NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 1249
pj n iM
fl{ tijc
72 AUG 31 P4:27
m-CEIVtD 8Y.
Introduced by Senator Loren B. Legarda
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A PROPORTIONATE SCHOOL ADMISSION 
AND ACCEPTANCE SHARE IN THE PHILIPPINE MILITARY ACADEMY AND 
THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE ACADEMY FOR MEMBERS OF 
THE INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COMMUNITIES/INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
AND OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Indigenous peoples in the Philippines belong to different ethnic groups and 
reside in various parts of the country. There are more than one hundred ten (110) 
indigenous communities, about 61% in Mindanao, 33% in Luzon, and 6% in the 
Visayas.
Article II, Section 22 of the 1987 Constitution states, "The State recognizes and 
promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities within the framework of 
national unity and development."
To carry out this constitutional mandate. Republic Act No. 8371, or "The 
Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997." The law undertakes to improve the 
situation of indigenous peoples and indigenous commxmities. The law declares that 
"The State recognizes its obligations to respond to the strong expression of the 
indigenous cultural communities (ICCs)/ indigenous peoples (IPs) for cultural 
integrity by assuring maximiun ICC/IP participation in the direction of education.


health, as well as other services of ICCs/IPs, to render such services more responsive 
to the needs and desires of these communities."
To realize the objectives of the law, indigenous peoples and communities must be 
given more opportunities and platforms to be involved in policies and programs for 
national vmity and development At present, the IPs and ICCs are still somewhat not 
represented at all levels of society, including the recruitment programs for the 
Philippine National PoHce Academy (PNPA) and the Philippine Military Academy 
(PMA).
In recognition of the honor and pride that the ICCs and IPs bring to our country 
by being the bearers of our nation's cultural diversity, this biU seeks to provide 
proportionate recruitment share specially allocated for the ICC/IP members in the 
PNPA and the PMA, Under the proposed measure, the PNPA and PMA are mandated 
to admit and enlist members of the ICCs/IPs into their academic programs.
The bill also protects ICCs/IPs from any form of discrimination by subjecting to 
disciplinary action any person, pubHc official, or employee who discriminates in any 
manner against members of the ICCs/IPs.
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought.
------ EORENLEGARDA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 1249
gjenate
•22 AUG 31 P4 27
RlXElVtD BV;
Introduced by Senator Loren B. Legarda
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A PROPORTIONATE SCHOOL ADMISSION 
AND ACCEPTANCE SHARE IN THE PHILIPPINE MILITARY ACADEMY AND 
THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE ACADEMY FOR MEMBERS OF 
THE INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COMMUNITIES/INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
AND OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title, - This Act shall be known as the "Katutubong
2 
Tagapagtanggol Act of 2022.”
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State:
4 
a) to recognize and promote the civil, political, economic, social, and
5 
cultural rights of indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples in
6 
accordance with the Constitution and applicable norms and principles;
7 
b) to recognize the distinct characteristics and identity of the indigenous
8 
cultural communities or indigenous peoples, which the State must take
9 
special measures to ensure that they are afforded rights, protections, and
10 
privileges with regard to recruitment and employment; and
11 
c) to involve the indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples
12 
in the national defense and national lawT enforcement as part of national imity
13 
amidst diversity.
14 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following term shall
15 
mean:


1 
a) Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/lPs) - shall refer
2 
to a group of people or homogenous societies identified by self-ascription and
3 
ascription by others, who have continuously lived as an organized community
4 
on communally bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims of
5 
ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed and utilized such
6 
territories, sharing common bonds of language, customs, traditions, and other
7 
distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and
8 
cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions, and cultures, became
9 
historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos. ICCs/IPs shall,
10 
likewise, include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their
11 
descent from the populations which inhabited the country at the time of
12 
conquest or colonization or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous religions
13 
and cultures or the establishment of present state boxmdaries who retain some
14 
or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions, but who
15 
may have been displaced from their traditional domains or who may have
16 
resettled outside their ancestral domains.
17 
Sec. 4. Recruitment of ICCs/IPs in Law Enforcement and National Defense. - The
18 
Philippine National Police Academy and the Philippine Military Academy are
19 
hereby mandated to admit and enlist members of ICCs/IPs into their academic
20 
programs. At least ten percent (10%) of the new cadets shall belong to ICCs/IPs.
21 
Sec. 5. Rights of Enlisted Members of ICCs/IPs. - Members of ICCs/IPs admitted
22 
in the academic program shall not be discriminated by reason of their physical,
23 
social, cultural backgrounds and religious beliefs.
24 
Sec. 6. Penalties. - Any person, public official, or employee who discriminates
25 
in any manner against members of the ICCs/IPs by reason of their membership in
26 
the ICCs/IPs shall immediately be subjected to the proper disciplinary action or
27 
proceedings of the service.
28 
Willful failure, refusal, or negligence by the disciplining authority in the
29 
initiation, investigation, and disposal of disciplinary proceedings due to violations of
30 
this Act shall be a cause for dismissal from the service of the disciplining authority.


1 
Any sanctions for violations provided under this Act shall be without
2 
prejudice to the criminal penalties and sanctions provided imder the Republic Act
3 
No. 8371, otherwise known as The Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997.
4 
Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of National Defense
5 
and the Department of Interior and Local Government shall collaborate and issue
6 
within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act the Implementing Rules and
7 
Regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
8 
The implementing rules and regulations shall provide accommodations for
9 
members of the ICCs/IPs regarding their admission and avoid qualifications
10 
and disqualifications that discrimitiate against them due to their diverse qualities.
11 
Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be
12 
held imconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall
13 
remain in fuU force and effect.
14 
Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations, and
15 
other executive issuances inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act
16 
are hereby amended or repealed accordingly.
17 
Sec. 10. Effectivity Clause.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following
18 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers
19 
of general circulation.
Approved,