Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Philippine history is riddled with stories about the struggles of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) 
and the challenge of being interwoven into modern society—all at the expense of their 
ancestral lands and rich culture. News of IPS being driven out of their homes is still 
prominent in mainstream media despite the recognition of their rights through Republic 
Act No. 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997.  
Ancestral domain is only one challenge to the estimated 17 million IPS scattered across 
the country. Basic social services remain barely within reach for IPS and Indigenous 
Cultural Communities (ICCs), owing largely to the geographical location of the 110 
ethno-linguistic IP groups.  
The bill proposed aims to resolve this by establishing resource centers for IPS and ICCs, 
taking into account their ethnological locations. According to the World Health 
Organization, IPs are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and related consequences because 
of their “high burden of poverty, unemployment, malnutrition, and both communicable 
and non-communicable diseases.” This bill shall also address the effects of the 
pandemic on IP groups especially since we are still in the new normal and cases of 
COVID-19 continue to rise. 
This measure aims to provide government services to the poorest and disadvantaged 
and promote efficient delivery of services in recognition of the importance of our IPS 
rights. Further, it intends to address the lack of basic government functions being 
provided to IPS and ICCs by catalyzing relevant government agencies and involving 
them in the participator programs proposed.  
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
November 10, 2022
2:54 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR., 
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING RESOURCE CENTERS FOR INDIGENOUS CULTURAL 
COMMUNITIES/INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO ENHANCE AND ENSURE 
DELIVERY OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Resource Centers for 
Indigenous Peoples Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State shall recognize, respect and protect 
the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs)/Indigenous Peoples (IPs), to 
preserve and develop their cultures, traditions and institutions. It shall consider these 
rights in the formulation of national laws and policies; Furthermore, the State shall take 
measures, with the participation of the ICCs/IPs concerned, to protect their rights and 
guarantee respect for their cultural integrity, and to ensure that members of the ICCs/IPs 
benefit on an equal footing from the rights and opportunities which national laws and 
regulations grant to other members of the population. 
SECTION 3. Establishment of Resource Centers for ICCs/IPs. — There shall be 
established ICCs/IPs Resource Centers, hereinafter referred to as the "Center", in such 
strategic places as may be determined by the National Commission on Indigenous 
Peoples (NCIP), hereinafter referred to as the "Commission", taking into consideration 
their ethnological locations. 
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SECTION 4. Staff and Components of the ICC/IP Resource Centers. — The 
Commission shall designate in every Resource Center a Chief Coordinating Officer. 
Concerned government departments and agencies and local governments shall assign 
staff members to the Resource Centers. 
 
SECTION 5. Composition and Functions of the Center. — The Center shall be 
composed of the following three (3) major service areas with their respective functions, 
namely: 
a) 
Statistical Service Area — Documentation and recognition of ICCs/IPs, their 
Indigenous knowledge, systems and practices, political structures and customary 
laws through census, appraisal and baseline reports and libraries; 
b) 
Human Development Index Service Area — Addressing of problems of ICCs/IPs 
and provision of basic and necessary services through link-up with concerned 
government department and agencies, such as training programs, scholarship 
grants, employment, livelihood and enterprises and health services; and 
c) 
Domains Management Service Area — Promotion of participatory programs, 
projects and activities for ICCs/IPs to effectively deliver their responsibility of 
maintaining ecological balance, restore denuded areas, observing laws and 
ensuring the implementation of the Ancestral Domains Sustainable Development 
and Protections Plans and such other existing programs. 
 
SECTION 6. Monitoring Progress and Implementation and Impact of this Act. — 
The Commission shall submit to Congress every three (3) years or as determined in the 
implementing rules and regulations, an annual report of its accomplishments. 
 
SECTION 7. Funding. — The initial funding requirements for the implementation of this 
Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the agencies concerned. 
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be 
included in the agencies yearly budgets under the General Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). — Within ninety (90) days 
after the approval of this Act, the Commission, shall issue the necessary Rules and 


Regulations for the effective implementation of this Act, in coordination with the following 
concerned government agencies to wit: 
a. 
Local Government Units; 
b. 
Philippine Statistics Authority; 
c. 
Department of Social Welfare and Development; 
d. 
Technical Education and Skills and Development Authority; 
e. 
Department of Education; 
f. 
Commission on Higher Education; 
g. 
Commission on Human Rights; 
h. 
Department of Justice; 
i. 
Department of Labor and Employment; 
j. 
Department of Trade and Industry; 
k. 
Department of Health; 
l. 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources; 
m. 
Department of Agriculture; 
n. 
Land Management Bureau; 
o. 
Land Registration Authority. 
 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. — Should any provision herein be declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or 
other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, 
amended, or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect in fifteen (15) days after 
publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation in the 
Philippines. 
 
Approved,