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

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2723

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez

EXPLANATORY NOTE

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 Cordiliera mountain ranges of Northern Luzon. Tingguian, 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 Southem Kalinga. They are
mainly wet-rice cultivators who grow their crops both on irrigated terraces and
swidden fields. The Ibaloi and Kankanaey inhabit the southern 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 Northern Mangyan (Tadyawan, Alangan and lraya) 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 southemmost 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.

RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ

Mf

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Honorable Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Honorable Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.
House Bill No__ = @23

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. — \t 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 §. 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