EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E
s. No. 405
V  
o( lllf -  ritUU}'
•19 j a i l  P4:19
RECtiViDa.’.
Introduced by Senator Francis "Tol" N. Tolentino
AN ACT
PROVIDING 
FOR 
A 
PROPORTIONATE 
SCHOOL 
ADMISSION 
AND 
ACCEPTANCE SHARE IN  THE PHILIPPINE M ILITARY ACADEMY AND THE 
PHILIPPINE 
NATIONAL 
POLICE 
ACADEMY 
FOR 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COM M UNITIES/ INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, AND FOR 
SUCH OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article 2, Section 22 of the 1987 Constitution provides that: "The State 
recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities within the 
framework of national unity and development."
It is the expressed policy of the state to promote the rights of the Indigenous 
Cultural Communities/ Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) in formulating policies for the 
development of the nation. Due to peculiarities inherent in their culture, circumstances 
arise where their members automatically become excluded in policies and programs 
for national unity and development. Included in these policies are the recruitment 
programs for the Philippine Military Academy and Philippine National Police Academy, 
the primary security academic institutions of the country. The members of the 
ICCs/IPs are overlooked and sometimes discriminated upon, and not given the chance 
to serve, protect and defend the country simply because of their culture. Instead, 
culture must be celebrated, brought into the light and integrated into society for it is 
something that brings honor and pride to the country.


Section 1, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution provides that the Congress shall 
give highest priority to the enactment of measures that protect and enhance the right 
of all the people to human dignity, reduce social, economic, and political inequalities, 
and remove cultural inequities by equitably diffusing wealth and political power for the 
common good.
To give effect to this Constitutional mandate, this bill aims to accommodate 
ICC/IP members by providing a proportionate recruitment share specially allocated for 
them in the Philippine Military Academy and the Philippine National Police Academy in 
view of the peculiarities brought about by their beautiful culture.
Considering the foregoing, the immediate enactment of this bill is respectfully 
requested.
FRANCIS "TO L" N. TOLENTINO
Senator


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E
s. No. _AQ.5
A fir -.s 
^
;=r*X
ot lit: Strtimr»
*19 
UL 11 
P 4 :19
RECiiVT) o •
Introduced by Senator Francis "Tol" N. Tolentino
AN ACT
PROVIDING 
FOR 
A 
PROPORTIONATE 
SCHOOL 
ADMISSION 
AND 
ACCEPTANCE SHARE IN  THE PHILIPPINE M ILITARY ACADEMY AND THE 
PHILIPPINE 
NATIONAL 
POLICE 
ACADEMY 
FOR 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COMM UNITIES/ INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, AND FOR 
SUCH OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Katutubong 
Tagapagtanggol Act of 2019."
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  It is hereby declared the policy of the State:
a) to recognize and promote the civil, political, economic, social and cultural 
rights of indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples in accordance 
with the Constitution and applicable norms and principles;
b) to recognize the distinct characteristics and identity of the indigenous cultural 
communities or indigenous peoples which the State must take special 
measures to ensure that they are afforded rights, protections and privileges 
with regard to recruitment and employment; and
c) to involve the indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples in the 
national defense and national law enforcement as part of national unity amidst 
diversity.


Sec. 3. Definition o f Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall
mean:
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a) Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) - shall 
refer to a group of people or homogenous societies identified by self­
ascription and ascription by others, who have continuously lived as 
organized community on communally bounded and defined territory, 
and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, 
occupied, possessed and utilized such territories, sharing common bonds 
of language, customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural traits, or 
who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads of 
colonization, non-indigenous religions and cultures, became historically 
differentiated from the majority of Filipinos. ICCs/IPs shall, likewise 
include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their 
descent from the populations which inhabited the country, at the time 
of conquest or colonization or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous 
religions and cultures or the establishment of present state boundaries 
who retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and polibcal 
institutions, but who may have been displaced from their traditional 
domains or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains.
Sec. 4. Recruitment o f ICCs/IPs in Law Enforcement and National Defense. - 
The Philippine National Police Academy and the Philippine Military Academy are hereby 
mandated to admit and enlist members of ICCs/IPs into their academic program. At 
least ten percent (10%) of the new cadets shall belong to ICCs/IPs.
Sec. 5. Rights o f Enlisted Members o f ICCs/IPs. -Members of ICCs/IPs admitted 
in the academic program shall not be discriminated by reason of their physical, social, 
cultural backgrounds and religious beliefs.
Sec. 6. Penalties. - Any person, public official or employee who discriminates in 
any manner members of the ICCs/IPs, by reason of their membership in the ICCs/IPs, 
shall immediately be subjected to the proper disciplinary action or proceedings of the 
service.


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Willful failure, refusal or negligence by the disciplining authority in the initiation, 
investigation and disposal of disciplinary proceedings due to violations of this Act shall 
be a cause for dismissal from the service of the disciplining authority.
Any sanctions for violations provided under this Act shall be without prejudice 
to the criminal penalties and sanctions provided under the Republic Act No. 8371 or 
otherwise known as The Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997.
Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of National 
Defense and the Department of Interior and Local Government shall collaborate and 
issue within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act the Implementing Rules 
and Regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
The implementing rules and regulations shall provide accommodations for 
members of the ICCs/IPs regarding their admission and shall avoid qualifications and 
disqualifications that discriminates them due to their diverse qualities.
Sec. 8. Separability Clause. -  If any provision of this Act shall be held 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in 
full force and effect.
Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations 
and other executive issuances which are inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions 
of this Act are hereby amended or repealed accordingly.
Sec. 10. Effectivity C lause.-l\\\s Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of 
general circulation.
Approved,