LETTER TO THE EDITOR 

Reports have surfaced that Speaker Martin Romualdez and NCIP (National Commission on Indigenous Peoples) Chairperson Jennifer Sibug-Las met, during which the alarming news was revealed that the House leadership is considering abolishing the NCIP and amending the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act (IPRA).

This development not only threatens the future of indigenous peoples' rights in the Philippines but also raises serious concerns about the motivations behind this drastic move.

The reasons cited by Congress for the proposed abolition are deeply problematic. First, the claim that the NCIP is involved in extorting businesses operating within ancestral domains is a gross exaggeration. While there may be isolated corruption cases, the commission’s primary role is to regulate and ensure indigenous communities benefit from their own lands, protecting them from exploitation by corporate interests. By framing these regulatory actions as extortion, Congress reveals a pro-business agenda that seeks to weaken indigenous rights and facilitate corporate access to ancestral domains.

Even more troubling is the claim that NCIP and indigenous peoples are similar to insurgent groups that the government “manages,” such as the NPA and MNLF. This dangerous rhetoric not only mischaracterizes the indigenous struggle for land and cultural preservation but also positions IPs as enemies of the state. Such a narrative is reckless and could justify increased militarization and repression of indigenous communities. Indigenous peoples are not insurgents; they are among the most marginalized groups, seeking recognition and protection of their ancestral lands and cultural rights.

The third proposal — to strip NCIP of its authority to recognize ancestral domain titles — is perhaps the most insidious. By removing this power, Congress would dismantle a core function of the NCIP and undermine the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act, which was established to correct historical injustices against indigenous communities. Without NCIP’s recognition of ancestral domain titles, IPs would be left defenseless against land grabbing and corporate exploitation.

But these radical moves by Congress are merely a masquerade, hiding a more nefarious intention: to dismantle indigenous ancestral domains in favor of the business interests of local politicians. It is no coincidence that industries poised to benefit from this dismantling include the highly lucrative mining and hydroelectric sectors, both of which have a long history of encroaching on indigenous lands. By weakening or abolishing the NCIP, Congress effectively opens the door for these industries — often backed by powerful political families — to exploit ancestral domains without opposition or regulatory oversight.

This hidden agenda becomes even more apparent when we examine the industries involved. Mining, in particular, has long been a source of conflict in indigenous territories, displacing communities, destroying ecosystems, and threatening the livelihoods of those who depend on their lands. The hydroelectric sector, while touted as a renewable energy source, often involves the construction of large dams that displace entire communities, flood ancestral lands, and disrupt local ecosystems. Congress's proposed reforms are not about correcting institutional inefficiencies but dismantling the protections preventing these industries from exploiting indigenous lands for profit.

As Congress moves toward crafting "remedial legislation" to address what they call the "institutional errors" of the NCIP, it is clear that this is not about improving governance or protecting IPs. It is about clearing the way for corporate interests — particularly in mining and hydroelectric industries — to have free rein over ancestral domains. This is not reform; it is an assault on indigenous rights.

The upcoming 2025 budget plenary hearings are expected to put the NCIP and the IPs in a precarious position once again as if they must beg for their rightful share of government resources. This underscores the systemic neglect that indigenous communities face and the unequal power dynamics that favor corporate and political interests over human rights and environmental sustainability.

Rather than abolishing the NCIP, true reform is needed — one that strengthens its role in defending indigenous rights, increases transparency, and holds it accountable to the communities it serves. The abolition of the NCIP would leave a dangerous vacuum, allowing powerful political and corporate actors to exploit ancestral lands without resistance. Congress must rethink its priorities. To abolish the NCIP is to betray not only the indigenous peoples of the Philippines but the very principles of justice and equity that underpin a functioning democracy.

ANABEL BACO

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