SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodrigu
Representative Maximo B. Rodriquez, Jr.

House Bill No. 3687

EXPLANATORY NOTE

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There are various indigenous groups in our country, The Cordillera peoples, also
known as gorot, are living in the highlands, foothills and river valleys of the Cordillera
mountain ranges of Northern Luzon. Tinggulan, Isneg and Northern Kalinga are found in the
watershed areas of the Abulag, Tineg, and Chico rivers. These groups are largely swidden
cultivators who depend on farming rice, root crops, and vegetables. Along the slopes of
Mount Data and nearby areas are the Bontoc, Sagada, ifugao, and Southern Kalinga. They
are mainly wet-rice cultivators who grow their crops both on irrigated terraces and swidden
fields. The Ibaloi and Kankanaey inhabit the southem region of the Cordillera and their
subsistence economy is based on wet and dry agriculture

The Negrito groups are the indigenous groups in Tagalog and Bikol region whose
economies have depended on swidden agriculture, hunting and gathering, fishing, wage
labour and trade. The Mangyans in Mindoro are clustered into the Novthern Mangyan
(Tadyawan, Alangan and fraya) and the Southern Mangyan (Buhid, Taobuid and Hanunuo),
‘A small group called Bangon is considered a branch of the Taobuid. Another small group,
Ratagnon on Mindoro's southernmost tip, is closely related to the Cuyonin of Palawan.
Generally, the Mangyans of Mindoro practice swidden agriculture combined with hunting,
fishing, gathering and trade

Mindanao is divided into Moro and Lumad. For the most part, the indigenous peoples
in Mindanao basically subsist through swidden and wet rice cultivation, hunting, fishing,
gathering and the trade in locally manufactured items.

Considering the distinct ways of life our indigenous groups have retained, there is a
need to create courts specifically for indigenous peoples.

in view thereof, immediate approval of this Bill is sought.

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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriquez, Jr.

3687

House Bill No.

AN ACT
CREATING COURTS FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

Section 1. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared policy of the State to
increase access to justice by the indigenous peoples by creating Regional Trial Courts for
them.

Section 2. Creation of Separate Courts for Indigenous Peoples. — Regional Trial
Courts for cases involving indigenous peoples are hereby created in provinces where there
is some concentration of indigenous peoples.

Section 3. Rules and Regulations. The Supreme Court shall issue rules and
regulations to implement this Act. Said rules shall be published in at least two (2) national
newspapers of general circulation.

Section 4. Appropriation. - The amount of One Billion Pesos (P1,000,000,000.00) is
hereby appropriated out of any savings or unexpected balance in the National Treasury not
otherwise appropriated. Hereafter, it shall be included in the budget of the Judiciary in the
General Appropriations Act for the corresponding fiscal year.

Section 5. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act or any part
thereof be declared invalid, the other provisions, so far as they are separable from the invalid
‘ones, shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations
or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly

Section 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,