SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS ——)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill no, 2618

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Republic Act No, 8371, otherwise known as the ‘Indigenous Peoples Rights Act’
(IPRA), was enacted into law in 1997 to give effect to the constitutional recognition and
cognizance to the estimated 12 to 15 million Indigenous Cultural Communities
(ICCs)/indigenous Peoples (IPs) present in 48 provinces and 13 cities nationwide. Said law
provides for the creation of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) as its
implementing agency. Eventually, various national, regional, grassroots and non-government
organizations/networks were established, all geared towards their recognition, promotion
and well-being. Likewise, numerous international treaties, conventions and declarations with
‘similar objectives were entered into by the government.

Despite concerted efforts exerted by the goverment, in partnership with various
private organizations and adequate financial support from international communities, stil
they remain the poorest and marginalized sectors of our society. Basic services remain
wanting in most geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs). Further, the
reported serious human rights violations, displacement from their ancestral domain and
destruction of their natural environment and cultural values, calls for immediate and drastic
measures to address the same.

Pursuant to the foregoing reasons, there is a need to establish Resource Centers in
all ICCs/IPs which are ethnographically located, gender and rights based, as may be
determined by the NCIF. The centers shall serve as access centers to enhance delivery of
basic, social, technical and legal services. It shall be composed of the following service
areas, namely: Statistical Service Area, Human Development Index Service Area and
Domains Management Service Area. The NCIP shall provide the necessary officers and staff
of the resource centers.

In view of the foregoing and to hasten the improvement of the quality of life of our
indigenous peoples, early passage of this bill is eamestly sought.

It

MAXIMO BY RODRIGUEZ, JR.


‘SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No.76.13

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 *

‘SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby the policy of the State to provide Indigenous
Cultural Communities (ICCs)/indigenous Peoples (IPs) equal access to basic services and
ensure protection of their rights, taking into consideration their customs, traditions, values
and beliefs. Towards this end, there is a need to set up Resource Centers in all ethnographic
regions to enhance the delivery of government's basic services and enable them to be
recognized and counted and have freedom to engage in participatory development
programs, projects and activities.

SEC. 3. Establishment of Resource Centers for ICCs/IPs. - There shall be established
ICCs/IPs Resource Centers, hereinafter referred to as the “Center”, in strategic places as
determined by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), hereinafter referred
to as the "Commission", taking into consideration their ethnological locations.

SEC. 4. Staff and Components of the ICC/IP Resource Centers. - The Commission shall
designate in every Center a Chief Coordinating Officer. Concerned government departments
and agencies and local governments shall assign staff members to the Resource Centers.

SEC. 5. Composition and Functions of the Center. The Center shall be composed of the
following three (3) major service areas and 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 - addresses problems of ICCs/IPs and provide
basic and necessary services through link-up with concemed government department and
agencies, such as training programs, grant of scholarships, 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, observe laws, and ensure the implementation of the


Ancestral Domains Sustainable Development and Protections Plans and such other existing
programs.

‘SEC. 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.

‘SEC. 7. Funding. - The initial funding requirements for the implementation of this Act shall be
charged against the current appropriations of the agencies concemed. Thereafter, such
sums as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the
agencies’ yearly budgets under the General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations - Within ninety (90) days after the approval of
this Act, the Commission, in coordination with the following concerned government agencies,
to wit: Local Government Units (LGUs), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA), Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education
(CHED), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of
Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of
Health (DOH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of
Agriculture (DA), Land Management Bureau (LMB), Land Registration Authority (LRA), and
such other concemed agencies, shall issue the necessary Rules and Regulations for the
effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

‘SEC. 10. Separability Clause. - If any part, section or provision of this Act shall be held
invalid or unconstitutional, no other part, section or provisions thereof shall be affected
thereby.

SEC. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its complete
Publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,