Lawmaker bats for law to recognize IPs’ conserved territories, areas

By Zaldy De Layola, Philippine News Agency

IP DAY. Members of the indigenous peoples (IP) in Antique province during the IP Day in an undated photo. Mamamayang Liberal Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima on Wednesday (Nov. 5, 2025) filed a measure seeking to recognize and protect Indigenous Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs), and promote the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) and IPs to self-determination and ancestral domain management. (Photo: PNA)

MANILA – House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima is urging fellow lawmakers to consider a measure seeking to recognize and protect Indigenous Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs) and to promote the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) and indigenous peoples (IPs) to self-determination and ancestral domain management.

De Lima filed House Bill No. 5761, or the ICCA Recognition Act, on Wednesday, which affirm IPs’ right and obligation to manage, maintain, and develop natural resources found within their culturally and spiritually significant territories, in accordance with their indigenous knowledge systems and practices (IKSPs), and through their traditional political structures and governance systems.

At present, Republic Act No. 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), serves as the main legal framework defining and safeguarding the rights of indigenous peoples.

De Lima, however, said IPRA does not fully address the concerns of IPs or uphold their rights, especially in managing their ancestral lands.

Under the proposed measure, the National ICCA Registry –a national information management system that contains records on pertinent information on ICCAs– will be established.

ICCAs shall be governed by ICCs/IPs in accordance with their customary laws, structures and mechanisms. Any conflict that may arise within the ICCA shall be primarily resolved through customary laws and traditional conflict resolution mechanisms.

When enacted into law, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and other relevant government agencies shall support sustainable livelihood opportunities, including biodiversity-friendly livelihoods, identified and defined by ICCs/IPs consistent with traditional practices and resource use that contribute to the sustainable use and proper management of the ICCAs.

“This measure underscores that the rights to land and self-determination necessarily entail the full recognition of the traditional resource use rights and practices of ICCs/IPs, including their authority to maintain, protect, conserve, and regulate access to their ICCAs, and to exclude unauthorized intrusion or exploitation thereof,” de Lima said in a statement Thursday.

“Sa maraming taon, nabalewala at nakaranas ng diskriminasyon at pang-aabuso ang ating mga IPs (For many years, our IPs were neglected and had experienced discrimination and abuses). Clearly, there is an urgent need for a legislative measure that empowers our IPs to truly uphold their rights and preserve their heritage and conserved areas through their traditional systems of governance,” she added.