The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) expresses concern over House Bill No. 9608, which seeks to amend the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (the IPRA) by reorganizing the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (the NCIP).

If enacted into law, the bill would transfer the NCIP’s Ancestral Domains Office to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)—a move that could undermine the NCIP’s core mandate and weaken its institutional capacity to protect the rights of indigenous peoples.

The CHR firmly reminds legislators and the public that the NCIP was deliberately established as an independent body, free from external influence, to ensure its ability to effectively champion the rights and welfare of indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples.

On 17 January 2025, the Commission issued a position paper outlining its recommendations to strengthen the protection for the protection and fulfillment of the rights of indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples, while safeguarding their autonomy and dignity.

As the country’s national human rights institution, the CHR remains steadfast in its commitment to defending the rights of indigenous peoples and in ensuring the integrity of institutions created to protect them. We call on all stakeholders to uphold the spirit of the IPRA and to support the NCIP’s independence through collaborative initiatives that genuinely empower indigenous communities. In doing so, we take a step closer to building a just and inclusive society—one where the rights, heritage, and dignity of indigenous peoples are fully recognized and respected.

Read the full CHR Position Paper on House Bill No. 9608, titled “An Act Rationalizing the Ancestral Lands Administration and Adjudication Process Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No. 8371, Otherwise Known as the ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997” here: bit.ly/4gWUbOs.###