The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and other Church-based groups have called on the government to protect the country’s indigenous peoples and their lands.
“We call upon the government and public institutions to protect ancestral domains, uphold Indigenous Peoples’ rights, ensure genuine FPIC (Free, Prior and Informed Consent), enforce environmental safeguards, and exercise transparency and accountability in development and environmental governance,” said the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples (ECIP), the Indigenous Peoples Apostolates and the Diocese of Cabanatuan.
The organizations also asked the public to reject discrimination, support community-led initiatives and work together for ecological justice and the common good.
“Indigenous communities continue to face threats to ancestral domains, displacement, environmental degradation, loss of livelihoods, discrimination, and threats to cultural identity and self-determination,” they lamented.
They added that the implementation of existing protections, particularly on FPIC, has been inadequate.
The CBCP and the two groups pointed out that protecting indigenous communities also means safeguarding threatened ecosystems.
“Development projects, particularly extractive industries and large-scale infrastructure, must never sacrifice ancestral domains, watersheds, forests, livelihoods, and community well-being,” they pointed out.
The organizations said indigenous communities often bear disproportionate burdens from ecological degradation, extreme weather, flooding and drought.
Because of this, the CBCP and its partners stated that energy development must respect ecological limits, protect vulnerable communities and safeguard the well-being of future generations.
They also said the transition to green or renewable energy should not ignore the welfare of indigenous peoples.
“A greener future cannot be built upon injustice,” they stressed.
The CBCP and its partners also appealed to the government to always uphold integrity and accountability.
“Corruption, weak enforcement of environmental laws, inadequate consultation, and misuse of public resources undermine both ecological protection and human dignity,” they explained.
“Genuine FPIC, ecological protection, and meaningful community participation are indispensable,” the organizations added.
Stay informed
Get Daily Tribune in your inbox
Breaking news, opinion, and business coverage for readers in the Philippines and abroad.
Subscribe to the newsletterPrefer chat alerts? Join the Daily Tribune Viber community.