Legarda underscores importance of IPs in environmental preservation

MANILA – Senator Loren Legarda emphasized the importance of indigenous communities in the survival of the Philippine ecosystem.

During her privilege speech delivered on the occasion of National Indigenous Peoples Day on Aug. 12, Legarda reiterated the importance of the indigenous knowledge of these communities due to their centuries' worth of expertise in the land that they reside on.

"Ang ating mga katutubo ang nagsisilbing unang hanay ng tagapagpanatili at tagapagpangalaga ng ating kapaligiran at kalikasan (Our indigenous people serve as the first line of preservers and guardians of our environment and nature)," Legarda said.

"Mahalagang ating kilalanin, na para sa ating mga katutubong pamayanan, karugtong ng buhay ang lupang sinilangan. Hindi lamang natin dapat pahalagahan ang kanilang karapatan para sa kanilang kagalingan, kundi para sa pangkalahatang kapakanan ng ating bayan (It is important for us to recognize, that for our indigenous communities, the land of birth is a continuation of life. We must not only value their right for their well-being, but for the general welfare of our people)," she added.

The four-term senator highlighted an alarming report recently published by the World Bank, titled "No Data, No Story: Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines."

One critical finding from the report is data from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), which estimates that the country has approximately 1,530 ancestral domains covering nearly 26 million hectares, representing about 44 percent of all lands in the Philippines.

However, only 257 or a mere 17 percent have approved Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs) and of these, only 22 percent are fully registered.

She said the estimated ecosystem value of ancestral domains with forest resources stands at around P1.1 trillion, including carbon capture, water provisioning, soil conservation and non-timber forest productivity.

"We must actively support and elevate our indigenous communities, recognize their invaluable contributions, and uphold their rights," she said. "The resources we dedicate to this cause should not be viewed as mere assistance but as valuable and strategic investments for them and ourselves."

"It is an investment in indigenous knowledge that safeguards our natural resources, an investment in preserving our forests, the purity of our waters and the richness of our biodiversity," she added.

Legarda is the principal sponsor of Republic Act 10689, which declared August 9 as National Indigenous Peoples Day. (PNA)