Protected Areas System Act and Rights of IPs

On 22 June 2018, Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) was enacted into law recognizing the traditional resource governance of Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) within Protected Areas (PAs). A “National Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue on the ENIPAS” (National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City; 25-26 March 2019) brought 28 ICCs/IPs across the country produced an indigenous peoples’ statement raising concerns on the implementation of the said law.

On May 30, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) released Department Administrative Order 2019-05 containing the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the ENIPAS. Unfortunately, recommendations made by indigenous peoples were not included.

To pursue remedial actions on the IRR of the ENIPAS, BUKLURAN requested its CSO partners to collaborate in crafting a formal critique on the IRR of ENIPAS, building on the BUKLURAN statement. This brief critiques on the key issues of ICCs/IPs on the IRR of the ENIPAS and its injurious effects on their rights and interests.