Robredo, Pangilinan sign covenant with indigenous peoples

MANILA, Philippines — A broad coalition of indigenous peoples (IPs) on Tuesday signed a covenant with presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, with the tandem promising to uphold their rights and ensuring their full participation in nation-building.

In return, 1Sambubungan, which counts among their members 18 tribes from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, vowed to support the candidacies of Robredo and Pangilinan.

Among the most salient points in the covenant were ensuring that indigenous peoples are reflected in the 2025 national census and that free, prior and informed consent process for building infrastructure on ancestral domain is respected, as well as protecting tribal leaders and environmental defenders from state violence.

The lead convenor of 1Sambubungan, former Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat, who is also on Robredo’s senatorial slate, led the agreement signing. Hundreds of IPs, including the Aetas, Dumagat-Remontados, Alamid of Rizal province and the Manobos and Talaingod of Mindanao, were also present.

In her speech to them, Robredo recognized that IPs were often forgotten or even used during elections.

“But my promise to you is that I will never neglect you. I am not just saying this tonight because I signed a manifesto with you, but you can [be assured of that] because of my long career lawyering for IPs,” she said.

Robredo was referring to the time she spent working as a nongovernmental organization lawyer under Saligan, where she helped represent IPs, especially in issues about their ancestral domains.

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