Indigenous Peoples Women's Agenda of Surigao del Sur

IP Women Gathering

Diocesan Pastoral Center

Tandag, Surigao del Sur

21-24 October 2010

The Indigenous Peoples Women of the towns of Carrascal, Cantilan, Tandag, and San Miguel Surigao del Sur are Aware of the worsening state of our source of survival which affects our role as women in asset and resource governance of our respective sovereign territories.

Recognizing that indigenous peoples particularly the women are vulnerable to the effects of environmental degradation brought by the encroachment of development aggressions like Mining, Plantation, Logging—worsening state of the climate change.

We reaffirm and Acknowledge that a healthy environment and a peaceful community are basic rights which should be enjoyed by the present and generations yet unborn.

Heedful of the need to defend our Ancestral territories from being desecrated, contaminated and plundered by apathy, greed, crass consumerism, toxic wastes and chemicals, and the unsustainable exploitation of the earth’s dwindling resources.

Ever mindful that the responsibility to be stewards of God’s creation is a responsibility of each and every one of us;

We, the IP Women of Surigao del Sur, vow to pursue and push to relevant government agencies the following legislative IP Agenda in response to the emerging threat of today and beyond.

Surigao del Sur IP Women Legislative Agenda

On our right to a balanced and healthful ecology:

Recognized traditional resource management of the community to protect, conserve, sustain and develop our natural resources.

Ancestral domains are closed to mining, logging, and other extractive activities detrimental to our rights as indigenous peoples.

IP Women Gathering Legislative Agenda       Page 1

On our right for climate justice:

Share to LGU the concrete impact of Climate Change on IP women and provide existing traditional/existing climate adaptation and mitigation.

Build linkages with the international community of IP women in finding solutions on the climate change crisis and reclaim climate justice.

Strengthened IP women formation to unify women voices and come-up a common call in response to Climate Crisis.

On our right to territory and domain:

Recognize IP women as legitimate representatives of the tribe in decision making especially the disposition of their ancestral domain.

For municipal Sangguniang Bayan (SB) to recognize and adapt the traditional asset and resource governance and management plan, vis-à-vis the municipal land and water use plans.

On our right to education & cultural integrity:

For the LGUs give equal scholarship opportunities for IP youth while recognizing and promoting the IP’s cultural integrity through a traditional school in the respective ancestral domains.

On Our right to a peaceful and livable community

For the municipal chief executive to affect the immediate pull-out of all military and paramilitary installations, camps and outposts inside the ancestral domain without the community consent.

Mandatory Human Rights training for all military and paramilitary deployed in the respective areas.

On our right against discrimination:

Mandatory representation in the municipal legislative body and special body—as IP women sector representative.

For extractive companies to respect and uphold the tribe’s right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) as enshrined in the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) not compromising the traditional consent process.

Give due respect, credit and legal recognition on the IP women’s stand and resistance over resource conflict as one of the immediate stakeholder of the same.

IP Women Gathering Legislative Agenda            Page 2

For LGUs, NCIP to recognize and respect the existing local traditional dispute mechanisms in the respective areas.

Our right to protect, develop our livelihood for survival

For the LGU to ensure livelihood options of the tribal communities especially the IP women sector by developing existing traditional arts and crafts, thereby promoting the integrity of our endangered cultural identity.