangered animal species as hunting could increase.

But the Orang Asli, and other Indigenous Peoples, follow very strict rules governing hunting for food, among which is the caution of never taking more than what one needs; as well as looking out for animals that are very young or pregnant. There are also calls from some groups for stronger implementation of protected area rules, including keeping people out of the forests. This is ironic given that extractive industries are being allowed to continue their operations despite community lockdowns - such as in Ecuador where oil companies still traverse Indigenous communities to arrive at their operations.

In countries where the national government has taken on a more militaristic response, Indigenous Peoples are especially more vulnerable. For one, some of the national policies are unclear and not readily communicated to communities. Secondly, if/when the policy is disobeyed a drastic measure of either arrest or death (in the case of violations of curfew times) is taken. For Indigenous Peoples, orders to stay home and wait for the relief promised by governments is just not an option, as they are accustomed to fending for and relying on themselves.

In the case of the COVID19 pandemic, it might be hard to get a full picture of its impacts on Indigenous communities because they might not be prioritized in terms of testing. However, what is clear is that their ways of life are being tested.

What lies ahead
This global health crisis has proven and reinforced the need to respect and promote Indigenous Peoples' rights, placing them at the center of the discussion. If only Indigenous Peoples' rights to their lands and resources were respected, they would be better able to fend for themselves in times of crisis and would not have to look to outside for help. If only traditional resource use and management practices were respected and strengthened, there would be less destruction of nature, and perhaps less possibility for diseases to develop. These are among the greatest lessons from this global health pandemic and it is our hope that the policy makers will do what is needed to ensure that these rights are not forgotten.

When and if this crisis is over, there will be a rush to "help" Indigenous communities. It would be prudent to learn from this and to ensure that any intervention must have Indigenous Peoples at the center in terms of their agency and rights. It will be timely to look at policies and adjust these to reflect the situation and needs of the communities. It will also be useful to harness the knowledge and skills of the youth, who have access to information to communicate the community's needs to the outside world.

The communities know best what they will need and how such support should be delivered. It will be as the elders say, kasiyanna.

-- Minnie Degawan (Kankanaey-Igorot) is an activist for Indigenous Peoples' rights from the Cordillera, Philippines. She is the director of Conservation International's Indigenous & Traditional Peoples Program (ITPP).

Photo by Judy Flores Partlow

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
KASIYANNA: Particular Challenges of Indigenous Peoples in Facing COVID19

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Minnie Degawan Now, four months into the worldwide crisis brought about by COVID 19, the situation of Indigenous Peoples is slowly coming to light with the dissemination of reports from different Indigenous organizations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Vulnerabilities of Lumad Communities in Mindanao (Researched by Avril Margarette Lati)

# data[].attributes.body
URL:
https://www.mindanews.com/mindaviews/2021/01/upper-right-hand-vulnerabilities-of-lumad-communities-in-mindanao/

TITLE: Vulnerabilities of Lumad Communities in Mindanao

AUTHOR: Dionesio T. Alave Jr.

DATE: January 17, 2021

KEY CONTENT:
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report, Indigenous People (IPs) remain to be the poorest and most disadvantaged people. They have been subjected to historical discrimination and marginalization from political processes and economic benefit. They often face exclusion, loss of ancestral lands, displacement, pressures to and destruction of traditional ways of life and practices, and loss of identity and culture. In extreme situations, social and political discontent has erupted into armed conflict.

This social issue is related to our research topic because the prejudice against the tribes is still rampant here in Mindanao. Up until today, the tribes are still losing their rights such as human rights, and the right to stay in their own respective lands.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
KIDAPAWAN CITY (Mindanews/17 January) With the Philippine government's all-out war against the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), Lumad communities in Mindanao have become vulnerable areas of conflict. They are the figurative string in a tug-of-war of the State forces on one side and CPP/NPA on the other side, pulling hard to win their support. But what is in there that one tries to win?

Lumad communities are generally situated in geographically-isolated areas with lack of access to social services, mainstream economic opportunities, education and political participation. Ironically, these communities are gifted with abundant commercially-viable natural resources like minerals, forests, rivers and streams which make them vulnerable to development aggression.

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report, Indigenous Peoples (IPs) remain to be the poorest and most disadvantaged peoples. They have been "subject to historical discrimination and marginalization from political processes and economic benefit. They often face exclusion, loss of ancestral lands, displacement, pressures to and destruction of traditional ways of life and practices, and loss of identity and culture. In extreme situations, social and political discontent has erupted into armed conflict."

The Philippine Constitution declares that the State shall recognize and promote the rights of indigenous cultural communities within the framework of national unity and development. In 1997, Republic Act 8371, otherwise known as "The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA)" was enacted which becomes the cornerstone of national policy on IP. The law mandates the promotion of indigenous rich cultures and traditions as well as the development and protection of their ancestral lands. The struggles, particularly by IPs themselves, to pass IPRA was so passionate it even took the lives of a number of IP leaders and advocates. It was a product of intensified campaigns which one of the authors of the law, then 2 nd District Congressman of North Cotabato, Atty. Gregorio A. Andolana, described as "the living instrument of IPs' struggle for their right to self-determination".

Recently, however, Lumad communities are facing a new challenge and vulnerability brought by intensified anti-communist insurgency in their areas. The government's campaign dubbed as "End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC)" under Executive Order No. 70 or "whole-of-the-nation approach" has apparently widened the divide among IP leaders and communities. The situation was aggravated by the government's designation of the CPP/NPA as terrorist organization. Many of them are "red-tagged" as sympathizers of the CPP/NPA or alleged communist fronts.

The government's anti-insurgency approach is obvious and simple: bring all agencies to the communities to provide social services and livelihood projects to win their hearts and minds; intensify information and education campaigns, in short, "propaganda," to counter communist ideologies; gather more "surrenderers" to show CPP/NPA has weakened their foothold in communities they used to dominate and declare them as "dismantled areas;" employ psychological warfare, in other words, "harassment," against organizations and their leaders who will not cooperate in the campaign; and file trumped-up charges against alleged CPP/NPA supporters or sympathizers who will not "surrender."

The disintegration of Lumad communities has been shown by the pronouncement of its leaders in a recent conference in North Cotabato. The gathering which was supposedly aimed at unifying the Lumads' position on issues affecting their communities became a venue for propaganda, thus, creating more divisions. One leader claims that communists deceived them to rebel against the Philippines government. He said the church-based tribal Filipino program where he used to work for socio-economic development of Lumad communities were infiltrated by members of CPP/NPA and became its recruitment and organizing unit.

However, a fellow Lumad woman leader, shared a different story. She said the church-based tribal Filipino program has empowered them to fight for ancestral lands and promote their cultural values, customs and traditions. On the contrary, she said, the intensified military operations and crackdown of dissenters and perceived sympathizers of CPP/NPA in their communities have increased violations of human rights and limited their movement to do their usual economic activities. She and some members of her community experienced military harassment like compelling them to visit military camps to "clear" their names absent any charges. She has known many Lumad church and community leaders still languishing in prison due to trumped-up charges.

The Duterte administration has around one and a half years remaining in its timeline to end the communist armed conflict. At the center of this campaign are the Lumad communities in Mindanao. But looking at the way it is being pursued, it seems to be another regime of failure in addressing the insurgency problem.

First, there is apparent lack of sincerity in providing solution to the root causes of conflict. It employs piecemeal approach in addressing the socio-economic conditions of the communities. The "one time-big time" delivery of services of all government agencies in one community appears to be a charade or band-aid than a solution to a critical social illness. It has no clear direction and sustainability mechanisms. Experience tells us that without community participation in all phases of development from planning to implementation, it is doomed to fail. It fails to provide a comprehensive development program taking into consideration the socio-economic conditions of the communities and their participation in its implementation.

Second, the crackdown on the perceived communists sympathizers and dissenters creates more enemies and hostile environment for peace. As one military strategist had said, "we cannot win the war through the barrel of the gun." Violence begets more violence. Hatred brings more hatred. Filing of ridiculous criminal complaints, usually non-bailable offenses, against innocent civilians will only weaken the trust and confidence of the people in the government. As it goes, the anti-insurgency campaign prefers short-term targets and quotas than long-term solution and impact.

Finally, the government's indiscriminate closure of Lumad schools baselessly accused of promoting communist ideology, coupled with massive social media propaganda campaigns, is another erroneous and myopic approach.

The right of Lumads to education is protected by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The UN stressed that as distinct peoples, Lumads "have developed their own knowledge systems, values, institutions, practices and economies, often based on sustainable management of natural resources" and they have "their own cultural methods of transmitting knowledge."

The government's anti-insurgency campaign, however, included closure of Lumad schools.

In addition, the military has been pitting the Lumad against their fellow Lumads in various parts of Mindanao. In North Cotabato, it organized the Bagani forces made up of Lumad members in the municipalities of Arakan, Magpet and Antipas. According to some members, they are under the supervision and control of a Datu who covers certain ancestral territory. Their task is to protect the Datu and the territory which includes intelligence information gathering against communist rebels. The military adopts this approach not only in North Cotabato but also in Northern Mindanao, Caraga and Davao regions.

A few weeks ago, a group of Bagani forces belonging to Tinananon-Manobo, arrested fellow members in Arakan, North Cotabato. The Bagani forces, despite having no authority in law, arrested two members and brought them to their "commander" for investigation, accusing them of introducing a false organization and collecting membership fees.

As this situation escalates, Lumad communities remain to be vulnerable being the preferred battlegrounds of armed groups. Sadly, the gains that they have so far achieved in their struggle to address historical injustices are once again challenged and overwhelmed by another blunt of dirty war. This time, as pawns in a deadly game of fratricidal chess: Lumad vs. Lumad.
[MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Upper Right Hand is a revolving column of the Union of People's Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM). Atty. Dionesio T. Alave, Jr. is the Chair of People's Peace Network, an alliance of local church and civil society organizations in Kidapawan City which is actively involved in peace-building and promotion of justice and human rights. He has been a rural development worker since 1994 and a human rights lawyer upon admission to the bar in 2012.]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
UPPER RIGHT HAND: Vulnerabilities of Lumad Communities in Mindanao

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
KIDAPAWAN CITY (Mindanews/17 January) With the Philippine government's all-out war against the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), Lumad communities in Mindanao have become vulnerable areas of conflict.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
The Life and Struggle of Indigenous People in the Philippines (Researched by Avril Margarette Lati and Airi Patron Alindajao) 

# data[].attributes.body
URL:  https://youtu.be/aF2IzXNNtYA

TITLE: The Life and Struggle of Indigenous People in the Philippines

AUTHOR: Viviene Angela Dadea

DATE: November 20, 2021

KEY CONTENT:
Indigenous people suffer higher rates of poverty, homelessness, and malnutrition. They have lower levels of literacy and less access to health services, further contributing to their poverty. Rural places in Mindanao is where most of the indigenous people live because of how rare they leave the rural areas. We, mostly the teenagers in today's generation, never really know or, much worst, never even know that indigenous people still exist in these times. The lack of resources indigenous people receive is one of the problems, and people don't care about them anymore. The indigenous peoples, largely "forgotten" by the government, are in the midst of problems.

This video is relevant to our research topic because of the content itself. The video talks about the inequality that are being experienced by the indigenous people.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Life And Struggle Of Indigenous People In The Philippines

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
PSAX-IG-2021-10 (Researched by Airi Patron Alindajao)

# data[].attributes.body
URL:
http://rsso10.psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/PSAX-IG-2021-10.pdf?fbclid=IwAR157M0bB7PLBu2hNL2f0KVXtnVbRJWBHWwhlviVHCK83C-8SkAC3gv-j2M

TITLE: Official Population Counts of Northern Mindanao

AUTHOR: Philippine Statistics Authority

DATE: May 1, 2020

KEY CONTENT:
This data infographic and statistics show the growing population of Mindanao from the year 2020. Based on the data, the population in every place in Mindanao is still growing by chance. This data infographic proves that in Mindanao, many different cultures and traditions exist. As the population grows, some communities lack resources of various knowledge about recognizing and respecting each one's differences in culture, language, and faith, which results to discrimination.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Pinoys urged to learn more about IPs’ role in promoting culture (Researched by Samantha Hope Salise) 

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1180894

TITLE: Pinoys urged to learn more about IPs’ role in promoting culture

AUTHOR: Azer Parrochera

DATE: August 9, 2022

KEY CONTENT: As the title goes, Pinoys are urged to learn more about the IPs’ roles in promoting culture. The article mainly focuses on how despite indigenous women playing a major role in the development and progress of the IPs in the Philippines, they often suffer discrimination due to their gender, class, and socioeconomic status, adding to the discrimination they receive due to their ethnicity. Due to this, their right to self-determination, self-governance and control of resources, especially their ancestral lands have been violated for centuries.

The discrimination and belittling of women isn’t new to us, nor is information regarding the inequality the IP receives. Discrediting and discriminating because of one’s ethnicity and gender strips them away from their rights as a human. Given that the indigenous women have to fight not only for their rights as a human being, but also for things that are rightfully theirs, their ancestral land showcases how unequal the treatment they get in comparison to others. Their suffering is the effect of the prejudice towards not only their ethnicity, but also towards women in general.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Indigenous World 2020: Philippines (Researched by Samantha Hope Salise)

# data[].attributes.body
URL : https://www.iwgia.org/en/philippines/3608-iw-2020-philippines.html

TITLE : Indigenous World 2020: Philippines

AUTHOR: IWGIA

DATE: May 11, 2020

KEY CONTENT: The disinformation against the Indigenous People has caused them to be antagonized and feared by the public. The association of the IP in the Philippines to communist and terrorist groups make them vulnerable to human rights violations.

With the battle between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA), the lack of awareness about the different tribes and ethnicities causes them to be associated with the said groups. Because of this, whenever we bring up the IP, people would either automatically think of the different ethnicities, or the sad reality of people, especially those who are unaware of who they actually are, to relate them to communists or even worse, terrorists. This causes them to be feared and separated from the majority causing them to receive different and unequal treatment. Instead of tackling the issue from its root, the lack of information and knowledge pushes the government to feed on the prejudice the indigenous people are already receiving, making it worsen over time.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Written on . Posted in Philippines

The population census conducted in the Philippines in 2010 for the first time included an ethnicity variable but no official figure for Indigenous Peoples has been released yet. The country's Indigenous population thus continues to be estimated at between 10% and 20% of the national population of 100,981,437, based on the 2015 population census.

The Indigenous groups in the northern mountains of Luzon (Cordillera) 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 island of Mindoro as well as smaller, scattered groups in the Visayas 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 livelihood practices. They generally live in geographically isolated areas with a lack of access to basic social services and few opportunities for mainstream economic activities, education or political participation. In contrast, commercially valuable natural resources such as minerals, forests and rivers can be found primarily in their areas, making them continuously vulnerable to development aggression and land grabbing.

The Republic Act 8371, known as the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act (IPRA), was promulgated in 1997. The law has been lauded for its support for respect of Indigenous Peoples' cultural integrity, right to their lands and right to self-directed development of those lands. More substantial implementation of the law is still being sought, however, apart from there being fundamental criticism of the law itself. The Philippines voted in favour of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), but the government has not yet ratified ILO Convention 169.

The situation of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines is worsening under the regime of President Rodrigo Duterte. Development aggression has intensified, with various mining, energy and other so-called 'development' projects encroaching on Indigenous territories. Human rights violations are likewise escalating, with Indigenous activists comprising most of the victims. ¹ In 2019, the UK-based international watchdog Global Witness has declared the Philippines as the world's deadliest country for environmental defenders, with 30 deaths recorded in 2018. ²

China-funded projects violating Indigenous Peoples' rights

After the Philippine government signed numerous loan agreements with the government of China in 2018, various issues hounded the loan agreements for the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project (even though construction started the same year) and the Kaliwa Dam project. ³ Both projects are located in Indigenous territories in the Cordillera and Calabarzon regions affecting at least 3,765 Indigenous people. The loan agreements for these projects have not been disclosed to the public and have stirred criticism when leaked copies reached the public in 2019. Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) denounced the onerous and lopsided loan agreement between the governments of the Philippines and China for the project, which CPA characterised as a debt trap for the Filipino people and a sell-out of the country's sovereignty. ⁴

Meanwhile, opposition to the China-funded Kaliwa Dam project has intensified as the project will displace over 1,400 Indigenous Dumagat families and affect more than 100,000 peoples. ⁵ Despite the threats to Indigenous communities and the massive damages to the environment and biodiversity ⁶ that the project may cause, President Duterte declared he would use 'extraordinary powers' to ensure that the project will push through. ⁷ Indigenous Peoples and various groups also criticised the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for issuing an environmental compliance certificate despite stiff opposition to the project. ⁸

On April 4 and May 9, petitions were lodged by the Makabayan Bloc, KATRIBU national alliance of Indigenous Peoples and environment advocates at the Philippine Supreme Court. The petitions were attempts to stop the implementation of the loans for the Chico River Pump Irrigation and Kaliwa Dam projects, since several provisions of the loan agreements violate the 1987 Philippine Constitution. ⁹ These violations include the confidentiality clause, the choice of Chinese law as governing law, the selection of an arbitration tribunal in Hong Kong and the waiver of sovereign immunity over Philippine patrimonial assets of commercial value. ¹⁰ On the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project, the Malacanang Palace said it will comply with the Supreme Court's order ¹¹ for the government to respond to the petition against the project but insisted that the loan deal is constitutional. ¹² To date, Cordillera Indigenous Peoples do not know if the government has made any response. Another China-backed flagship project of the Duterte administration that outrightly disregarded Indigenous Peoples' rights is the New Clark City, which is envisioned by the government to be the first smart and green city in the country. The first phase of the project, which housed a "state-of-the-art sports facility" that was used during the 2019 South East Asian Games, has already displaced over 27,500 members of the Aeta Indigenous people. Expansion of the project threatens to displace around 500 Aeta families. ¹³ The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), ¹⁴ a government-owned corporation under the Office of the President that is mandated to strengthen the country's Armed Forces while building cities, maintains that the Aetas are not displaced as there are no Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles in the area. ¹⁵

The latest deal between the Chinese government's Belt and Road Initiative and the Duterte administration's Build, Build, Build infrastructure program is the proposed 250-megawatt South Pulangi Hydroelectric Power Plant (PHPP) project, which will flood 2,833 hectares of Indigenous lands in four towns near Davao City and will affect residents of 20 communities. The USD$800 million contract agreement between PHPP CEO Josue Lapitan and China Energy Engineering Co Ltd Chairman Dong Bin was signed in April 2019 without the consent of the affected communities. For many years the Indigenous Peoples' opposition to the PHPP has been met with militarisation, harassment, indiscriminate firing and extrajudicial killing. ¹⁶

Mining and other energy projects

Large-scale mining remains a constant threat faced by Philippine Indigenous Peoples. In August 2019, Cordillera Indigenous Peoples formed the Aywanan Mining and Environment Network in opposition to the mining applications of the Cordillera Exploration Company, Inc. (CEXCI), a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corporation in partnership with Japan-based Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd. CEXCI's mining applications cover 72,958 hectares of land in the ancestral lands of the Indigenous Peoples in the Cordillera and parts of Ilocos Sur. 17 Petition-signing against the mining applications of CEXCI started in August 2019 and is continuing. In Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya, a people's barricade which started in

July 2019 led to the temporary suspension of the gold and copper mining operations of multinational company OceanaGold. ¹⁸ The company's mining permit (Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement) expired in June 20 after 25 years of operation. Pending the renewal of its permit to operate, the company appealed to continue its operations but this was denied in a regional trial court. Communities affected by the mining operations opposed the renewal of the company's mining permit. They have long been complaining of the environmental destruction and human rights violations committed by OceanaGold. ¹⁹

In Mindanao, the Lumad Indigenous Peoples continue to oppose at least three mining tenements that were approved by the government and cover around 17,000 hectares in the Pantaron mountain range, which straddles the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur. The Pantaron range is the main source of the major watersheds in the region. ²⁰ In the energy front, aside from hydropower projects that the Duterte administration continues to build, the Kalinga geothermal project of Aragorn Power and Energy Corporation and Guidance Management Corporation, in partnership with global energy company Chevron, is about to complete its exploration stage. The project covers 26,139 hectares in Kalinga province. ²¹

Escalating attacks against Indigenous Peoples' organisations and human rights defenders

Following the issuance of Executive Order 70 ²² by President Duterte in December 2018, the Duterte regime has intensified attacks against Indigenous Peoples through the formation of the Task Forces to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict. ²³ Executive Order 70 is part of the government's "whole-of-nation" counter-insurgency operation plan which has an "Indigenous People-centric" approach. ²⁴ The attacks are meant to quell Indigenous Peoples' resistance to development aggression and government policies that violate Indigenous Peoples' rights, and results in further marginalisation of Indigenous Peoples in the country.

In the implementation of Executive Order 70, the Department of Education ordered the closure of 55 Lumad schools, leaving 3,500 students and more than 30 teachers out of school and jobs. ²⁵ The closure order was on baseless claims of the government that the Salugpongan schools are teaching students to rebel. ²⁶ The Lumad Indigenous Peoples decried this injustice that only deprives Lumad children of their right to education.

Strategies of disinformation are being used by other government agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and presidential agencies like the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPAPP) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA). Political dissenters are politically vilified and tagged as communists or members of the New People's Army (NPA).27

In a series of briefing sessions on the Whole of Nation Approach to government agencies in Baguio City, NICA has been presenting Indigenous Peoples' organisations and Indigenous Peoples human rights defenders as Communist Terrorist Groups and members of the NPA. UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, and some leaders of the CPA were accused of being infiltrators to the UN on behalf of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the NPA. ²⁸

In a congressional briefing on 5 November 2019, Indigenous Peoples' organisations such as the CPA, humanitarian organizations such as the Citizens' Disaster Response Center and Oxfam Philippines, and the National Council of Churches in the Philippines were labeled by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense as communist terrorist groups. ²⁹

The dangerous labelling of Indigenous Peoples' organisations and human rights defenders as communist terrorist groups and members make them vulnerable to various forms of human rights violations. As of August 2019, eighty-six Indigenous people have fallen victim of extrajudicial killings (at least nine victims in 2019), 66 Indigenous people were victims of frustrated extrajudicial killings (at least eight victims in 2019), 36 are political prisoners, and 31,004 were victims of forced evacuation since Duterte assumed the presidency in July 2016. ³⁰ Many of the victims were opposing development aggression, human rights violations and the policies of the government that violate Indigenous Peoples' rights.

Indigenous Peoples' advocates were not spared from the tyranny of the Duterte regime. Brandon Lee, a Chinese-American volunteer of the Ifugao Peasant Movement in the Cordillera region, has been branded as an enemy of the state and was shot in front of his house in August 2019. ³¹ He is now back home in the United States for his recovery.

The criminalisation of Indigenous human rights defenders is continuing. From 2016 to August 2019, trumped-up charges caused the arrest and detention of at least 196 Indigenous people, 36 of whom remain unjustly imprisoned. ³² Datu Jomorito Guaynon, chairperson of Kalumbay Regional Lumad Organization remains in prison after he was arrested due to fabricated criminal charges. ³³ Rachel Mariano, a health worker of the Community Health, Education, Services and Training in the Cordillera Region, was acquitted in September 2019 after a year of detention. However, the judge who acquitted her, Mario Bañez, was shot dead two months later. ³⁴ Mariano still faces other fabricated charges and is out on bail.

After two-and-a-half years, the Martial Law in Mindanao was lifted on 31 December 2019. However, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, it will remain under a state of emergency ³⁵ by virtue of Proclamation No. 55 ³⁶ which was issued in 2016. Indigenous Peoples thus fear that the situation will not change much since the proclamation allows military and police forces to impose checkpoints and curfew. They fear that the continued significant presence of the government's armed forces in Mindanao and military operations will continue to protect investments in Indigenous territories. ³⁷

Bringing the issues to the United Nations

Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines look forward to the UN probe on the human rights situation in the country. ³⁸ In preparation for the UN probe and for other international engagements, Indigenous Peoples human rights defenders representing various Indigenous Peoples' organisations gathered in November 2019 for the national consultation workshop on the issues faced by Indigenous Peoples.

The national consultation workshop consolidated the data on the situation of human rights and economic, social and cultural rights of Indigenous Peoples, which was presented during the Asia Consultation with UN Special Rapporteur Vicky Tauli-Corpuz in November 2019. It also served as the basis for the Philippine Indigenous Peoples' submission to the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights to contribute in the UN Human Rights report on the Philippines.

The struggle continues

Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines are further strengthening their organisations and their struggles for human rights and Indigenous Peoples' rights towards facing the challenges in the next year.

Notes and references

1. Indigenous Peoples Rights International. "Documented Incidents of Criminalisation Against Indigenous Peoples" Accessed 26 February 2020: https://www.Indigenousrightsinternational.org/index.php/en/facts-and-figures

2. IWGIA Indigenous World 2019, Philippines: https://www.iwgia.org/en/ philippines/3416-iw2019-philippines

3. Cordillera Peoples Alliance, "Chico River Pump Irrigation Project loan agreement, a sell-out of ancestral land Philippine sovereignty". 7 March 2019: https://www.cpaphils.org/crpip.html

4. Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples' Rights, "Joint Statement to the 12th Session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on Borders, Migration and Displacement". 6 November 2019: https://philtfip.org/ category/dams/

5. Ranada, Pia "Duterte to use'extraordinary powers' to see Kaliwa Dam project through". Rappler, 28 October 2019: https://www.rappler.com/nation/243601- duterte-use-extraordinary-powers-for-kaliwa-dam

6. "ECC for Kaliwa Dam project assailed". Inquirer.Net, 24 October 2019: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1181082/ecc-for-kaliwa-dam-project-assailed

7. Buan, Lian "After Chico river, Makabayan goes after Kaliwa dam at Supreme Court". Rappler, 9 May 2019: https://www.rappler.com/nation/230105- makabayan-goes-after-kaliwa-dam-supreme-court

8. Ibid .

9. "SC orders gov't to comment on petition China-funded Chico River project". CNN Philippines, 10 April 2019: https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/4/10/ Supreme-Court-order-China-Chico-River-petition-.html

10. "Palace: Chico River irrigation project constitutional" GMA News Online, 10 April 2019: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/690843/palace-chico- river-irrigation-project-constitutional/story/

11. See Official Website of the Bases Conversion and Development Accessed 26 February 2020: https://bcda.gov.ph/about-us

12. Cordillera Peoples Alliance, "'Mine Safety', an oxymoron under corporate greed and government corruption; Enough of mining plunder! Enough of unsafe, irresponsible large-scale minig in our ancestral lands!". 24 November 2019: https://cpaphils.org/mines-unsafety-2019.html

13. Macaraeg, John Aaron Mark "Nueva Vizcaya folks celebrate as Oceanagold suspends operations". Bulatlat, 17 October 2019: https://www.bulatlat. com/2019/10/17/local-folk-celebrate-as-oceanagold-suspends-operations/.

14. Cagula, Ken E. "Lumad, peasant groups unite to defend Pantaron Rang". Davao Today, 22 April 2019: http://davaotoday.com/main/environment/lumad- peasant-groups-unite-to-defend-pantaron-range/

15. Balocnit, Peter A. Philippine Information "Kalinga geothermal project set to complete exploration phase" 30 November 2019: https://pia.gov.ph/ news/articles/1030451

16. Presidential Executive Order No. 70 "Institutionalizing the Whole-of-Nation Approach in Attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, Creating a National Task Force to end Local Communist Armed Conflict, and Directing the Adoption of a National Peace Framework." Accessed 26 February 2020: https://www. officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2018/12dec/20181204-EO-70-RRD.pdf

17. Facebook Post: Sandugo Movement Of Moro And Indigenous Peoples For Self-Determination. "Stop The Attacks Against Indigenous Peoples And National Minorities. Report of Joanna K. Cariño To The Commission On Human Rights". 10 September 2019: https://www.facebook.com/SandugoNatMin/ posts/937911556562877? tn =K-R

18. Ibid

19. See Rappler, "DepEd formally shuts down 55 Lumad schools in Davao" at https://www.rappler.com/nation/242052-deped-shuts-down-lumad-schools- davao-region

20. "DepEd shuts down 55 'lumad' schools". Rappler, 8 October 2019: https://inquirer.net/1141670/deped-shuts-down-55-lumad-schools

21. Op. Cit. (23)

22. Op. Cit. (23)

23. Cepeda, Mara "Red-tagged Oxfam, NCCP slam military for 'malicious, careless' attack". Rappler, 6 November 2019: https://www.rappler.com/nation/244252- red-tagged-oxfam-nccp-slam-military

24. Cit (23)

25. Op. Cit. (23)

26. Lagsa, Bobby "Cagayan de Oro rights groups slam arrest of two activists". Rappler, 30 January 2019: https://www.rappler.com/nation/222292-cagayan- de-oro-rights-groups-statements-arrest-activists

27. Buan, Lian "Ilocos Sur judge killed in ambush in La Union". Rappler, 5 November 2019: https://www.rappler.com/nation/244231-ilocos-sur-judge-killed-ambush- la-union

28. "Martial law lifted but Mindanao still under state of emergency" Philstar Global, 2 January 2020: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/01/02/1981465/ mindanao-still-under-state-emergency-amid-martial-law-lifted

29. Ranada, Pia "Palace releases proclamation on state of nat'l emergency". Rappler, 6 September 2016: https://www.rappler.com/nation/145346- proclamation-state-national-emergency-lawless-violence-released

30. Aspinwall, Nick "Martial law is lifted, but "state of emergency" persists in Mindanao". The Interpreter, 7 January 2020: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the- interpreter/martial-law-lifted-state-emergency-persists-mindanao

31. "UN council adopts resolution calling for probe into PH human rights situation". CNN Philippines, 11 July 2019: https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/7/11/UN- council-probe-human-rights-resolution-PH.html

Sarah Bestang K. Dekdeken This article is part of the 34th edition of the The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. Find The Indigenous World 2020 in full here is a Kankanaey Igorot from the Cordillera region in northern Philippines. She is the current Secretary General of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance, a federation of progressive people's organisations, mostly grassroots-based organisations among Indigenous communities in the Cordillera region.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The population census conducted in the Philippines in 2010 for the first time included an ethnicity variable but no official figure for Indigenous Peoples has been released yet. The country's Indigenous population thus continues to be estimated at between 10% and 20% of the national population of 100,981,437, based on the 2015 population census.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Equality for Muslims: A Work in Progress (ft. Dr. Suriyah Bi) (Researched by Carlo Miguel Sasil)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7a7CfsbSaINkn48LgDP6NZ?si=Ozy43DnlTYSDcuW8MSsu1A

TITLE: Equality for Muslims: A Work in Progress (ft. Dr. Suriyah Bi)

AUTHOR: The Muslim Vibe Podcast
DATE: October 16, 2020

KEY CONTENT:
On October 16, 2020, the Muslim Vibe Podcast released an episode that talks about the discrimination that is being experienced by the Muslim community. According to Dr. Suriyah Bi, CEO of the Equality Act Review and founder of the Journal of British Muslim Studies, no matter how educated you are, at the end of the day, you will only experience being judged by wearing a 2-yard cloth wrapped around your head. Even for gifted individuals like herself, who graduated from Oxford with the highest levels of academic achievement, the challenges of economic mobility were still there; Islamophobia continues to infest our society today, and it is a horrifying reality that Muslims face. This podcast may not be located here in our country, specifically here in Mindanao, but we all know that the discrimination that is being experienced by the Muslim community in their country, such as Islamophobia, is also being experienced here in our community as well. It is the sad reality of our society nowadays, no matter what degree or accomplishments they achieve, their hard work will just be in vain and they will be judged by wearing a hijab.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Lumads - Indigenous Peoples of Mindanao, Philippines - are Rising for Revolution! (Researched by Carlo Miguel Sasil)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwQpFmcR2eY

TITLE: Lumads - Indigenous Peoples of Mindanao, Philippines - are Rising for Revolution!

AUTHOR: V-Day

DATE: January 7, 2016

KEY CONTENT:
Mindanao's ancestral domains are the Philippines' last frontiers. But these lands are now being plundered and Indigenous communities are being militarized. The Aquino administration is attacking the Indigenous schools, districts, and people through the state's internal security, or what we call "Oplan Bayanihan," in order to pursue this imperialist plunder. This Oplan Bayanihan is the government's war for plunder and a war against the people. The mining concessions covered not less than 500,000 hectares of Mindanao lands. More than 50% of the Armed Forces of the Philippines have been deployed to Mindanao to secure their interests and quell the people's resistance to these encroachments on their lands and livelihoods.

According to Bae Bibiyaon Ligkayan Bingkay, a chieftain of Ata-Manobo, they are there at the said location because their land has been taken away from them. They cannot work in their fields, and they are there at the said location to ask for help because they really want to return to their land. According to the man in the video, the Alamara or the paramilitary would ask to pay approximately $2 or one hundred pesos just to their woman. And according to the kid in the video, someone forcefully asked her if she could already be used for sexual activities, and the girl really insisted. Because of this, she was terrified and went to her home.

This documentary is connected to our research topic because it talks about the lack of awareness about the tribes which results to this type of problem which is losing their rights such as human rights and the rights for them to go back to their homeland. This documentary serves as evidence that the rights of the tribes in our country, specifically here in Mindanao are not well observed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lumads - Indigenous Peoples of Mindanao, Philippines - are Rising for Revolution!

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD3-6JIUF7M

TITLE: The Standing Rock resistance and our fight for indigenous rights | Tara Houska

AUTHOR: TED - Tara Houska

DATE: May 1, 2018

KEY CONTENT:
When you aren't viewed as a real person in the community, it's a lot easier to run over your rights. According to Houska, when she moved to Washington, D.C. four years ago, she had finished her school and she is there to be a tribal attorney and represent tribes across the nation. She saw immediately why racist imagery matters. She noticed that the r-word slur is everywhere. While her job is going up on the hill and trying to fund schools and basic government services, and trying to lobby for hospitals, they cannot ignore the fact that they are being told again and again that Indians are not capable of managing their own affairs. Missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada have become so significant to the point that they spawned a movement and a national inquiry. Thousands of native women who have disappeared have been murdered.

This may not be located in the Philippines, specifically in Mindanao, but their experience as indigenous people is also being experienced by the indigenous people here in our community as well. This episode of tedtalk is connected to our research topic, because the video talks about the worse experience of the Indigenous people in  Discrimination and violating human rights, such as killing indigenous tribes, are also part of the problems that the tribes are facing today here in our country.

# data[].attributes.body
URL:
https://www.amazon.com/Were-Different-Sesame-Street-Pictureback/dp/0679832270

TITLE: We're Different, We're the Same (Sesame Street Series)

AUTHOR: Bobbie Kates

DATE: October 13, 1992

KEY CONTENT:
In this charming and educational book, Sesame Street's characters help children and adults understand that everyone is the same inside. This book aims to help

them learn about differences and what truly matters in this world. This engaging read is a great way to reinforce how we all have the exact needs and feelings.

This book connects to our group's research topic that focuses on the impact of prejudice and a lack of awareness about the different cultures and religions in contemporary Mindanaoan society in a way that it portrays how Mindanaoan society has been these past years. People get discriminated for their culture, language, and color, but as the book tries to tell us, yes, we are all different people, but what matters is that we’re all the same on the inside. Here in Mindanao, in public, we encounter other people from different tribes who have different languages and skin colors, but at the end of the day, we are all just the same inside, just typical human beings who have needs and feelings.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Who better than Elmo and his Sesame Street friends to teach us that though we may all look different on the outside-deep down, we are all very much alike? Sesame Street friends help teach toddlers and the adults in their lives that everyone is the same on the inside, and it's our differences that make this wonderful world, which is home to us all, an interesting-and special-place. This enduring, colorful, and charmingly illustrated book offers an easy, enjoyable way to learn about differences-and what truly matters.
Elmo and his We're Different, We're the Same is an engaging read for toddlers and adults alike that reinforces how we all have the same needs, desires, and feelings.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
We're Different, We're the Same (Sesame Street) (Pictureback(R))

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Amazon.com: We're Different, We're the Same (Sesame Street) (Pictureback(R)): 8581126911118: Kates, Bobbi, Mathieu, Joe: Books

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
pidsdps1742 (Researched by Carlo Miguel Sasil)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1742.pdf

TITLE: Inequality of Opportunities Among Ethnic Groups in the Philippines

AUTHOR: Celia M. Reyes, Christian D. Mina and Ronina D. Asis of Philippine Institute for Development Studies

DATE: December of 2017

KEY CONTENT:
The study aims to show inequalities among different ethnic groups in the Philippines. This is part of a UNU-WIDER research initiative addressing the measurement of horizontal inequalities in developing countries. This paper examines the inequality in opportunities in accessing basic services. In particular, this paper looks at access to education as measured by years of schooling and literacy rate,
and access to basic amenities as measured by access to safe water, sanitation and electricity.

According to the papers, the total inequality among ethnic groups in the country is higher in terms of opportunity in education, access to safe water and access to electricity. And also, the inequality in terms of access to safe drinking water and years of schooling are the highest while inequality in terms of literacy rate is the lowest.

This discussion paper is related to our research topic because it talks about the inequality of the opportunities that are being experienced by the ethnic group, especially here in Mindanao.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Credit the owners of the used videos.
2. Credit the owners of the used articles.
3. Credit the owner of the used research/discussion paper.

GROUP D LEADER AND MEMBERS:
Carlo Miguel Sasil
Airi Patron Alindajao
Marion De Guzman
Rona Glyz Fortinez
Avril Margarette Lati
Samantha Hope Salise
Nexius Jack Talisay

Grade 11 - Kostka

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SDG 10 REDUCED INEQUALITIES KOSTKASASIL, ALINDAJAO, DE GUZMAN, FORTINEZ, LATI, SALISE, TALISAY