What does it mean to celebrate IPs month?

As the month of October closes, so does the Philippine government’s commemoration of Indigenous Peoples Month. Several developments are worth celebrating. Among these is the recent Supreme Court-led Land and Justice Summit, which culminated in the signing of a landmark memorandum of understanding on Inter-Agency Coordination for Land Administration, Registration, and Land-Related Justice. Led by Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, the summit underscores the judiciary’s recognition of the growing concerns surrounding indigenous peoples’ land tenure.

Another significant development is the peaceful selection of the Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIPs) representatives to the Bangsamoro Parliament, which paved the way for the transitional justice process to proceed. This provides an avenue for minority voices to be heard in the highest decision-making body of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Chosen in accordance with NMIP customary laws were Teduray and Lambangian leaders Leticio Datuwata and Jo Genna Martin Jover.

The awarding of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) to the Teduray and Lambangian is another momentous development. The title was awarded 21 years after its application and was nearly prevented by opposition from local politico-military clans in the region. Awarded on Oct. 22, 2026, the CADT covers 11 parcels of land totaling 117,333 hectares, encompassing parts of the municipalities of Upi and South Upi, as well as the southern portions of the municipalities of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Talayan, Guindulungan, Datu Unsay, Shariff Aguak, and Ampatuan in the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.

Despite these achievements, much remains to be done. The land justice agreement remains a framework for cooperation between the Supreme Court and land management agencies. Greater IPs participation must be ensured to guarantee that the concerns of these communities are addressed, especially given the continuing distrust between several communities and government agencies.

This was evident in the recent consultation for the establishment of the Philippine National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights, where concerns were raised that provincial offices of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources fail to heed IPs’ opposition to several projects within their ancestral domains. The Supreme Court should encourage the submission of shadow recommendations to allow Indigenous Peoples to raise Indigenous peoples’ concerns freely and openly, without fear of retaliation.

The selection of legitimate NMIP representatives to the Bangsamoro Parliament cannot be overlooked as a significant gain in the realization of IPs’ rights. However, having only two representatives out of 80 may dilute their voices. Their leadership of the committee on indigenous peoples affairs and their significant roles in the Fusaka Inged (Ancestral Domain) Development Office, which will assist in determining development projects within indigenous ancestral domain areas, will be critical.

The CADT award to the Teduray and Lambangian also remains incomplete in its promise, as security continues to be a problem within their ancestral domain. On Oct. 17, 2026, Joel Magtud, a Teduray leader, was gunned down in Datu Unsay, Maguindanao del Sur. A day later, in the same vicinity, two other Teduray, Sayrel Tomas and Jayjay Guiaman, were attacked, resulting in Tomas’ immediate death and Guiaman’s serious injury. Under this climate of fear, members of the Teduray and Lambangian communities cannot fully realize their rights of ownership over their ancestral domain.

Despite the desire to fully celebrate improvement in IPs’ rights, any festivities should be accompanied by the recognition that progress requires the protection of interrelated rights. Any land tenure agreement requires effective legal representation. Political representation should also be accompanied by the freedom to determine whether development projects proceed. And land ownership demands the freedom to live securely.

As the month comes to a close, attention also turns to the NCIP, which is expected to release the 2026 free, prior, and informed consent guidelines it announced last May. These guidelines will be another important test of whether the recognition of IPs’ rights translates into meaningful participation in decisions affecting their communities.

Hopefully, they will be properly interpreted and disseminated throughout the country. Rather than signaling that ancestral domains are open for business, the guidelines should serve as a reminder that recognizing indigenous communities as peoples means acknowledging not only their right to benefit from the basic services provided by the state but also their distinct right to self-determination.

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Raymond Marvic C. Baguilat, a Tuwali Ifugao and the head legal officer of the University of the Philippines Institute of Human Rights.