COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE PHILIPPINES
Inputs to the General Assembly Resolution 70/166: Effective Promotion of the Declaration on
the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities
15 May 2017
1. The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (herewith the Commission or CHRP) submits
to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, its inputs and updates on the work of
the Commission on monitoring, follow-up and advocacy activities related to the rights of persons
belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities.
2. This submission is based on the Commission’s own documentation of independent monitoring and
statements on the rights of indigenous peoples, and the rights of persons belonging to religious
minorities. The submission also took into consideration local and international reports from
government, civil society, the media, and non-government organizations. Particularly, the
Commission’s written contribution and activities around the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues, and its inputs to the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights are largely reflected in
this submission.
3. Pursuant to its legal mandate, the Commission renders protection, promotion and policy services
with due regard to the human rights of indigenous peoples. These services include the conduct of
investigation on complaints filed by indigenous peoples (IP) groups; provision of legal assistance;
monitoring of the human rights situation of IP communities that are impacted by mining and
agribusiness activities; calling for and formation of inter-agency working groups and task force
comprised of focal persons from responsible government agencies that are legally mandated to
address specific problems raised by the IP communities involved; issuance of human rights
advisories that set forth the standards expected from duty-bearers in respecting, protecting and
fulfilling IP rights; conduct of dialogues and orientation with IP communities on human rights,
among others.
4. While the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) is the specific government office in
the Philippines that has the primary jurisdiction to promote and protect the four bundles of IP rights
(i.e., to ancestral domains and lands; to self-governance and empowerment; to social justice and
human rights; and to cultural integrity) there are substantial number of IP complainants that request
such assistance from the CHRP. CHRP records show that the most number of cases involving
indigenous peoples are concentrated in Mindanao (southern part of the country), particularly in
Caraga (Region XIII), Davao (Region XI), and the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX), known to be
conflict-affected areas where Muslim separatist movements and insurgencies occur. The
complaints are mostly about murder, harassment, and deprivation of property, thus correspond to
violations of the basic rights to life, liberty, property, and security of person. The data, in addition
to information provided by civil society groups, further substantiates the vulnerability of indigenous