CORDILLERA          INDIGENOUS          PEOPLES          MOVEMENT        IN        PERSPECTIVE  

 Forty    Years  of  Asserting  Distinct  NM/IP  Identity  within  politics  of  National  Democracy    

The    story  of  the  Cordillera  people’s  movement  to  overcome  discrimination  and  pursue  self  
determination  as  a  distinct  people  is  a  remarkable  experience  in  social  change.  It  is  now  forty  
years,    since  national  democratic  politics  emerged  among  Igorot  youth  –  students,    and  
professionals.  and  later  among  other  sectors.  During  the  First  Quarter  Storm  (FQS)  in  December,  
1970  –  a  Cordillera  People’s  Congress  for  National  Liberation  was  held  in  Bontoc  .  The  book  on  
Philippine  Society  and  Revolution  by  Sison  was  a  main  reference,  and  “The  Creation  of  a  
Minority”  by  Scotty  was  first  discussed  at  this  Congress.  This  first  congress  of      Igorot  activists  
ended  with  a  march  rally  on  the  issues  of  the  day  such  as  the  emerging  strongman  rule  of  
Marcos  and  corruption,  U.S.  bases  ,  government  neglect,  government  as  biggest  landlord  in  the  
Cordillera;  and  the  emerging  issues  of  the  chico  dams  –Cellophil  logging  –and  Mainit  mining.  
Thus  that  early,  the  central  Cordillera  town  of  Bontoc  was  introduced  to  ND  activist  energetic  
slogans  of    “Imperyalismo,  Pyudalismo,  Burukrata  Kapitalismo-­‐  Ibagsak!”.      

 National  democratic  politics  view    Philippine  society  as    semi  colonial  (not  truly  independent  
because  of  foreign  control  on  economy  and  consequently  on  politics),  and  semi  feudal  (landlord  
and  comprador  bourgeois  controlled    pyramid  structure  of  society.  Genuine  social  change  must  
address  the  three  basic  problems  of    imperialism  (U.S.),  feudalism,    and  bureaucrat  capitalism,  
that  characterize  the  systemic  problems  of  Philippine  society.    A  National  Democratic  
Revolution  (NDR)  is  waged    by  the  democratic  classes    (at  the  base  of  the  pyramid)  for    truly  
sovereign,  democratic,  and  just  society.  The  NDR  involves  both  the  armed  struggle  and  the  
open  -­‐  legal  mass  movement.  As  a  section  of  the  population      opts  for  armed  struggle    –there  is  
a  long  running  civil  war  or  insurgency  in  the  Philippines.    Consequently,  there  is    Peace  Talks  
between  the  government  (GRP)  and  the  National  Democratic  Front  (NDFP).  The  open  –  legal  
national  democratic  mass  movement    is  a    militant,  multi  sector    movement  for  genuine  change.  
It  supports  the  Peace  talks  for  just  and  lasting  peace,  and  calls  on  both  parties  to  resume  the  
suspended    Peace  Talks.    

The  Indigenous  People’s  (IP)  movement  for  ancestral  land  and  self  determination  subscribes  to  
national  democratic  politics.  Cordillera  people’s  as  IPs  or  NM  (national  minority)  are  also  
Filipinos  and  suffer  the  same  three  basic  problems  of  Philippine  society.  But    Cordillera  
Indigenous  Peoples    have  a  distinct    character,  like  on  ancestral  lands  and  indigenous  socio  
political  systems  and  values;  which  is  the  result  of  having  missed  out  on  300  years  of  Spanish  
colonization,  unlike  other  Filipinos  who  were  effectively  colonized.  And    IP/NM  have  a    
particular  problem  which  is  National  Oppression  (NO),  the  manifestations  of  which  are:  
oppressive  land  laws,  development  aggression,  government  neglect,  discrimination,  
commercialization  of  culture,  militarization  and  ethnocide.    NM/IP  have  the  Right  to  Self  
Determination  (RSD)-­‐  to  decide  on  their  political  and  socio  economic  life,  including  ancestral  
lands  and  resources;  and  the  Right  to  Self  Determination  includes  the  option  to  secede    or  be  
liberated  from  conditions  of  oppression  and  exploitation.  For  Cordillera  NM/IPs,    the  militant  
mass  movement  has  articulated  that  the  appropriate  form  of  political  self  determination  is  
Regional  Autonomy  that    uphold  ancestral  lands  and  indigenous  socio  political  systems;  and  as  
long  as  problems  of  oppression  and  exploitation  are  addressed..      

Thirty  years  ago  (1984),  the  Indigenous    people’s  movement    established  the  Cordillera  People’s  
Alliance  for  the  Defense  of    Ancestral  land  and  for  Self  determination.  That  was  then  under  
openly  repressive  Martial  Law.  CPA  is  a  multi  sector  federation  of  organizations  and  alliances  of  
peasants,  elders,  youth-­‐students,  professionals,  workers,  urban  poor,  and  women  with  
migrants  and  LGBT.  CPA  has  launched  campaigns  and  programs  in  pursuit  of  the  systematized    
analysis    on  IP/NM    as  distinct    with  the  particular  problem  of  National  Oppression,  but  also  as  
Filipino  with  the  same  three  basic  problems;    and  that  genuine  development  and  social  change  
for  Cordillera  people,  like  other  Filipinos  is  best    achieved    within  the  progressive  politics  of  
national  democracy.  Through  the  years,  CPA  and  its  network  engaged  in  mass  movement    
organizing,  advocacy,  campaigns,  alliance,  international  solidarity,    and  socio  economic  projects.  
Mass  action  options  were  creatively  utilized,  ranging  from  indigenous  system  conflict  resolution  
and    bodong  renewals,  petitions  –dialogue  –  lobby-­‐  congressional  hearings  and  UN  IP  
Rapporteur  visits  ;    to  militant  rallies,  barricades,    Serve  the  People  Brigade    mass  movement    
response  in  times  of  disaster,  lambakan,  and  annual  Cordillera  Day.      

A. Major  Campaigns    of  the  Cordillera    NM/  IP  –  ND  Mass  Movement  

1. Anti  US-­‐Marcos  Dictatorship,  government  neglect,  Chico  Dams-­‐CRC  –  Mainit  Mining.    

2. Human  Rights  and  anti  militarization  has  been  a  sustained  campaign  since  Martial  
Law  to  the  present.  
3.  Regionalization  and  Beyond-­‐  Campaign  for  the  Cordillera  to  be  composed    as  one  
Region,  and  Regional  Autonomy  (RA)    as  the  appropriate  form  of    the  Right  to  Self  
Determination  (RSD).This  campaign  involved  massive  information  –  education  on  
the  Cordillera  situation,  Indigenous  People’s  Rights  (IPR)  and  RSD.      
4. Anti  Grand  Canao    campaign  of  youth  –students  opposing    Commercialization  of    
Culture  by    the  government’s  “Grand  Canao”  tourism  program.  
5. Anti  Tribal  War  Campaign  and  Role  of  Elders  in  Justice  and  conflict  Resolution.  
6. Campaign  against    narrow  indigenist  and  self  serving  CPLA  politics;  and  atrocious  
CPLA  human  rights  violations.    
7. Ancestral  Land    information-­‐  education  campaign  on  correct  and  appropriate        
application  of  Ancestral  Land  Rights  in  the  Cordillera,  as  being  “people  and  area  
specific”  in  view  of    incorrect  application  of  “Ancestral  Land  Rights”  like  
undemocratic  occupation  of  lands  anywhere  in  the  Cordillera  by  some  self  serving  IP  
groups.  
8. Anti  Open  Pit  Mining  (OPM)-­‐  Campaign  against  OPM  of  BCI  (Benguet  Consolidated    
Inc)  in  Itogon,  Benguet.  
9.  DLLR  (1994)  –  Integrated    campaign  against  development  aggression    was  packaged  
starting  1994  as  Defense  of  land  Life  and  Resources  (DLLR).  This  includes  the  San  Roque  
Dam  (SRD),  mining  in  Mankayan  with  Lepanto  and  Goldfields  -­‐  Philex  in  tuba  -­‐  mining  
application  in  Bakun  and  other  expansion  areas,  energy  projects  on  geothermal  –mini  
hydro  and  others.  The  campaign  against  large  scale  mining  and  other  extractive  
industries  has  been  internationalized.  
 9.Alternative    Genuine  People’s  Socio-­‐economic  or    Self  Determined  Sustainable  
Development  (SDSD),  undertaken  by  activist  NGOs  and  people’s  organizations  and  
communities  for  immediate  people’s  welfare;  and  to  build  self  reliance  especially  on  
food  and  other  basic  needs.  This  is    in  view  of  historic  neglect  and  socio  economic  
marginalization  of  the  Cordillera.      

10.  New  politics  and  parliamentary  struggle  –  Campaign  on  new  politics  by    and  for  the  
people  to  change  the    patronage  and  corrupt  politics  (of  guns,  goons,  gold);  and  
participation  in  the  party  list  system,  as  well  as  in  elections  to  support  progressive  
candidates.    

B. Gains  of  the  Cordillera  NM/  IP  Movement  

1.Articulation  on    particular  situation  and  problem  of  National  Oppression  (NO),    and  Right  
to  Self  Determination  (RSD  ),      with  Regional  Autonomy  (RA)  as  appropriate  political  form-­‐  
where  Ancestral  Land(AL  )rights  and    Indigenous  socio  Political  systems  (ISPS)  are  upheld;  
and    livelihood  and  people’s  welfare    are  concretely  addressed    through  genuine  people’s  
development.  This  is  possible  only  with    a  nationalist  (truly  sovereign)  and  democratic  (no  
longer  pyramid  social  structure  )  Filipino  society.  This  is  NM/  IP-­‐  ND  consciousness,  that  
recognize  and  assert    particularity  as  IP  but  within  the  national  Filipino  identity.  It  is  a  lesson  
to  guard  against  extremes  of  either  not  recognizing  or  understating  particularity  as  IP,  or  of  
over  emphasizing  particularity  with  consequent  reverse  discrimination.  In  this  regard,  the  
CPLA  was  an  atrocious  example  of  narrow  indigenist  politics  that  was  divisive  and  that  
discriminated  against  non  IPs.  

2.  Human  Rights(HR)  has  been  a  primary  campaign  of  the  ND  mass  movement  in  the  
Cordillera  from  the  start,  with  human  rights  violations  during  the  Marcos  Dictatorship,  and  
that  has  continued  to  the  present  with  un  ending  militarization  and  OPLANs.  Human  rights  
campaign  and  consciousness  in  the  Cordillera  has  been  enriched  with  the  assertion  of  
“collective  rights”  as  indigenous  peoples,  in  addition  to  the  usual  HR  coverage  of  individual  
(civil,  political,    economic)    rights.  A  level  of  human  rights  consciousness  is  continuously    
achieved    among      people’s  organizations  and  communities,  and  the  campaign  must  be  
sustained  and  improved    towards  militant  assertion  of  human  rights.The  campaign  to  
“Surface  James  Balao”  has  generated  sustained  support  from  a  European  HR  advocacy  
group.  And  there  is  current  campaign  “Salag”  on  the  Harassment  and  Vilification  of  
Development  Workers.  There  has  never  been  a  conviction  on  any  of  the  cases  of  murder,  
rape  and  other  HR  violations  even  those  that  were  tried  starting  with  Macliing  Dulag.  But  
each  case  is  an  exercise  which  educates  those  involved  and  the  public,    that    the  State  is  the  
problem  why  HR  violations  persist  ;  thus  the  need  and  urgency    for  genuine  system  change.    

3.    Annual  Cordillera  Day  of  the  NM/  IP-­‐ND  movement  is  an  institution  having  been  asserted  
with  and  sustained  celebration  since  1981  .  This  started  as  commemoration  of  the  
martyrdom  on  April  24,  1980  of  Macliing  Dulag.  It  has  evolved  to  be  an  annual  political  and  
solidarity  activity  of  the  militant  people’s  movement  in  the  Cordillera.  It  serves  to  update  
and  unite  on  the  essentially  unchanged  yet  evolving    Cordillera  and  national  situations,  as  
well  as  renew  commitment  to  pursue  genuine  social  change  .It  is  also  an  occasion  to  
commemorate  and  to  draw  inspiration  from  the  heroism  of    Macliing  and  other  martyrs.  
And  annual  Cordillera  Day  also  serves    to  strengthen  and  widen  solidarity  relations  with  
national  and  international  partners.  It  is  a  consolidating  and  broadening  annual  activity  of  
the  Cordillera  NM/IP-­‐ND  movement.  Take  note  that  government  also  instituted    its    annual  
July  15  Cordillera  Day  to  celebrate  the  formal  regionalization  of  the  Cordillera.          

4.  Regionalization  of  the  Cordillera    was  pushed  by  the  people’s  movement  and  asserted    
broadly  in  the  Cordillera  among  the  grassroots,  professionals  and  politicians.  It  was      
formalized  only  by  Cory  Aquino’s    EO  220  in    July,1987;  and  unashamedly  projected  to  have  
been  the  result  of  the    Cory  Aquino  –  Ambo  Balweg    accomodation  or  so-­‐called  “peace  pact”  
or  sipat  at  Mt.  Data  a  year  earlier  in  September,  1986.  

5.  Regional  Autonomy  enshrined  in  the  Philippine  Constitution  as  a  result  of  the  campaign  
and  lobby  by  the  people’s  movement;  but  as  genuine  RA  this  cannot  be  achieved  under  the  
present  pyramid  structure  of  Philippine  society  with  oppression  and  exploitation,  thus  the  
people’s  movement  must  continue  to  pursue    genuine  national  social  change  that  will  allow  
the  operation  of    Genuine  Regional  Autonomy.  

6.  Ancestral  land  appropriately  defined  as  “area  and  people  specific”  for  ili/village  or  tribe,  
i.e  the  “bugis”,  and  within  which  there  are  clan,i.e.  “tayan”  and  family  ancestral  lands.  The  
ancestral  land  of  an  i-­‐Butbut  is  in  Butbut,  not  anywhere  else  in  Tabuk  or  in  Baguio.  And  
ancestral  Domain  refers  to  the  Cordillera  homeland.  Government  LGU  jurisdictions  of  
barangay,  municipal,  or  provincial    are  merely  political  administrative    jurisdictions  without  
ancestral  land  or  ancestral  domain  basis.  

7.  Organizing  and  building    of  self  determination    starting  at  village  level,  combining  IP  
systems  and  values  of  common  good  and  community  interest  over  individual  interest,  and    
nurture  of  resources  and  environment  for  present  and  for  future  generations;  within  
national  democratic  politics  of  sovereignty  and  democracy,  that  ensure  social  justice.    

8.  On    campaign  against  development  aggression  and  Defense  of  Land  Life  and  Resources;  
earlier  community  based  and  wide  solidarity    campaigns  stopped  the  Chico  dams  ,  CRC  
logging,  and  the  Mainit  mines.  The  ancestral  lands  of  Taloy  that  were  grabbed  by  the  
Dictator  Marcos  were  eventually  returned.  And  a  communal  pasture  land  in  Tadian  was  
restored  from  being  privatized  by  an  individual.  The  open  pit  mining    of  BCI  in  Itogon  was  
eventually  discontinued  after  a  sustained  anti  OPM  campaign.  Some  DLLR  campaigns  did  
not  entirely  stop  or  cancel  the  protested  development  aggression  projects,  but  were  
occasions  for  wide  awareness  raising  on  particular  and  general  aspects  of  issues.  These    
include    the  San  Roque  Dam  (SRD),  Mankayan  mining  (Lepanto  and  Goldfields),  Philex  
mining  pollution,  and    mining  expansion  in  Bakun  and  others;  as  well  as  ongoing  energy  
projects  on  geothermal  like  Chevron  and  other  energy  projects.  
9.Alternative  genuine  people’s  development    or  self  determined  sustainable  development  
(sdsd)  pursued    by  activist  NGOs,  people’s  organizations  and  communities;    on  sustainable  
agriculture,  village  technology  and  basic  infrastructure.  Trail  blazing  pilot  projects  were  
achieved  in  mechanization  of  rice  pounding,  micro  hydro  for  basic  village  energy  needs,  
popularization  of  subsistence  and  other  organic  agriculture  practices  versus  chemical  based  
agriculture,  basic  infrastructure  like  waterworks  and  foot  bridges,  community  based  health  
training  and  services,  and  community  based  disaster  response;  that  address  food  and  basic  
welfare  as  well  as  build  socio  economic  self  reliance  at  community  level.  

10.Alliance  and  International  Solidarity  –  Alliance  with  Church,  Academe,    those  in  
Government-­‐  Local  Governments  and  Agencies,  and  other  groups  to  seek  common  ground  
and  cooperation    regarding    Cordillera  people’s  issues    and  campaigns.  And  the  NM/IP-­‐ND  
movement  in  the  Cordillera  has  engaged  in  International  Solidarity  Work  for  more  than  30  
years;  with  solidarity  partners  on  the  issues  of  Martial  law,  development  aggression,  human  
rights  and  indigenous  peoples  rights,  sectoral  issues  of  peasants-­‐workers-­‐youth-­‐women,  
development  of  peoples  –  poverty  alleviation-­‐  sustainable  development,  imperialist  
globalization,  and  now  also  on  global  warming  -­‐  climate  change-­‐  and  disaster  risk  reduction.    
The  UN  processes  on  human  rights  and  indigenous  people’s  rights  has  been  a  dominant    
channel  for  engagement  in  the  international  arena;  to  project  Cordillera  and  Philippine  
issues,  and  generate  support  for  the  people’s  movement.  The  recent  establishment  with  
key  CPA  role,  of  the  Indigenous  Peoples  Movement  for  Self  determination  and  Liberation;  
marked  a  significant  advance  for  engagement  in  the  international  arena  to  unite  indigenous  
peoples  and  build  solidarity  with  other  oppressed  peoples  against  imperialism;  so  that  
nationalist  and  democratic  interests  anywhere  in  the  world  would  eventually  prevail.          

 11.  It  has  been  forty  years  of  continuing    socio  -­‐cultural  change,or    “cultural  revolution”  ;  
with  localized  but  nonetheless    significant  changes    that  build  genuine    democracy.  The  
NM/IP-­‐  ND  consciousness    built  by  the  people’s  movement  is  a  democratic    and  balanced  
assertion  of  particularity  within  the  national  Filipino  identity.  This  is  enriched  by  cultural  
productions    and  vibrant  cultural  renewal  among    the  youth.  Relevant  traditional  knowledge  
and  practices  of  subsistence  agriculture  and  natural  resource  management  are  nurtured  as    
important  aspects  of  our  program  on  sustainable  agriculture  and  eco  system.  Within  ND  
politics,  the  traditional  communal  values  of  community  over  individual  interest,  common  
good  over  private  gain,  access  to  and  management  of  resources  for  present  and  for  future  
generations,  are  further  nurtured.    

 An  area  of  culture  change  with    important  progressive  democratic  gains  were    also  
achieved  in  the  pagta  and  bodong    indigenous  socio-­‐political  systems.  One  was  the  
adjustment  from  strictly  traditional    bilateral  pagta  (peace  pact)    to  also  have  multi  lateral  
pagta,  that  responds  to  issues  commonly  affecting  not  only  two  but  many  ili/tribes.  Thus  
there  were  multi  lateral  pagta  against  the  chico  dams,  Cellophil  logging,  and  militarization.    
Another  was  the  policy  adopted  by  elders  to  exclude  those  in  the  AFP  and  NPA  from  the  
protection  of  the  bodong.  This  was  a  complex  culture  change  of  traditional  IP  consciousness,  
 as  it  meant  being  able  to  differentiate  tribal  war  where  bodong  protection  is  an  obligation;  
from  the  AFP  –  NPA    armed  confrontation  which  is  class  conflict  and  people’s  war.  

 Another  field  of  continuing  culture  change  has  been  the  cooptation  and  mainstreaming  of  
ND  activist  concepts  and  terms.  The  term  “Cordillera”  which  was    popularized    by  the  
militant  Igorot    ND  movement  to  assert  identity  and  continuing  struggle,  was  earlier  
considered  subversive  during  Martial  Law.  But  this  was  later  mainstreamed    and  
institutionalized  by  government  ,  especially  with  the  regionalization  of  the  Cordillera.  
Among  other  coopted  terms  and  concepts  are  “Ancestral  Land”,  “Regional  Autonomy”,  “Self  
Determination”,    and  “Sustainable  Development”.  Cultural  struggle  must  persevere  to  make  
inutil    the  reformist  use  of  these  terms,  and  thus  ensure  their  democratic  application.        

D.  Situation  Update  indicating  Problems  and  Challenges    

1.  Building  NM/IP-­‐  ND  consciousness,  eroding  particularity  and  increasing  similarity  with  other  
democratic  sectors,  and  sustained  mass  movement  campaigns  and  programs  now  manifest  
particularity  within  clear  ND  politics.  

Among  those  already  organized,  there  is    grasp  of  the  particularity  and    its  integration  and  
inseparability  from  its  national  context  .  There  is  realization  that  however  much  social  change  
for  the  people  is  advanced  in  the  Cordillera,  as  has  been  achieved  in  the  past  40  years;  we  
cannot  advance  much  further  without  essential  change  in  entire  Philippine  society,  mainly  its  
pyramid  social  structure  and  systemic  link  to  foreign  interests  or  imperialism.  As  the  trend  is  
eroding    IP  particularity  –    we  increasingly  become  the  same  as  other  Filipinos    from  democratic  
sectors,  who  are  oppressed  and  exploited  by  the  pyramid  structure  of  Philippine    society.  

 IPs  anywhere  in  the  world  have  high  level  of  identity  and  solidarity-­‐  as  the  stewards  of    much  of  
the  world’s  resources  and  bio  diversity.  But  they  are  poor  and  most  vulnerable  because  they  do  
not  control  nor  benefit  sufficiently  from  their  resources.  This  is  a  continuity  of  the  colonial  
legacy    where  the  colonizers    controlled  the  resources  and  set  economic  policies,  i.e.  
Cordillera/Philippines  as  agriculture/natural  resource  base  and  the  policy  for  export  of  raw  
materials  and  import  of  industrial  products.    These  have  persisted  to  the  present  because  of  
imperialism  or  the  control  by  the  ruling  class  of  industrialized  countries  (former  colonizers)    on  
the  resources  of  former  colonies;    thus  the  semi  colonial  situation  or  bogus  independence.  Thus  
Indigenous  peoples  in  the  Cordillera  and  elsewhere  ;  together  with    democratic  sectors  in  
Philippine  society  and  also  those  from  other  countries  including  the  USA  ,  are  all  in  the  same  
situation  –exploited  and  oppressed;  by  the  domestic  ruling  elite  in  each  country,  and  over  all  by  
imperialism  –    led  by  the  USA.  

 The  Philippine  situation  with  its  pyramid  structure  of  society  where  the  tip  of  the  pyramid  
controls  national  wealth  and  politics,  is  the  same  as  that  highlighted  by  the  2012  mass  
movement  in  the  USA  contrasting  the  99%  of  main  street  (democratic  sectors  of  American  
society)    who  are  deprived  as  highlighted  by  the  near  collapse  of  the  US  economy;  and  the  1%    
on  Wall  Street  (banks,  industries,  and  military  industrial  complex)  who  continue  to  amass  
wealth  even  in  the  midst  of  global  economic  crisis;  and  those  that  incurred  loss  were  even  
bailed  out  by  the  US  government  –  which  big  business  of  course  controls.  Indeed  particularities  
are  diminishing  and  similarities  as  democratic  sectors  continue  to  be  consistently  highlighted.  

 In  the  Cordillera  mass  movement,  the  sustained  DLLR  campaign  and  the  program  for  genuine  
people’s  development  or  self  determined  sustainable  development    are  now  vibrant  
manifestations  of  Cordillera  Indigenous  People’s  mass  movement  particularity,  and  linked  to  
the  over  all  agenda  for  national  democracy.      

2.    Continuing  process  of  disintegration  yet  persistence  of  subsistence  agriculture  and  
indigenous  socio  political  systems;  and  Highlights  of  Conflict  in  the  process  of  social  change.    

Disintegration  of  the  Subsistence  Economy    and  Indigenous  Socio  Political  Systems(ISPS)      has    
been  pushed  by  the  widening  spread  of  chemical  based    agriculture  cash  economy.  The  CECAP  
and  CHARMP  projects  were  instrumental  in  the  spread  of  chemical  based  agriculture.  Other  
factors  are  the  rapid  spread  of  small  scale  mining,  large  scale  mining,  militarization,  Christian  
fundamentalist,    and  outmigration  including  overseas  employment.  The  Local  Government  
Code  that  set  up  barangay  systems  dependent  on  patronage  politics  and  that  function  more  for  
“kontrata”  rather  than  for  public  service,  has  displaced  the  traditional  role  of  elders.    

 But  sustainable  practices    and  values  of  subsistence  agriculture  persist,    on  organic  and  
synchronized  agriculture,  traditional  rice  and  other  food  crop  varieties  and  others.  And  
sustainable  traditional  knowledge  and  systems  on  natural  resource  management  persist.  Pro  
people  and  sustainable  cultural  values    also  persist,  like  communal  and  common  good  vs  
individual  interest  and  private  gain.  Thus  the  clash  of  interests  with  regards  Large  Scale  Mining  
and  energy  projects  and  other  extractive  projects,  in  terms  of    development  for  whom.  The  
clash  in  socio  economic  development  perspectives  is  also  from  local  to  international,  
dominated  by  capitalist  neoliberal  economic  policies.  Even  in  such  daunting    situation,  the  
people’s  movement  perseveres  in  people  oriented  ,alternative  development  initiatives  for  
genuine  people’s  development;  that  are    self  determined    thus  democratic,  and  sustainable.    

3.  Militarization  and  evolving  OPLANs  is  a  continuing  reality  and  conflict  situation  that  people’s  
organizations  and  activist  NGOs  of  the  people’s    movement  have  to  deal  with  in  their  day  to  day  
work.  As  the  people’s  movement  advance    democratic,  pro  people  ,  pro  environment  and  
sustainable  programs  and  campaigns;  the  internal    contradictions    and  inconsistencies  of  
OPLAN  Bayanihan  will  cause  its  own  failure.  And  another  OPLAN  will  again  be  introduced.  The  
lesson  is  not  to  be  intimidated    or  paralyzed  by  the  evolving  forms  of  militarization–  just  
continue  doing  good  works!  

4.The  people’s  movement  does  not  have  hegemony  on  the  IP  agenda  in  the  Cordillera,  unlike  at  
an  earlier  period;    especially  after  activist    popular  campaigns  were  coopted  by  government.  It  
is  now  an  era  of  widespread  reformism  -­‐of  same  terms  on  political-­‐cultural  and  economic  
matters;  but    substance  depends  on  whose  point  of  view,    the  people  or  the  pyramid  society  
and  its  foreign  partners.  There  is  need  for  sharper  articulation  of      issues  and  campaigns  to  
show  the  difference,  for  the  public  not  to  be  misled  or  confused.  
 5.    Reformism    in    economic  and  political  agenda.  IP-­‐ND    concepts  and  terms    are  
mainstreamed  into  the  status  quo:  Regionalization,    RA  in  Constitution  then  2  organic  acts  
that  were  rejected  and  now  a  third  proposed  bill,      Indigenous  People’s  Rights  in  the    
IPRA/NCIP,  adjustments  of  CECAP  from  NGO  critique,  and  others.  

The  situation  is  that    government  machinery  serves  the  reformist  agenda  of    neo  liberalism  
with  globalization  and  its  three  “  tions”:  liberalization  in  trade  and  agriculture,  deregulation  
of  industries  like    the  oil  industry  in  favour  of  oil  cartels  but  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  people  
without  government  control;  and  privatization  of  public  services  with  total  effect  that  
people’s  welfare  is  sacrificed  for  the  interest  and  benefit  of  business  both  foreign  and  local  
(the  tip  of  the  pyramid  in  Philippine  society).        

F.  Points  for  Program  

In    our  continuing    program  on    DLLR  and  SDSD  (Self  Determined  Sustainable  Development  or  
Alternative  Genuine  People’s    Development),  propose    take  note  also  to  address  the  following:  

1. Widespread  info/ed    on  NM/IP  and  ND  for  wider  and  deeper  grasp  of  basic    IP-­‐ND  
politics,    to  better    cope  with  widespread  reformism  in  all  socio  –  economic  –  political  –
cultural  aspects;    to  grasp  why  it  is  necessary  to  achieve  nationwide  social  change,  
because  our  program  for  GRA  and  for  SDSD  cannot  advance  for  as  long  as  it  is  still  a  
pyramid  social  structure  in  Phil  society;    to  assert  IP-­‐ND  concept  and  practice  of  self  
determination  and  RA  and  why  this    is  not  democratically    feasible,  as  long  as  the  
pyramid  social  structure  dominates    Philippine  society.  There  is  as  well  need  for  wider  
and  deeper  grasp  of    the  concept  and  practice  of  sustainable  development.  This  should  
build  on  persisting    sustainable  subsistence  agriculture,    then  combine  with  other  
sustainable  agriculture  practice  ;  and  this    should  prevail  over  the  sustainable  
development  concept  of  capitalism  or  neo  liberalism  that  is  chemical  based  agriculture.  
Active  discourse  should  address  conflicting  systems  and  values,  differentiate  the  bogus  
from  the  genuine,  and  assert  the  democratic  people’s  interest  over  that  of  the  ruling  
elite  and  their  foreign  partners.        
 
2. Attention  to  intensify  youth  and  student  movement,    attend  to  organizing  among  
teachers/GE  and  other  professionals,  and  support    avenues  for  active  involvement  of  
elders.  Youth  –  students,  professionals,  and  elders  have  key  role  in  prop  and  discourse  
on  issues  and  responses,  to  help  the  public  distinguish  the  essence  of  conflicting  and  
even  seemingly  same  ideas  and  actions.  Also  explore  active    link  with  Igorot  diaspora  on  
their  cultural  agenda  and  encourage  their  support  for  self  determined  sustainable  
development  of  the  Cordillera  ,through  their  skills  and  appropriate  investments.  
 
3. Further  widen  practice  of  self  determined  sustainable  development,  including  
community  based  health  service  and    community  based    disaster  response.  More  
actively  pursue    appropriate  cooperative  organizing    on  economic  activities,  and  
especially  among  small  scale  miners    for  maximum  benefit  to  communities;  ensure    
 sustainable  combination  of  “people’s  mining”    with  agriculture,  thus  develop    
orientation  and  practice  of    clean  gold  production  .  “People’s  mining”  is  community  
controlled  and  managed  in  all  aspects  including  planning-­‐production-­‐benefits,  
consistent  with  the  primacy  of  agriculture  for  food,    and  not  destructive  of  the  
ecosystem.  Access  to  and  benefit  from  our  rich  mineral  resources  must  be  in  the  context  
of  nationalist  industrialization  that  address  underdevelopment    and  lead  to  genuine  
national  development  with  social  justice.  
4. Render  militarization,  such  as  Oplan  Bayanihan  ineffective  by  assertion  and  projection  of  
constructive  and  productive    activities  and  gains  of  the  people’s  movement  which    is  for    
the  common  good,  and  that  advance  the  right  to  self  determination.  
 

G.  Conclusion  

As  the  people’s  movement  relentlessly    pursue    Indigenous  Peoples  Rights  and  

Democratic  Rights,  the    essentially  unchanged  status  quo  controlled  by  the  ruling  elite,    
sometimes  give  way  to  reforms  and  coopt  programs  and  terms;  especially  in  the  face  of  
an  active  mass  movement  and  insurgency.  These  reforms    will  confuse,  disarm,  and  
satisfy  some;  but  the  problems  remain,  as  the  same  basic  inequality  has  not  been  
addressed  and    there  is  yet  no  genuine  sovereignty  and  democracy.  The  task  of  activists  
and  advocates,  is  to  persistently      pursue    genuine  social  change  for  the  people,  more  so  
in  the  present  situation  of  heightened  and  widespread    reformism.    
 
On  our  particularity  as  IPs    in  relation  to  our  general  identity  as  Filipinos,    particularity  is      
increasingly    diminished    by  socio  –economic  and  political  developments.  And  the    
people’s  movement  has  been  a    factor  in  helping  nurture  the    persistence  of  the  
sustainable  features  of    subsistence  agriculture,  and  of  democratic  features  of  
Indigenous  socio  political  systems,  as  these  are  harnessed  in  the  sustainable  agriculture  
program,  as  well  as  in  the  campaigns  on  defense  of    Land  Life  and  Resources  .The  
sustained    DLLR  campaign  is    a  hallmark  of    the  particularity    of    the  Cordillera  people’s    
struggle.      

The  movement  for  genuine  social  change    of  forty  years  ,  and  continuing,    is  within  the  
framework  of    National  Democracy;    that  assure  genuine  sovereignty  and    service  to  the  
democratic  interest  of  all  sectors  including  IPs.  True  sovereignty  and  genuine  democracy  
calls  for  a  radical  change  in  the  pyramid  social  structure  of  Philippine  society.  Only  a  
truly  sovereign  and  democratic  national  government,  can  ensure  and  nurture    the  
exercise  of  self  determination  for  NM/  IPs  in  the  form  of  Genuine  Regional  autonomy  ,  
and  genuine  people’s  development    without  systemic  oppression  and  exploitation;  
towards  social  justice  and  without  discrimination.    

CPA  Discussion  Paper  by  Benedict  Solang  

 Expanded  CPA  Regional  Council  Meeting  
Baguio  City,  November  16  –  17,  2013