Press Release
December 25, 2007

ANGARA CALLS FOR SUPPORT FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

This Christmas season, Senator Edgardo Angara calls for more support for indigenous peoples (IP) in the country.

According to the senator, our indigenous people has been treated as a minority for the longest time, with the commission tasked to take care of their needs and fight for their rights receiving very meager funding for the last few years.

"We're hoping to change that in this year's budget. It's high time we allot for the IPs the attention and funding they deserve, as they are the keepers of our national culture and heritage, as well as of our rich history," said Senator Angara.

In this light, Senator Angara, chair of the Senate Subcommittee C on Finance that handles the Department of Agrarian Reform budget, has appropriated additional funds to the National Commission on Indigenous People [i] (NCIP)'s literacy and livelihood activities and IT equipment.

"Programs targeted at keeping them abreast with the modern times while at the same time helping them preserve their unique culture should be promoted. These include activities that provide them livelihood and education," Senator Angara said.

Senator Angara added Php6.5 million to the NCIP budget for the continuation of its literacy activities and livelihood activities for the indigenous peoples.

The senator has also allotted Php100,000 for the NCIP's IT equipment. With these additional allotments, the NCIP budget grew from Php485.314M to Php491.94M.

"Our indigenous peoples may be a minority in terms of number, but we shouldn't treat them as such," said Senator Angara.

[i] Attached under DAR, the NCIP is the primary government agency responsible for the formulation and implementation of pertinent and appropriate policies, plans and programs that recognize, promote and protect the rights and well-being of Indigenous Peoples (IPs). It is also tasked with the recognition of their ancestral domains and their rights thereto.

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