By virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1906, s. 2009, the month of October is observed nationwide as National Indigenous Peoples’ Month, a celebration that recognizes the invaluable contributions of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to the nation's heritage, identity, and development.
The theme for the 2026 National Indigenous Peoples’ Month is “Mga Katutubo at Katutubong Dunong: Pahalagahan, Pangalagaan at Parangalan” (Valuing, Nurturing, and Honoring Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge). This theme highlights the importance of recognizing the rich cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, indigenous learning systems, and enduring wisdom of indigenous communities as vital foundations of national identity, sustainable development, and inclusive education.
The celebration serves as a reminder of the collective responsibility to value, protect, and promote Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSPs), indigenous languages, cultural traditions, ancestral domains, and community-based ways of life that have been preserved and passed on through generations. It likewise underscores the need to honor indigenous peoples as stewards of cultural heritage and custodians of ecological knowledge that continue to guide communities in responding to contemporary social and environmental challenges.
In recognition of the right of indigenous peoples to culturally rooted and responsive basic education, the Department of Education (DepEd) adopted the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Curriculum Framework through DepEd Order No. 32, s. 2015. The framework provides guidance to schools and other education programs in engaging indigenous communities in contextualizing the K to 12 Curriculum based on their respective educational, cultural, and social contexts.
The IPEd Curriculum Framework is the product of extensive consultations with indigenous elders, leaders, culture bearers, and implementers of community-based Indigenous Peoples Education initiatives. As a major milestone in strengthening the IPEd Program, it supports the provision of quality, culturally appropriate, and rights-based education for indigenous learners across the country.
Anchored on the defining features of indigenous communities, namely their ancestral domains, worldviews, and indigenous cultural institutions, the curriculum respects and affirms indigenous spirituality, cultural identity, and community aspirations. It promotes the use of indigenous languages and strengthens the preservation, transmission, and enrichment of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSPs) and Indigenous Learning Systems (ILS).
Relevant to this policy statement, the DepEd Regional Office III conduct the Regional Writeshop on the Development of Learning Resource Materials through the Integration of Indigenous Peoples’ Ancestral Domain-Based Farming Systems and the Interfacing of Community Competencies with the MATATAG Curriculum. This activity aimed to map specific learning competencies across learning areas within the MATATAG Curriculum that can be authentically taught and demonstrated through ancestral domain-based farming practices; develop culturally responsive, contextually relevant, and curriculum-aligned learning resource materials that integrate the Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSPs) embedded in Indigenous Peoples’ ancestral domain-based farming systems while effectively interfacing community competencies with the learning competencies of the MATATAG Curriculum; and validate indigenous knowledge, systems, and practices related to ancestral domain-based farming, including traditional soil conservation, water management, seed keeping, pest control, and cropping calendars, through engagement with participating Indigenous Peoples communities and recognized knowledge holders.
In keeping with the 2026 theme, the curriculum seeks not only to educate indigenous learners but also to empower them as future culture-bearers capable of safeguarding and advancing their heritage while engaging meaningfully with broader society. Through culturally responsive learning experiences, indigenous learners are enabled to appreciate their identity, exercise their right to self-determination, and contribute to the sustainable development of their communities.
The framework recognizes indigenous elders, cultural masters, and IKSP holders as valuable partners in the teaching-learning process. Their participation is encouraged in documenting, preserving, and transmitting indigenous knowledge and traditions. Likewise, DepEd acknowledges the ancestral domain as the primary learning environment where indigenous knowledge is experienced, practiced, and nurtured. Community guidance is therefore essential in designing learning activities that respect the sacredness and integrity of culturally significant sites.
The IPEd Curriculum Framework is guided by the principles of inclusion, participation, and empowerment as articulated in the National Indigenous Peoples Education Policy Framework (DepEd Order No. 62, s. 2011). It is likewise aligned with the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which uphold the right of indigenous peoples to establish and manage their own educational systems and institutions.
As the nation commemorates National Indigenous Peoples’ Month 2026, DepEd reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that indigenous learners receive education that respects their identity, honors their culture, and nurtures their aspirations. Guided by this year's theme, the Department continues to work alongside indigenous communities in valuing, nurturing, and honoring indigenous peoples and indigenous knowledge as indispensable pillars of a diverse, inclusive, and culturally enriched Philippines.