Panaghiusa stands with Cordillera peoples; calls to assert IP’s rights to land, life, livelihood

On the 42nd Peoples’ Cordillera Day, Panaghiusa Philippine Network to Uphold Indigenous Peoples’ Rights stands in solidarity with the peoples of the Cordillera and Indigenous communities across the Philippines. This day is not only a commemoration of historic struggles but also a living assertion of the Indigenous Peoples’ rights to land, life, and livelihood.  

Peoples’ Cordillera Day was born out of resistance. It honors the martyrdom of Macli-ing Dulag and the communities who stood against the Chico River Dam project during the Marcos Sr. dictatorship. Their courage ignited a tradition of militant struggle that continues to this day. For more than four decades, the Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance (CPA), a member of Panaghiusa’s National Coordinating Committee, and the communities in Cordillera have carried forward this legacy, organizing communities, resisting destructive projects, and defending ancestral lands. Their leadership reminds us that our solidarity is rooted in shared struggle and collective action.  

Today, we face a global energy and economic crisis that has deepened the burdens of marginalized sectors. Fuel prices have soared, triggering a chain reaction of rising costs for food, transport, and basic goods. Jeepney drivers are forced to abandon their routes, farmers are left with unsold harvests, and families across the country are pushed deeper into poverty. Yet the Marcos Jr. administration clings to policies of deregulation and liberalization, refusing to protect the people while opening the door wider for foreign corporations and local elites to profit.  

In the Cordillera, these crises manifest as intensified development aggression. Hundreds of applications for dams, mining, and so-called renewable energy projects blanket ancestral lands, threatening rivers, forests, and communities. These projects are marketed as “solutions” to the energy crisis, but in reality they are instruments of exploitation violating Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, disregarding community opposition, and treating ancestral lands as commodities.   

Communities have resisted with petitions, barricades, and alliances. In Apayao, Isnag communities formed Kaddu to consolidate opposition against Pan Pacific’s cascade of dams. In Benguet and Abra, residents revived barricades against mining firms that attempted to operate without consent. In Ifugao, opposition to the Alimit Hydropower Complex has persisted for more than a decade. These struggles remind us that defending land is defending life, and that livelihood cannot be secured without justice.  

But alongside these projects comes militarization. Communities opposing destructive ventures face harassment, red-tagging, and trumped-up charges. Human rights defenders, peace consultants, and community leaders are unjustly detained, while corrupt officials and abusive corporations remain free. The rising number of political prisoners in the Cordillera, including community doctors, peace consultants, and community organizers, shows how the state criminalizes dissent and silences those who fight for justice. This is the reality of a government that shields the corrupt while punishing the brave.  

Livelihoods are also under siege. Farmers endure abandoned harvests and collapsing incomes, while small-scale miners are targeted by large corporations colluding with government agencies. In Baguio, vendors successfully resisted the privatization of the public market, proving that collective action can win. These victories remind us that organized, militant struggle is the path to defending livelihood and dignity. They show us that when communities unite, even the most powerful corporations can be forced to retreat.  

Panaghiusa’s solidarity is strengthened by the presence of CPA in our National Coordinating Committee. Their militancy in defending ancestral domains and resisting exploitation is inseparable from our collective mission. Together with Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, advocates, and grassroots organizations across the country, we carry forward the fight for Indigenous Peoples’ rights to self-determination and ancestral lands, and genuine democracy.  

We echo the call: Defend land, protect life, and secure livelihood. The struggle of the Cordillera is the struggle of all oppressed peoples in the Philippines. We commit to amplifying Indigenous voices, strengthening grassroots initiatives, and resisting policies that trample on Indigenous Peoples’ rights.  

The Peoples’ Cordillera Day is a regional, national, and international call to action. It asserts that the defense of ancestral lands is inseparable from the defense of our future. Solidarity is a practice of unity, courage, and perseverance.  

Mabuhay ang mamamayan ng Cordillera! Mabuhay ang sambayanang lumalaban! #