PIC REVIEWER

CHAPTER 1: PROFILE OVERVIEW OF THE INDIGENOUS The NCIP, on the other hand, identifies 95 distinct tribes of
PEOPLES IN THE PHILIPPINES indigenous peoples in fourteen regions of the country and
includes the Islamic groups.
Who are the Indigenous Peoples?
 (1) Mindanao Lumad: This is a generic term
- Republic Act No. 8371 (“The Indigenous Peoples’ embracing all non-Muslim hill tribes of Mindanao.
Rights Act” (IPRA) defines Indigenous Peoples/ Indigenous Lumad is a Visayan term that means “born and grown
Cultural Communities (IP/ICC): in the place”.

- group of people sharing common bonds of language, customs,  (2) Cordillera Peoples: This is the indigenous
traditions and other distinctive cultural traits, and who have, population of the Cordillera mountain range, which
under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, covers six provinces in the middle of Northern Luzon.
possessed and utilized a territory.
 They are collectively called Igorots, meaning
- The U.N. Sub-Commission on the Prevention of “mountain people” although some groups like the
Discrimination and Protection of Minorities (1971) considers Kalingas and Ifugaos refuse to be called Igorots
indigenous communities, peoples, and nations as those which, except by their own tribes.
having a historical continuity with pre-invasion and pre-colonial
societies that developed in their territories, considered  (3) Caraballo Tribes: These are the five ethno-
themselves distinct from other sectors of the societies now linguistic groups – Ibanag, Ilongot, Gaddang, Ikalahan
prevailing in those territories, or parts of them (Ibid. p. 270). and Isinai – who together with the Agta peoples
inhabit the Caraballo mountain range in Eastern
- Based on empirical guides, the International Labor Central Luzon.
Organization (ILO) (1996) identifies indigenous people as
descendants of the aboriginal population living in a given  (4) Agta and Aeta/Negrito: These short, dark-skinned
country at the time of settlement or conquest by some of the and kinky-haired peoples are considered the earliest
ancestors of the non-indigenous groups in whose hands political inhabitants of the Philippines.
and economic power at present lies (Ibid. p. 270).
suffer from racial discrimination.
- The United Nations popularized the use of the term
“indigenous people,” especially after the declaration of 1993 as Norman King, the first Aeta to graduate from the
the Year of the Indigenous People. There have been objections University of The Philippines.
to the use of the term “indigenous people,” considering that one
can also refer to Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Cebuanos, and other  (5) Mangyan of Mindoro: They are described as the
lowland communities as indigenous peoples (Ibid. p.270). first inhabitants of the island, and until today, they are
one of the few groups that still practice a pre-Spanish
Philippine Indigenous Peoples Profile form of writing.

- The indigenous peoples in the Philippines continued to live in  (7) Muslim Groups: These are the Muslims in
their relatively isolated, self-sufficient communities, at the time Mindanao composed of 14 groups, namely, Maranao,
when most lowland communities had already been integrated Maguindanao, Tausug, Samal, Yakan, Sangil,
into a single colony under Spain in the 1700s and 1800s. Palawani, Badjao, Kalibugan, Jama-Mapun, Ipanun,
Kalagan, Molbog, and Muslim.
- They were able to preserve the culture and traditions of their
“ethnos” or “tribe” as reflected in their communal views on land,
their cooperative work exchanges, their communal rituals, their
songs, dances, and folklore. There is a general consensus that the distinct characteristics
of the indigenous peoples are:
- Depriving indigenous peoples of their ancestral lands will mean
the complete loss of their identity as distinct peoples. Thus, no 1. the conservation (to some extent) of their vernacular
less than the question of survival is now at stake for the languages, traditional socio-economic institutions,
indigenous peoples in the Philippines. The remaining links with and cultural and religious practices;
their ancestral past are being destroyed forever.
2. self-identification as distinct societies;

3. subsistence-oriented economies;
Major Groups of Indigenous Peoples
4. a special relationship with their ancestral lands
According to Tunay na Alyansa ng Bayan Alay sa Katutubo
(TABAK), there are more than 40 ethnic groups that comprise
the Philippine indigenous population, and these can be
classified into six groupings excluding the Islamic groups.
Brief History of the Philippine Indigenous Communities TRADITIONAL FOREST CONSERVATION KNOWLEDGE/
TECHNOLOGIES IN THE CORDILLERA, NORTHERN
 Spanish Colonial Period (1565 – 1898) PHILIPPINES

Military expeditions and religious missions were - In the Philippines, indigenous knowledge has been recognized
launched by Spain since the Regalian Doctrine to contribute to sustainability of production systems, having
declared that the entire Philippines was under the been validated for their technical and scientific soundness by
ownership of the King of Spain. The indigenous many investigators.
peoples were marginalized and the majority-minority
dichotomy with its attendant problems of - Knowledge and practices concerning nature include
discrimination and exploitation persisted. These were knowledge, know-how, skills, practices and representations
heightened as the IPs resisted Christianization and developed and perpetuated by communities in interaction with
integration into the colonial structure. The Japanese their natural environment.
(1940 – 1944) who took over did not change the
system. - These cognitive systems are expressed through language, oral
traditions, attachment to a place, memories, spirituality, and
 American Colonial Regime (1898 – 1949) worldview, and they are displayed in a broad complex of values
and beliefs, ceremonies, healing practices, social practices or
Politico–military, economic and cultural measures institutions, and social organization (UNESCO, 2007).
were instituted to subjugate and integrate indigenous
peoples into the political structure which they
controlled. The Regalian Doctrine upheld and
promoted the private system of ownership. THE IFUGAO’S SYSTEM OF FOREST SUSTAINABILITY

Laws that undermined the communal land ownership  The Muyong System
concept were as follows:
This unique system of tending forests has been
1. Torrens system of land registration (Land referred to in the literature as the “muyong system,”
Registration Act No. 496 of 1902) coined from the local dialect meaning forest or
woodlot.
2. Philippine Commission Act No. 178 of 1903 (all
unregistered lands became part of public domain) The Muyong System has been recognized
internationally as an ideal forest management
3. Mining Law of 1905 (Acquisition of public lands by strategy that is deeply ingrained in the culture of the
Americans for mining purpose Ifugao people.

4. Public Land Acts of 1913, 1919, and 1925 The muyong system can be viewed from different
(Mindanao and all other fertile lands the State perspectives, either as a forest conservation strategy,
considered unoccupied and unreserved; a watershed rehabilitation technique, a farming
unappropriated public lands became available to system or an assisted natural regeneration (ANR)
homesteaders and corporations). strategy.

 Postcolonial Period (1950 onward) Commonly, muyongs are privately owned and
inherited from their ancestors.
The postcolonial period did not change the western
concept of land ownership and use. Muyong plays an important role of providing
fuelwood, construction materials, food and medicines
The 1935 Constitution stated that all agricultural,
timber, and domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, The muyong is a storehouse of both flora and fauna.
and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy,
and other natural resources of the Philippines belong  The Ala-a System
to the State. The constitution also recognized the
rights of indigenous cultural communities within the Aside from the privately owned muyong, communal
context of national unity of development. forest management system is also important in the
context of traditional forest management like the ala-a
The 1987 Constitution retained the Regalian Doctrine system.
stating: “all lands of the public domain, waters,
minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all The ala-a is generally located on lands not cultivated
forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, as swidden; lands too far to be covered by a private
wildlife, fauna, and fauna, and other natural resources claim; or lands identified as hunting grounds. The ala-
are owned by the State.” a is communally managed forest intended for
collecting fuel, construction materials, food, medicine
and other products that may be used in the household
or farm.
 Unlike the muyong, ala-a forests are not TRADITIONAL PRODUCTION AND WATER CONSERVATION
systematically maintained to improve the vegetation. TECHNOLOGIES/KNOWLEDGE OF THE IKALAHANS
Boundaries are not very clear, which can often be a
source of conflict. People who go to the ala-a are  The Ikalahans otherwise known as Kalanguyas is a
expected to brush off weeds, cut branches which subgroup of the Ifugao tribe. They live in villages and
hamper the growth of younger trees, remove debris settled comfortably in the Caraballo Mountains.
and dry branches, which are prone to fires
 The Ikalahans are also known for their traditional
There are two basic rules—no burning, and no knowledge and practices being employed to preserve
gathering beyond what is personally needed. The ala-a the productivity of their lands. These include inum-an,
was not perceived as sources of wood for sale gen-gen, day-og, balkah, kinebbah, tuping, and
outside the village. No new trees are planted in the ala pamettey or pangkal ni bigih.
-a.
 The traditional farming practice of the Ikalahans is
THE ISNEG AND TINGGUIAN’S SYSTEM OF FOREST called Inum-an.
CONSERVATION
 The Ikalahans practice soil conservation through
 The Lapat System terracing called gen-gen. This is combined with
composting to ensure replenishment of soil nutrients
Lapat is a form of forest protection strategy through time.
implemented by the Isneg and Tingguian people of
Abra Province.  Day-og is another ancient practice of the Ikalahans
similar to composting. According to Rice, 1997, the
The practice of lapat highlights the imposition of Ikalahan's way of making day-og is to first make a
taboo within a designated area, over a period of time, hole of 3 square meters and about ten inches deep.
which prohibits the exploitation of natural resources
in these areas.  For soil and water conservation, the Ikalahans use
Balkah or “belt” in the local tongue. It is a form of
A whole mountain can be put under the lapat for two vegetative terracing planted principally with tiger
years or depending on the estimated time the grass.
mountain needs to regenerate and replenish.
 Fallowing is also practiced by the Ikalahans. Kinebbah
The flora and fauna in the area should not be touched is the Ikalahan term for fallow, which is literally
during this period (Paredes, 2005). Examples of lapat leaving the field uncultivated and allowing grasses,
include prohibition of hunting female wild pigs and shrubs and trees to proliferate the area.
allowing only seasonal collection of certain fish
species and wild vegetables. In the traditional Ikalahan system, kinebbah takes 15
years (Rice, 1997). Kinebbah is practiced by the
PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT FOR LAPAT Ikalahan farmers to let the inum-an recover its fertility

In the Province of Abra, the town Bucloc is one of the  Another soil and water conservation practice is tuping
areas that firmly implement the lapat system, which is a local term of the Ikalahan for riprap or rockwall.
grounded on customary and local laws.
 Ikalahans has this homemade pesticide used to
To make sure that the lapat system is enforced, the remedy plant pests and diseases. It is called
community residents elect or sometimes informally Pamettey or pangkal ni bigih. The Ikalahans use ash,
recognize the elders called lapat panglakayen to red chili and certain local plants with bitter and
oversee the implementation of lapat for the agreed unpleasant taste as ingredients.
upon time frame.

The ritual that is performed by an elder consists of a

prayer, and offering of basi (sugarcane wine) and a LOCAL-INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE ON DISASTER RISK
white chicken. To make certain that the area is known REDUCTION: INSIGHTS FROM THE MAMANWA INDIGENOUS
as nailapat by the nearby villages, cattle, carabao or PEOPLES IN BASEY, SAMAR AFTER TYPHOON HAIYAN IN THE
pig is slaughtered and the meat is shared with them. PHILIPPINES
HARMONY BETWEEN LAPAT AND EXISTING GOVERNMENT
 The Mamanwa
POLICIES
The Mamanwa (variously called Conking, Mamaw,
In the Province of Abra, the permit to cut trees is
Amamanusa, Manmanua, Mamaua, Mamanwa) are
issued by the lapat pangkalayen. This permit is issued
one of the three groups that occupy a very distinct
to community members who need lumber as raw
position in Philippine populations.
material for house construction or for making
furniture. But when the lumber transported outside the
area for commercial purposes, the DENR should issue
the permit.
 The Mamanwa form a distinct branch from the rest of Community elders as local hazards forecasters
the Philippine populations which include the various
groups of the Negrito, and the Austronesian-speaking  Mamanwas believe in one true God called
peoples which now comprise the modern populations. “Magbabadja" or "Magbabadya”. Magba- badja is
“genderless, the God of Heaven, the Creator of Day
The Mamanwa appear to be an older branch of and Night, and their Ultimate Savior in times of
population appearances in the Philippines affecting to calamities”.
some extent the Negrito of northeastern Luzon. Like
all the Negrito groups in the country, the Mamanwa
speak a language that is basically that of the
dominant group about them. MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE SUBANENS IN DUMINGAG,
ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR, PHILIPPINES
FINDINGS
 Leaves were the most commonly used plant part and
 According to the informants, prior to Typhoon Haiyan, decoction was the most popular method of
their houses in the mountain were elevated from the preparation which was mostly administered orally.
ground and its roofs and walls were made up of
anahaw leaves.  Subanen is an indigenous people group of the
Zamboanga Peninsula, particularly living in the
 They use anahaw leaf because it is a light mountainous area of Zamboanga del Sur and Misamis
construction material which keeps their houses cool Occidental. The name Subanen means “river people”,
and comfortable even in hot weather conditions. which is derived from the word “suba” or river.

 The kurobs were built beside a cave or huge rock and  For them, medicinal plants and herbs are called the
on an elevated portion of their village in the Bulung.
hinterlands.
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
 During the devastation of Haiyan, the kurobs served
as their evacuation shelters where they sat inside  A total of 60 medicinal plant species used by the
while holding each other tightly until the typhoon Subanens were recorded. These plant species
weakened and eventually passed. correspond to twenty nine (29) different families
namely: Acanthaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Anacardiaceae,
Annonaceae, Apiaceae, Araceae, Arecaceae,
Asparagaceae, Asteraceae, Caricaceae, Crassulaceae,
WEATHER AND HAZARD FORECASTS FROM ANIMALS Cyperaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae,
Liliaceae, Malvaceae, Meliaceae, Menispermaceae,
For the Mamanwas, animals are powerful and knowledgeable Moraceae, Moringaceae, Musaceae, Myrtaceae,
beings that give them signs whenever calamities in the form of Piperaceae, Poaceae, Smilacaceae, Tiliaceae,
natural hazards are about to come. According to the informants, Urticaceae and Zingiberaceae.
when certain bird species, like:
 Most of the species of these families were well known
a) rufous hornbill, such as Blumea balsamifera and Artemisia vulgaris
from the family Asteraceae.
b) Palawan hornbill, and
 Other species include Coleus aromaticus and Coleus
c) white-eared brown dove suddenly stop chirping during the blumei of family Lamiaceae, Jathropa curcas of
day, a typhoon or heavy rainfall is about to come. family Euphorbiaceae, and Cymbopogon citratus
from Poaceae family.
d) When insects like crickets intermittently stop making a sound
for two-three minutes during the night, an earthquake is about to  Jathropa curcas of family Euphorbiaceae, and
come. Cymbopogon citratus from Poaceae family.

e) When wild pigs start collecting leaves and twigs to form or  The family also of Lamiaceae known as the mint
build a “mini house” in a relatively at and safe spot in the family provided a large number of medicinal species.
mountains, a typhoon or heavy rainfall that may lead to ooding This family is important for flavors, fragrance and
and landslide is about to happen. medicinal purposes.

FINDINGS  Another important family is Euphorbiaceae, which

was also observed to have medicinal properties due
Weather and hazard forecasts from celestial bodies to presence of certain chemical constituents.

 Mamanwas believe that there are six origins of the

wind, namely: 1) Kabunghan, 2) Kanaway, 3) Salatan,
4) Amihan, 5) Habagat, and 6) Timog.