ALTHAR - Strengthening ABSF Capacities Full Project Title: Strengthening Capacities of Alliance of Bangsa SangilFederation(ABSF) through Accessibility and representativeness inDavao and Sarangani Province

In Mindanao, the current health crisis adds up to the existingchallenges faced by theethnic groups, youth, women, and peopleorganization operating within the poverty and conflict-ridden zones.On the side of poverty and conflict,the vulnerability of these sectors interms of terrorist recruitment and gender-based violence are well-documented (GSDRC, 2018. Thesangil tribe is an Indigenous peoplenative inhabitants of Southern Mindanao and they live since timeimmemorial. The Sangil people are the direct descendants of thatpopulation that has developed on along the coastal areas ofSarangani bay and Celebes sea in the province of Davao Occidentaland Sarangani Province before the start of modern era. These Sangilshave since become Filipino and belong to the Bangsamoro group ofpeople. Indeed, Sangil Families can relate genealogies to connectionwith Maguindanao or that enrich Maguindanao history particularly thefact that Buayan royalty also ruled the Sangil Island, Davao Region,and Sarangani on the time of SultanKudarat. Their population isconcentrated in Balut and Sarangani Island Municipalities (15,037)and Jose Abad Santos (4,070) in the province of Davao Occidentalwhere there are a total of 19,107 (NCCA). Lately, declared one of theminority group among Bangsamoro outside core territory. BalutSarangani Island is a coastal part of Davao Occidental along Celebessea as well as boundary of Philippines and Indonesia. In 2018, Sangiltribe has been experienced alarmed situation of identity existence andcitizenship from National Commission of Indigenous people as theyform part of Bangsamoro ethnic group as well as Indigenous people.The tribe through their organization Alliance of Bangsa SangilFederation, a people organization member of ALTAHR has noavailable documentation of their customary laws as it practicedverbally since time immemorial. In the existing criticism among thetribe, due to lack of knowledge and capacities, their ancestral domainapproximately with land area of six thousand hectares( 6,000) and fiftythousand hectare of water area covered that occupied by Sangil tribesince time immemorial have claimed by other tribe through NationalCommission on Indigenous People( NCIP) Region XI in 2018.Presently, the War on drugs and war on terrorism including executiveorder 70, experienced by the some leaders ofthe Sangil specifically,tagging associated with international terrorist because of the borderareas between Philippines and Indonesia particular in Balut Islandlead by the military forces and PNP in the region. There are existingcriminalization among Sangil leaders such as the case of 4 Sangiltribe faced trump up charges and illegal detention. Most of the youth,especially the youth, women faces discrimination's of Citizenship,identity of being minority among minorities. The overall objective of theproject is to strengthen Capacities of Sangil Tribe throughAccessibility, Representation and Empowered Communities in theirProvinces. This project will be implemented within the period of 12months targeting 500 leaders came from Alliance of Bangsa SangilFederation in the 16 communities that are community partner of theALTAHR in Sarangani Province, General Santos City, and DavaoOccidental. The action will employ three (3) mutually reinforcingstrategies of Awareness raising, capacity development building,campaign and Research documentation. The target groups are themembers of the Alliance of Bangsa Sangil Federation (ABSF), fromdifferent 16 communities within 6 Municipalities ofDavao Occidentaland Sarangani Province, comprise of Balut Sarangani Island, JoseAbad Santos, Glan, Kiamba, Maasim and GeneralSantosCity. Thisproject contribute, the communities of Sangil tribe are Oriented interms of their rights to self-determination and Ancestral domain;practice through capacity and skills and reduced their vulnerability asone of the minority group within their community.