STATEMENTS

[ENGLISH] We proudly recognize the 30 graduates of Panumduman 2026 as community paralegals and FPIC watchdogs. They are prepared to defend their ancestral lands, document abuses, and challenge policies that undermine Indigenous Peoples’ collective rights. Their testimonies confirm the urgency of this struggle.

Panaghiusa welcomes the acquittal of Molbog youth leader Angelica Nasiron from two cyberlibel charges in Balabac, Palawan. On September 17, 2026, the Regional Trial Court dismissed the subpoenas filed against her by Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Hamidon Ariel Monsarapa, which had been lodged on March 10, 2025.

[ENGLISH] The Working Group makes clear that States carry primary obligations. FPIC must be sought and obtained before any license or concession is issued. Autonomous FPIC protocols developed by the Indigenous Peoples must be respected as binding expressions of self‑determination.

[ENGLISH] The Lianga Massacre remains a painful reminder of the continuing violence faced by Lumad communities. It reminds us that justice has yet to be served, that perpetrators remain unpunished, and that the Indigenous Peoples continue to face threats and harassment for upholding their right to self-determination. Cullamat’s sharing is an inspiration to our continuing pakigsantuya (struggle) for Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

[TAGALOG] Inilunsad ng mga Katutubo, mga tagapagtaguyod ng karapatang pantao, mga lider ng simbahan, at mga tagapagtanggol ng lupa at kalikasan ang Network Opposed (NO) to Pax Silica, ika-31 ng Agosto, 2026. Ang koalisyong ito ay kumakatawan sa malawak na alyansa ng mga komunidad at organisasyon na nakikita ang inisyatibang Pax Silica bilang tuwirang banta sa mga lupang ninuno, ekolohikal na balanse, at batayang karapatan ng mga Katutubo at sovereign rights ng sambayanang Pil

[ENGLISH] The Indigenous Peoples, human rights advocates, church leaders, and defenders of land and the environment launch the Network Opposed (NO) to Pax Silica, August 31, 2026. This coalition represents a broad alliance of communities and organizations who see the Pax Silica initiative as a direct threat to ancestral lands, ecological balance, and the fundamental rights of the Indigenous Peoples and sovereign rights of the Filipino People.

[TAGALOG] Nagtipon ang mga Ayta mula sa Sitio Malasa, Sitio Binyayan, Sitio Kalangitan, Sitio Baguingan, Sitio Rivera, at Sitio Coop sa Tarlac upang ipahayag ang kanilang kolektibong pagtutol sa Pax Silica Initiative sa panahon ng pagbisita ni Dr. Pichamon Yeophantong, miyembro ng United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights (UNWGBHR).

[ENGLISH] Ayta from Sitio Malasa, Sitio Binyayan, Sitio Kalangitan, Sitio Baguingan, Sitio Rivera, and Sitio Coop in Tarlac City gathered to voice their collective opposition to the Pax Silica Initiative during the community visit of Dr. Pichamon Yeophantong, member of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights (UNWGBHR).

[TAGALOG] Nagsagawa ng roundtable discussion ang mga Katutubo, mga tagapagtaguyod ng karapatang pantao, mga tagapagtanggol ng kalikasan, at maralitang lungsod kasama si Dr. Pichamon Yeophantong, miyembrong United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights (UNWGBHR) para sa Asya-Pasipiko, Agosto 12, 2026.

[ENGLISH] The Indigenous Peoples, human rights advocates, environmental defenders, and members of urban poor communities held a roundtable discussion with Dr. Pichamon Yeophantong, a member of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights (UNWGBHR) for the Asia-Pacific region, August 12, 2026.

[ENGLISH] We hold the Philippine government responsible for failing to protect its citizens and for perpetuating a climate where enforced disappearances remain unresolved. We demand the immediate surfacing of Dexter and Bazoo, a credible and impartial investigation into their abduction, and the prosecution of those responsible. The continuing silence of authorities is complicity, and the longer this silence endures, the deeper the injustice becomes.

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) and the communities in Cordillera have carried forward this legacy, organizing communities, resisting destructive projects, and defen

[ENGLISH] This Women’s Month, we commit to amplifying Indigenous women’s voices, defending their rights, and joining their struggles. Their courage demands our solidarity. Their fight is our fight. To honor Indigenous women is to resist alongside them. To celebrate their strength is to oppose the forces that seek to silence them.

[TAGALOG] Ngayong Buwan ng Kababaihan, kami ay nangakong paaalingawngawin ang tinig ng mga Katutubong kababaihan, ipagtatanggol ang kanilang mga karapatan, at makikibaka kasama nila. Sa gitna ng kanilang tapang, kailangan nating makiisa. Ang kanilang laban ay ating laban. Ang paggalang sa mga katutubong kababaihan ay ang pakikipaglaban kasama nila. Ang pagdiriwang sa kanilang lakas ay ang pagharap sa mga puwersang nagnanais na patahimikin sila.

[ENGLISH] The persistence of corruption and political dynasties at the national level compounds these violations. Public resources are siphoned off through systemic graft, while the Indigenous Peoples and marginalized communities are denied basic services and protection. Forty years after the fall of Marcos Sr., the same patterns of abuse and impunity continue under Marcos Jr. and his allies, revealing the deep rot of a political system that prioritizes the interests of the f

[TAGALOG] Ang pagpapatuloy ng korapsiyon at mga dinastiyang pulitikal sa pambansang antas ay lalo pang nagpapalala sa mga paglabag na ito. Nilulustay ang yaman ng bayan sa sistematikong pandarambong, habang ang mga Katutubo at iba pang inaapi ay pinagkakaitan ng batayang serbisyo at proteksyon. Apatnapung taon matapos ang pagbagsak ni Marcos Sr., nananatili ang parehong padron ng pang-aabuso at kawalang pananagutan sa ilalim ni Marcos Jr...

[TAGALOG] Sa pagpapatuloy ng drilling operations, nagpapadala ang pamahalaan ng mapanganib na mensahe na maaaring manaig ang interes ng korporasyon laban sa karapatan at kapakanan ng mga Katutubo, magsasaka, at residente. Hindi sapat ang half-measures upang protektahan ang mga komunidad na may banta ang kabuhayan at kalikasan. Dapat tuluyang ibasura ang exploration permit, at kagyat na ipatigil ang drilling operations.

[ENGLISH] By allowing drilling operations to continue, the government sends a dangerous signal that corporate interests can override the rights and welfare of the Indigenous Peoples, farmers, and residents. Half-measures cannot protect communities whose livelihoods and environment are under direct threat. The exploration permit must be junked and permanently junked, and drilling operations must be stopped without delay.

[TAGALOG] Pinagtitibay ng Panaghiusa na ang laban sa Itogon ay bahagi ng mas malawak na pakikibaka ng mga Katutubo sa buong Pilipinas. Ang mga proyektong pagmimina na inuuna ang tubo kaysa sa mamamayan ay sumisira hindi lamang sa ekosistema kundi pati sa kultura at komunidad. Patuloy naming palalakasin ang tinig ng mga Katutubo at patuloy kaming mananawagan sa estado na tuparin ang tungkulin nitong ipagtanggol ang lupang ninuno.

[ENGLISH] Panaghiusa affirms that the struggle in Itogon is part of the broader fight of the Indigenous Peoples across the Philippines. Mining projects that prioritize profit over people erode not only ecosystems but also cultures and communities. We will continue to amplify the struggle of the Indigenous Peoples and urge the state to fulfill its duty to protect ancestral lands.