Republic of the Philippines
Department of Social Welfare and Development
IBP Road, Batasan Pambansa Complex, Constitution IHtils, Quezon City 1126
Telephone Nos. (632) 931-8101 to 07; Telefax (632) 931-8191
e-mail:.o&eciSdswd.gov.ph ,,
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Website:
MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO.
Series o f 2009
SUBJECT:
I.
.
O!
Indigenous Peoples Participation Framework
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE
The 2007 Census o f Population and Housing showed that around 17% or 14.9 million o f
the total population o f 88.5 million is from 110 ethnolinguistic groups. Historically, the
IP communities have been resistant to assimilation and thus they have been driven to
remote rural areas, mostly mountainous communities with no or inadequate access to
basic services. Thus, most IP communities represent the poorest sector in the country.
Even if some opportunities reach the IP communities, the IP concerns tend to be
“invisible” in these programs/services which were developed in accordance with the
norms o f the majority. Thus, majority o f the services are not sensitive to IP cultures
which members are committed to preserve.
To respond to these issues, the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) was signed into
law on October 29, 1997 by then President Ramos, which seeks to recognize, promote
and protect the rights o f the IPs. These include the Right to Ancestral Domain and Lands;
Right to Self-Governance and Empowerment; Social Justice and Human Rights; and the
Right to Cultural Integrity.
The DSW D in implementing poverty alleviation and developmental programs and being
true to its mission o f providing social protection and promoting rights and welfare o f
vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, is committed to ensure the promotion and
protection o f the rights o f all indigenous people in the Philippines towards poverty
alleviation and empowerment. Towards this end, the DSWD developed this Indigenous
Peoples Participation Framework (IPPF) which serves as a declaration of policies and
standard procedures in developing, funding and implementing programs, projects and
services for indigenous people as part o f the social welfare and development reform.
While the IPPF is initially developed for the implementation o f the W orld-Bank assisted
Social Welfare and Development Reform Project (SWDRP), the Department intends to
use this Framework in the development o f future projects.
II. POLICY CONTEXT
A. The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA Law):
The IPRA Law safeguards against negative or adverse project impacts on ancestral
domains. It also ensures that IPs have the right to participate in decision-making, in
all matters that may affect their lives. The law stipulates that IPs have the right to an
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