For four Saturdays from January 16 to February 6, ANGOC, Philippine ICCA Consortium/Bukluran, and Philippine Association for Intercultural Development (PAFID) with seven indigenous communities from Luzon and Mindanao conducted a series of webinars on “Effective Participation in the PAMB and Constructive Engagement with LGUs and Other Stakeholders.”

The webinars were participated in by Ayta from Morong and Mariveles, Bataan; Buhid and Bangon Magyan from Mindoro; Manobo from Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Sur; and Obo-Menuvu from Cotabato

Topics discussed include: introduction to Zoom; skills-sharing on note-taking and policy analysis; basics of meetings; legal framework on indigenous peoples’ rights rights (Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act; Free, Prior, and Informed Consent; Wildlife and Forest Protection; Expanded National Protected Areas System); proposal writing and understanding financial statements; engaging the media; Payment for Ecosystem Services; community royalties; and map reading ang analysis.

Having to adjust to the new normal imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, learning materials and handouts, recorded video lectures and presentations, and electronic gadgets were sent to participants in advance to help them prepare for the webinar series.

Participants were enthusiastic about being able to exchange experiences and views as well as being able to partake in policy discussions with other indigenous groups and support civil society organizations, despite the pandemic. They also identified topics on which they wish to have comprehensive training and expressed a desire to engage government agencies and decision-makers in online dialogues while travels and face-to-face meetings are still heavily restricted.

This initiative is supported through the Sudden Opportunity Grant Facility of VOICE, an initiative by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs executed in a consortium between OXFAM Novib, and Hivos. ☐