WU-P Center for Indigenous Studies

HAPPY NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY!

Being in a country with a colonial past, indigenous peoples' rights in the Philippines have been trampled and oppressed historically. Even before the various occupations the Philippines underwent, the archipelago has been home to about 110 ethnolinguistic groups of IPs. The 14 to 17 million IPs in our country continue to experience rights violations to this day.

IPs have disproportionately suffered from several global issues. According to the International Labour Organization:

About 47% of employed IPs did not undergo formal education, with the gap even wider for indigenous women.
Over 86% of IPs work in the informal sector, while around 66% of their non-indigenous counterparts do.
IPs are about thrice as likely to be under extreme poverty than non-indigenous peoples.

These are devastating figures considering how the youth from IPs could wound up stuck in the unjust system if it remains unchanged.

This International Day for the World's Indigenous Peoples, we at UNESCO-Club UPLB call for the protection and respect for IPs in the Philippines and across the world. Anchored on the theme "Indigenous youth as agents of change for self-determination," this day shall serve as a reminder to push for the creation of spaces in civic affairs for indigenous youth to occupy. We stand so that IPs are given the agency to partake in making decisions that affect their communities, respect for indigenous knowledge systems and traditions, and equitable access to livelihood opportunities.

References:

Indigenous Day celebrates youth shaping a sustainable tomorrow. (2023, August 9). UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/08/1139547

International Labour Organization, Dhir, R. K., & Organisation internationale du travail. (2019). Implementing the ILO Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention No. 169: Towards an Inclusive, Sustainable and Just Future (Internationale Arbeitsorganisation, Ed.). International labour organization.

United Nations Development Programme Philippines. (2013, July 24). Fast Facts: Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines [Fact sheet]. https://www.undp.org/philippines/publications/fast-facts-indigenous-peoples-philippines

DID YOU KNOW? 💡

For this week's IK Notes, we're continuing the series of trivia about the Ilongot group. Specifically, the Ilongots of Brgy. Ditale, Dipaculao, Aurora were first introduced to Christianity through the New Tribe Mission, according to the current Chieftain.

IN PHOTOS: Director Mizael Jay Pillagara presented the Center's rationale, mission & vision, as well as current research papers, activities, network/linkages, and extension programs during the visit of the distinguished delegation from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) of The United Methodist Church and the General Board of Global Ministries last July 24, 2023.

LOOK | The Center along with VPPD Glenn Lubuguin took the opportunity to peruse the exhibits on the various artifacts used by the Cordilleran Indigenous groups displayed in Baguio Museum.

LOOK | The Center and VPPD Glenn Lubuguin look through the current exhibit in Museo Kordilyera, UP Baguio titled "Handwoven Tales: The Warp and Weft of Cordillera Textiles" along with former Chancellor Dr. Raymundo D. Rovillos.

LOOK | The Center presented its current research papers and upcoming activities during the monthly Academic Council last July 12, 2023. Possible collaborations with other colleges and departments were discussed as well.

We would also like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the president of WU-P and the academic officials who expressed their support for the Center. Maraming salamat po!

Here's another note on the Ilongots of Brgy. Ditale, Dipaculao, Aurora for this week! They respect one another by teaching their children through storytelling that one must acknowledge the boundaries of each clan's land and avoid entering others' lands without permission.

LOOK | UREPs conduct an initial interview with mothers of the Bag-o Indigenous group from Brgy. Langka, Palayan City for the conceptualization of research on the concept of home and food practices last July 11, 2023.