I.

Title (1 slide)
A. Draft Resolution on Empowering Indigenous Communities in the
Philippines: Bridging Inequalities and Promoting Inclusion
B. Authors
1.

II. Background (2-3 slides)

A. The Indigenous People of the Philippines face a myriad of social
inequalities. They lack access to basic necessities, particularly clean water,
leaving them vulnerable to natural hazards and disadvantaged due to
geographical factors and inadequate infrastructure. The acquisition of protected
ancestral domains is hindered by a lack of understanding regarding contractual
sales. Moreover, they suffer from a lack of political representation, a
consequence of limited access to higher education. This also translates to
restricted access to quality secondary and tertiary education, leading to the
erosion of their cultural heritage, exacerbated by the standardized DepEd
curriculum which fails to account for diverse cultural and linguistic dynamics,
leaving them susceptible to linguistic shifts and lacking DepEd's full
acknowledgment. This lack of access to education opportunities is further
aggravated by political injustices, reinforcing their geographic disadvantage and
perpetuating the absence of necessary infrastructure.

III. Issues (2-3 slides)

A. Lack of access to basic necessities specifically potable water (Planet
Water Foundation, n.d.)
1. Vulnerable to natural hazards and risks
2. Geographical disadvantage
a) Lack of infrastructure
B. Acquisition of protected ancestral domains (Cabico, 2022)
1. Lack of competent comprehension in regard to the contractual sale
of ancestral domains
C. Lack of political representation (Open Government Partnership, 2019)
1. Caused by lack of access to further education
D. Lack of access to quality secondary and tertiary education (Reyes, Mina,
& Asis, 2017)
1. Dissolution of indigenous cultures and practices
a) Standardized DepEd curriculum
(1) Differences in cultural and linguistic dynamics
(a) Susceptible to linguistic shifts
(b) DepEd accreditation and acknowledge
 2. Deprived opportunities due to political injustices
3. Geographical disadvantage
a) Lack of infrastructure

IV. Resolution (4-5 slides)

A. Financial Subsidies and Price Control Measures
1. Urge the Philippine Government to actively explore and implement
financial subsidies and price control measures specifically targeted
towards grains and seeds crucial to the livelihoods of indigenous
communities.
2. Recommend that such measures be designed in consultation with
indigenous representatives, taking into account their specific needs,
cultural practices, and traditional agricultural methods.
B. MCCT Program Enhancement:
1. Applaud the implementation of the Modified Conditional Cash
Transfer (MCCT) Program as a step towards addressing education and
healthcare disparities.
2. Advocate for the expansion of the MCCT Program to encompass a
broader range of vulnerable groups, with a focus on ethnic and minority
communities.
C. Equal Access to Basic Necessities:
1. Urge the Philippine Government to allocate enough funding to
support the establishment of infrastructure in regards to potable sources of
water, such as water towers, water piping systems, and sustainable
sewage systems, among others.
D. Enforced Protection of Ancestral Domains
1. Recommend the Philippine Government to effectively enforce
existing laws protecting ancestral domains occupied by indigenous people
and other ethnic groups.
E. Political Inclusion and Equity
1. Encourage Local Government Units, Non-Government
Organizations, and other related Youth Groups to support causes related
to the empowerment of political representation of indigenous people and
their corresponding ethnic groups
F. Education Equity and Inclusion
1. Urge the Philippine government to prioritize education equity by
addressing the lack of access to education facilities, particularly secondary
schools, in remote and marginalized areas.
2. Encourage the Department of Education (DepEd) to permit local
indigenous people’s representatives to craft appropriate culturally-related
curricula and practices.
 a) Promote Mother Tongue Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)
strategy for indigenous and ethnic groups.
3. Recommend the establishment of student dormitories or similar
measures near schools to facilitate access to education, similar to
successful initiatives such as the Lumad children's dormitory in Panabo
City.
4. Encourage scaling up effective programs that have demonstrated
positive impacts on enhancing access to education among ethnic and
minority groups.
5. Call upon the Philippine government to conduct comprehensive
evaluations of education programs aimed at promoting inclusivity,
including the Indigenous Peoples Education Program (IPED).
6. Recommend that the Philippine government invest in the
development of education infrastructure in conflict-affected regions,
especially in Mindanao, to ensure that education remains accessible even
amidst challenging circumstances.
G. Collaboration and Sharing of Best Practices:
1. Encourage ASEAN member states to share best practices and
lessons learned in addressing education inequality, particularly among
ethnic and minority groups.
2. Suggest the establishment of a regional platform to facilitate the
exchange of experiences, strategies, and successes in addressing
education disparities.
References
Almazan, K., Agsawa, J., de la Pena, G., & Tarnate, J. (Directors). (2015). Inheritance
(Pamana) [Motion Picture].
Cabico, G. K. (2022, November 7). Half of ancestral lands threatened by destructive
projects — report. Retrieved from Philstar:
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/climate-and-environment/2022/11/07/222208
7/half-ancestral-lands-threatened-destructive-projects-report
Department of Education. (2016, May). K to 12 Curriculum Guide: MOTHER TONGUE.
Retrieved from DepEd:
https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Mother-Tongue-CG.pdf
International Labour Organization. (n.d.). ILO in Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in the
Philippines. Retrieved from International Labour Organization:
https://www.ilo.org/manila/areasofwork/WCMS_402361/lang--en/index.htm#:~:te
xt=Many%20of%20the%20110%20ethno,unemployment%2C
%20underemployment%2C%20and%20illiteracy.
McDoom, O. S. (2018, November). Inequality, ethnicity, and status in a ranked society:
intermarriage in Mindanao. Retrieved from EPrints.
Open Government Partnership. (2019). Indigenous Representation in Local Legislative
Councils (PH0065). Retrieved from Open Government Partnership Organization:
https://www.opengovpartnership.org/members/philippines/commitments/PH0065/
Planet Water Foundation. (n.d.). Clean, Safe Drinking Water for Indigenous
Communities. Retrieved from Planet Water Foundation:
https://planet-water.org/clean-water-for-quezon-drinking-water-for-indigenous-
community/
Reyes, C. M., Mina, C. D., & Asis, R. A. (2017, July). Inequality of opportunities among
ethnic . Retrieved from Wider:
https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/Publications/Working-paper/PDF/
wp2017-154.pdf
UNHCR. (n.d.). Minorities and indigenous peoples. Retrieved from UNHCR Org:
https://www.unhcr.org/minorities-and-indigenous-peoples