Indigenous Peoples' Political Structure and Leadership

Indigenous political structures refer to the organizational and cultural leadership systems, institutions, relationships, patterns, and processes for decision-making.
IP political structures are based on:
- Traditional practices
- Beliefs
- Values

Datu or Chieftain: most prominent figure in the IP community, responsible for leading the community, resolving conflicts, and making decisions.
Council of Elders: composed of respected community members who provide advice and guidance to the Datu.
Baylan: a spiritual leader who performs rituals and ceremonies for the community.
Women's Council: responsible for promoting the rights of women in the community.
Youth Council: represents the interests of the younger members of the community.

Established to ensure the protection and promotion of IP rights.
Works closely with IPs in the development of their political structures and the protection of their cultural heritage.
Vision: genuinely empowered Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples whose rights and multi-dimensional well-being are fully recognized, respected, and promoted towards the attainment of national unity and development.
Mission: primary government agency that formulates and implements policies, plans, and programs for the recognition, promotion, and protection of IP rights and well-being.

Ancestral Domains Office: responsible for the identification and recognition of ancestral domains in accordance with a master plan.
Office on Policy, Planning, and Research: responsible for the formulation of appropriate policies and programs for IPs.
Office of Education, Culture, and Health: responsible for the effective implementation of education, cultural, and health-related rights of IPs.
Office on Socio-Economic Services and Special Concerns: coordinates with government agencies to implement socio-economic services and policies affecting IPs.

Recognizes IP rights to self-governance, social justice, and cultural integrity.
Allows IPs to establish their own governance systems and institutions.
Participate in decision-making processes at the national and local levels.

Law enacted in 1992 to protect the country's natural resources and biodiversity.
Aims to conserve and preserve the natural heritage of the Philippines.

Regalian Doctrine: a legal concept that originated in Spain, holds that all lands and natural resources within a country's territory belong to the state or the crown.
Ancestral Domain: recognizes the rights of IPs to their ancestral domains, provides a legal framework for the recognition and protection of IP rights.

MNLF: Moro National Liberation Front, established in the 1960s, fights for the independence of Mindanao and Sulu from the Philippines government.
MILF: Moro Islamic Liberation Front, founded in the 1980s, sought to establish an Islamic state in Mindanao.
Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro was signed in 2019, aims to establish a new autonomous political entity for the Bangsamoro people.

Implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law
Continuing threat of violence and conflict in the region
Challenges of resource sharing, political power, and participation of other stakeholders### Historical Context of Moro Struggle
The Moro struggle has resulted in various agreements and initiatives since the 1970s, addressing historical injustices faced by the Moro people.
1898: The Philippines became a colony of the United States after gaining independence from Spain.
1901-1935: American colonizers introduced Western culture and values.
1946: The Philippines gained independence from the United States after World War II.
1976: The Tripoli Agreement was signed between the Philippine government and the MNLF, recognizing the right of the Moro people to self-determination and autonomy in certain areas of Mindanao.

1987: The Philippine Constitution recognized the rights of indigenous peoples and their ancestral domains.
1997: The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) was passed to protect the rights of IPs and their ancestral domains.
1995: The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act was amended to strengthen the recognition and protection of indigenous peoples' rights.

1996: The Philippine government signed the Final Peace Agreement with the MNLF, creating the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Challenges of ARMM: Allegations of corruption and failure to address the root causes of conflict.

2012: The Philippine government signed the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro with the MILF.
2018: The Bangsamoro Organic Law was passed, establishing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
BARMM has greater autonomy and resources compared to ARMM.

Resettlement Programs of the Government: Aimed at addressing internal displacement of indigenous and Muslim communities.
National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Program (NRRP): Established in 1972 during the martial law era to resettle informal settlers and landless farmers in government-owned land.
Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP): Aims to provide socio-economic assistance to former members of armed groups.
Current issues: Inadequate consultation with affected communities leading to forced evictions and inadequate compensation.

Land Rights: Struggle to secure legal recognition of ancestral lands.
Resource Extraction: Corporations disregard laws, leading to conflicts and human rights violations.
Population Shifts Resulting from Resettlements: Displacement of Lumad communities from their ancestral lands.
Discrimination and Marginalization: Widening gap between living standards of indigenous and Muslim communities and the rest of the population.
Climate Change: Threatens the survival of indigenous and Muslim communities due to changes in weather patterns.