The number of the Philippines’ indigenous peoples remains unknown, but it estimated to be between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of the 102.9 million national population.
The number of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines is unknown, but it is estimated that between 10% and 20% of the country's population. The Philippines has adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, but has not yet ratified ILO Convention 169.
Republic Law 8371, known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), was enacted in 1997. It has been praised for its support for the cultural integrity of Indigenous Peoples, the right to their lands and the right to self-directed development of these lands.
A more substantial implementation of the law is still sought, as the Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines continue to live in geographically isolated areas with lack of access to basic social services and few opportunities for widespread economic activities, education or political participation.
The Igorot, the Lumad and the Mangyan
The last census of 2010 included an ethnic variable for the first time. However, an official figure for the Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines has yet arrived, and it is estimated that the country's indigenous population is between 10% and 20% of the national population, which currently stands at around 102.9 million.
The indigenous groups in the mountains of northern Luzon are collectively known as Igorot, while the groups on the southern island of Mindanao are collectively called Lumad. There are smaller groups collectively known as Mangyan in the central islands, and even smaller and scattered groups in the central islands and Luzon, including several groups of hunter-gatherers in transition.
Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines have retained much of their traditional, pre-colonial culture, social institutions and living practices. In general, they live in geographically isolated areas with lack of access to basic social services and few opportunities for major economic activities, education or political participation. In contrast, commercially valuable natural resources such as minerals, forests and rivers are found mainly in their areas, which makes them continuously vulnerable to aggression against development and land grabbing.
Main challenges for the Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines
Indigenous Peoples participated in the electoral process by presenting their own political party, Sulong Katribu, to represent their interests in the 2016 national elections. Their attempt to win seats in Congress through the party-list system failed not because of lack of votes, but because the Elections Commission and the Supreme Court refused to accredit Sulong Katribu to participate in the elections.
The disqualification of the party list was condemned by many Indigenous Peoples, who filed appeals stating that all requirements for the accreditation of party lists had been met and that the disqualification of Sulong Katribu was a measure to further marginalize and discriminate against the parties Indigenous Peoples. However, these appeals were also denied.
KATRIBU, the national alliance of the regional organization of Indigenous Peoples, recorded 37 cases of extrajudicial executions of Indigenous Peoples, 62 illegal arrests, 21 political prisoners, 20 incidents of forced evacuation that affected 21,966 Indigenous Peoples, more than a hundred people faced charges, and the forced closure of 34 Lumad schools since Duterte assumed the presidency in July 2016.
Possible progress for the Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines
2,600 Indians and Moro carried out successfully, under the SANDUGO movement of national minorities for self-determination, the second Lakbayan or Caravan of Protest of National Minorities for Self-Determination and Just Peace in Metro Manila.
The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) extends our warmest greetings of solidarity to all the participants of the 40th Peoples' Cordillera Day celebrations. Peoples' Cordillera Day is truly a remarkable event. It is a strong manifestation of the unity of Indigenous Peoples in the Cordillera region and of your determination to continue the struggle for genuine self-determination manifested in the theme of the event for 2024: “Courageously Advance in the struggle for land, life and honor!”. We are happy to be able to celebrate this important event with you on this remarkable occasion marking the 40-year anniversary of Peoples' Cordillera Day.
The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) of the Philippines has arbitrarily designated Indigenous Peoples’ human rights defenders Windel Bolinget, Jennifer Awingan, Sarah Abellon-Alikes and Steve Tauli – all leaders of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) – as “terrorist individuals” in Resolution Number 41 (2023) issued by the ATC, as part of the powers granted by the Anti-Terrorism Law of 2020.
The population census conducted in the Philippines in 2010 for the first time included an ethnicity variable although 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 per cent of the national population of 100,981,437, based on the 2015 population census.
The country’s Indigenous population continues to be estimated at between 10% and 20% of the national population of 109,035,343, based on the 2020 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.
The ancestral practices of Indigenous Peoples use extraction methods that respect nature and strengthen the community by distributing the benefits. Although they were able to resist the Spanish colonizers, during the 20th century they were overwhelmed by US companies that introduced toxic substances and large-scale mining. These contrast with the government’s mining policy that allowed the proliferation of large mining companies that degraded the environment and affected the living and working conditions of Indigenous Peoples.
During his first participation in one of the sessions of the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and before the review of the State of the Philippines started, Windel Bolinget, General Coordinator of the organization Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), warned that the government has not complied with the recommendations made by the UPR in previous reviews. While the indigenous leader stresses the importance of the process, he regrets that indigenous peoples cannot speak at the official level. Despite the fact that the government of the Philippines has so far ignored all the recommendations previously made, Windel Bolinget is betting on maintaining his hope that the international community will put a stronger pressure into the Philippine government to comply with its obligations to respect and protect human rights, and in particular the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs - is a global human rights organisation dedicated to promoting and defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Read more.
