voiced out that mining permits should not be issued, especially in areas where indigenous peoples will be displaced. The participants also called for the implementation of guidelines on the selection of the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) so that they have a suitable representative who will champion their cause. In general, the government should protect agricultural lands and aquatic resources to ensure that adequate resources are enjoyed by small farmers and fisherfolks. Removing their access to such resources puts economic strain on them and pushes them to greater impoverishment. It must also be ensured that rural women have equal opportunity as men to own lands. Laws and policies that protect women’s rights to own land such as the Magna Carta of Women, the CARPER law and CEDAW, should be upheld. 2. Strengthen rural women’s economic opportunities. Rural women farmers usually grow organic products. As there is much greater patronage of commercial products, the government can help them through the promotion and mainstreaming of organic products to boost and increase their market and sales. Rural women in fisheries can be supported through monitoring of commercial fishing and ensuring that aquatic areas where small fisherfolks fish are preserved and protected against aggressive fishing and industrial pollution. In general, it is important to empower rural women by providing them livelihood opportunities and building their capacities through education, information and technology. 3. Conduct and institutionalize data collection focused on the situation and specific needs of rural women. Understanding the situation and specific needs of rural women can help aid policy makers create or reform laws and policies that can help address such needs and protect their rights. Currently, there is lack of data on rural women in the population statistics. This is the same in the labor force statistics where many of them work without any wage and an employment contract. It is recommended that the Philippine Statistics Office include rural women in their regular data collection and to institutionalize this process. Other commissioned studies can also be conducted and academic papers encouraged to better understand rural women’s situation in various geographical locations and industries. Their different cultural and religious background should also be looked at as they also have different customs and beliefs. All of these and other demographic data can be used by policy makers and program planners in developing policies and programs that can address specific needs of rural women, protect their rights and help attain a better quality of life for them. 4. Build awareness on rural women’s rights. The fact that only 27% of women in the Philippines are land title holders (NSO 2006) is proof that there is much to achieve in closing the gap of inequality in the rights enjoyed by men and women in the country. Rural women generally receive less amount of pay for 13