“INDIGENOUS

PEOPLE AND LOCAL

COMMUNITIES
CONSERVED AREAS
ACT”
SEVEN
CHAPTERS AND
29 SECTIONS
CHAPTER I CHAPTER II
INDIGENOUS
GENERAL COMMUNITY
PROVISIONS CONSERVE AREAS

CHAPTER III CHAPTER IV

REGISTRATION AND ROLE OF
MAINSTREAMING GOVERNMENT
OF ICCAS AGENCIES
CHAPTER V CHAPTER VI
PENAL
INCENTIVES
PROVISIONS

CHAPTER VII
FINAL
PROVISIONS
GENERAL
PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Short title – this act shall be known as the “Indigenous Peoples
and Local Communities Conserved Areas Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy – it is the policy of the state to pursue

sustainable development, recognition of the rights of indigenous people cultural
communities/ indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs), biodiversity conservation, and
climate change mitigation and adaption.
The state adopts the principle of protecting Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs)
and acknowledging the significant contribution of conservation areas managed
by ICCs/IPs in maintaining the country’s biodiversity as well as in climate
change mitigation.

Universal Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

Indigenous Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs)
National Integrated Protected Areas Stem (NIPAS)
SECTION 3. Guiding Principle – in the promotion of the recognition of ICCAs, all
concerned agencies shall be guided by the following:

a. Recognition and promotion of ICCs/IP rights to their ancestral domains includes the
full recognition of ICCs/IPs.
b. As part of their responsibilities to their ancestral domain, ICCs/IPs shall have
priority in the management of their conservation areas.
c. ICCAs shall be considered in the formulation of and integrated in, national and
subnational policies.

d. The positive contribution to biodiversity conservation of ICCAs and related

sustainable traditional indigenous forest resources management systems and practices.

e. ICCs/IPs shall have a fair and equitable share in the in the commercial profits of
users of well-defined and confirm ecosystem services provided by ICCAs.
SECTION 4.
(a) “Ancestral Domain Sustainable development and Protection Definition of terms
Plan (ADSDPP)” refers to the document consolidating the plans
of the ICC/IP for the sustainable management and development
of the land natural resources as well as human resources.

(b)”Biological Diversity” or “Biodiversity” refers to the variety

and variability among all living organism and the ecological
complex.
(c) “DENR” refers to the Development of Environment and
Natural Resources.

(d) “Ecosystem Services” refers to environmental goods, and

regulating, supporting, and cultural services provided by
ecosystems.
(e) “Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples
(ICCs/IPs)” refer to a group of people or homogenous societies
As defined under Republic Act No. 8731.
Known as “The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997”
(f) “Indigenous Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs)” are
natural and/or modified ecosystem containing significant
biodiversity values, ecological services and cultural
communities/Indigenous peoples through customary laws or
other effectives.

(g) “Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs)” refers to sites of global

significance for biodiversity conservation identified using
globally standard criteria and thresholds, based on the needs of
biodiversity requiring safeguards at the site scale.
(h)“NCIP” refers to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
(i) “National ICCA and DENR containing qualitative, quantitative and
special data on ICCAs as determine by ICCs/IPs themselves.
(j) “Protected Areas) refer to identified portions of the land and water set
aside by reason of their unique physical and biological significance.
(k) “ Sustainable Traditional Indigenous Forest Resources Management
system and Practices (STIPMSP)” refer to those system and practices of
ICCs/IPs formally recognized, registered, confirmed, and duly verified
jointly by DENR and the NCIP to be sustainable forest management system
and practice in the forest/watershed area within the ancestral domain/land of
the concerned ICC/IP
(l) “Sustainable Traditional Resources Rights” refer to the rights to ICCs/IPs
to sustainably use, manage, protect, and conserve a) land, air, water, and
minerals; b) plans, animals, and other organism; c) collecting, fishing, and
hunting grounds; d) sacred sites; and e) other areas of economic ceremonial
and aesthetic value in accordance with their indigenous knowledge, beliefs
system, and services.
CHAPTER II
INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY
CONSERVED AREAS

SECTION 5. Recognition of ICCAs. – ICCAs shall be respected as an exercise by

ICC/IP of their ancestral domain rights as well as of their sustainable traditional resource
rights.
ICCAs shall be accorded special protection and full recognition by all national agencies
and Local Government Units (LGUs). Requirement for Free and Prior Informed Consent
( FPIC).
SECTION 6. Protection of ICCAs. – ICCAs shall be declared no-go zones for all forms
of mining whether large-scale or small-scale and other destructive forms of natural
resources exploration, development and utilization.
SECTION 7. Zones. – ICCs/IPs may establish zones within their ICCAs and provide for
the management and use of such zones in accordance with their customary laws,
traditions, customs or practices.
SECTION 8 ICCAs in Key Biodiversity Areas. – ICCAs within or encompassing KBAs
shall be maintained, managed and sustainably developed in a manner consistent with
conservation of the biodiversity found. As habitats of threatened species of Philippine
wildlife, KBAs are Environmentally Critical Areas ( ECAs) in the context of the
Philippines Environmental Impact Statement system.

SECTION 9. Respect For the names and designations made by the ICC/IP. – Place
names and designations of ICCAs in the native dialect of the ICCs/IPs shall be accorded
and used in all official publications of government.
CHAPTER III
REGISTRATION AND MAINSTREAMING OF ICCAs

SECTION 10. National ICCA Registry. – To ensure the availability of official

information of ICCAs, there is hereby established a centralized information management
system to be known as the National ICCA Registry.

SECTION 11. Implementing Arrangements and Operational Structures. – The lead

in the establishment of the National ICCs Registry and shall be jointly responsible for its
management and maintenance.

SECTION 12. Inclusion in the Comprehensive Land Use Plans and Forest Land Use
Plans – ICCAs recorded in the National ICCA Registry shall be included and duly
reflected in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) of the concerned LGU.

SECTION 13. Formal Recognition and listing of ICCAs. – within six (6) months from
the affectivity of this act, the NCIP and the DENR, in consultation with the ICCs/IPs,
shall jointly issue the procedural rules and regulations for the recording and listing of
ICCAs in the National ICCA Registry.

ANCESTRAL DOMAIN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION

PLAN (ADSDPP)
CHAPTER IV
ROLE OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

SECTION 14. Role of the NCIP – The NCIP shall primarily government agency
responsible for the full implementation of this act and shall protect and promote the interest
and well-being of the ICCs/IPs in the context of biodiversity conservations and climate
change mitigation and adaption.

SECTION 15. Role of the DENR. – The DENR shall provide technical assistance to
requesting ICCs/IPs biodiversity assessment and survey mapping of the ICCA.

SECTION 16. Role of Other Government Agencies. – Consistent with their respective
mandates and upon formal request of an ICC/IP, national government agencies shall
provide technical assistance in building and strengthening the capacity of the requesting
ICC/IP to manage their ICCA.

SECTION 17. Role of the Private Sector and Civil Society. –The NCIP and DENR shall
actively engage and collaborate with the private sector and civil society in raising public
awareness and recognition of ICCAs and in obtaining specialized assistance and services,
subject to the free and prior informed consent requirements of the concerned ICC/IP.
CHAPTER V
INCENTIVES

SECTION 18. Incentives Scheme. – ICCAs listed in the National ICCA Registry shall be
prioritize for biodiversity conservation and reforestation project sites.

SECTION 19. Sustainable Livelihood. – The DENR, in coordination with the NCIP,
shall develop sustainable livelihood opportunities for ICCs/IPs that are consistent with
traditional practices and resources use, thus ensuring the sustainable development and
proper management of ICCAs.
CHAPTER VI
PENAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 20. Prohibited Acts.

(a) Unauthorized and/or unlawful intrusion upon, or use of any portion of, the ICCA
(b) Mineral Exploration, extraction and development, quarrying and other utilization
(c) Logging, except in instance of sustainable traditional indigenous forest resource
management practices of the ICC/IP
(d) Mutilating, defacing, removing or otherwise destroying objects that have cultural,
spiritual or ecological significance to the ICC/IP
(e) Dumping of waste products detrimental to flora and fauna.

SECTION 21. Penalties. – Any individual, corporation, partnership, association, or

other juridical entity that commits any of entity that commits any of the prohibited acts
provided for under section 20.
CHAPTER VII
FINAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 22. Annual Report. – On or before March 30 of every year following the
affectivity of this Act, the NCIP shall submit to the President and to the Senate and the
House of Representatives a progress report on the status of the implementation of this Act
and on the implementation of the National ICCA Program.

SECTION 23. Construction. – The provisions of this Act shall be construed liberally in
favor of ICCs/IPs and in consideration of the protection and conservation of biodiversity.

SECTION 24. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The NCIP, in coordination with
the DENR and other concerned government agencies and members of the civil society.

SECTION 25. Appropriations. – The Sum of Twenty million pesos (PhP 20,000,000,00)
is hereby appropriate as initial operating fund.

SECTION 26. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION 27. Saving Clause. – This Act shall not any manner
adversely affect the rights and benefits of the ICCs/IPs under other
conventions, recommendations, international treaties, national laws,
awards, customs and agreements.

SECTION 28. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of

this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid , other parts or provisions
hereof which are not affected shall continue to remain in full force
and effect.

SECTION 29. Affectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days following completion of its publication in at least two (2)
newspaper of general circulation.
INDIGENOUS
TEXTILE (Attire,
Fabrics and Tapestries)
AND CRAFTS
TEXTILE (Attire, Fabrics
and Tapestries)

INABEL

INABEL - is a handwoven fabric made by Ilocanos which is more

popularly known as “Abel Iloco”. It comes from the root word “abel”
which means “to weave”. The word Inabel of Ilocanos literally means
“woven”. It is created by skilled artisans using traditional wooden looms.
It comes with different patterns inspired
v by nature. One of the most
recognizable patterns of Inabel is Binakol (also known as binakel,
binakael, or binakul) Binakol (meaning “twill”) can be easily recognized by
its interlocked geometric patterns which represent the waves of the sea that
protects people from malevolent spirits
KAIN - is the basic dress for women of Cordillera
region. It is a type of wrap-around skirt (tapis in
Tagalog) characterized by horizontal stripes
bordered by decorated panels along the joins and
edges, uses bright colors especially fiery red and
embroidered with beads and shells. Some kain used
other colors like red, yellow, white, black and green
which signify the color of things in nature.

KAIN
KADANGYAN is a burial cloth for
the rich people of Mountain
Province. It is a Cordilleran term
which literally means “rich”. In
earlier days, only the grandmothers
were allowed to weave burial cloths
(Kadangyan) but now, any able
weaver is allowed to weave burial
cloths for the dead.

KADANGYAN
The hand-woven FABRICS OF
BONTOC are characterized by
different geometric shapes and
different shapes of things from nature.
Siniwsiwan is the Bontoc’s blanket
and clothing wanes and lufid and
ginaspala wanes.
BONTOC’S FABRIC

WANES AND LUFID are costumes of Igorots

from the Mountain Province. Wanes is a long
strips of handwoven loincloth (bahag) for men
and Lufid is a wrap-around skirt (tapis) for
women. These clothes mirror the personality of
every Igorot and reflect their culture and
traditions (ex: religious practices and rituals)
WANES AND LUFID
GINASPALA WANES is a belt worn by a
married women of Bontoc and Kankana-y that
has Inawin designs composed of continuous
zigzag pattern.

GINASPALA WANES

BAKWAT is a belt used by mothers after

giving birth. It is designed with white beads as
accents and patterns of rivers and mountains
with bead works on the central portion of the
cloth. It is made by Gaddang weavers of Nueva
Vizcaya.

BAKWAT
TINGGUIAN DESIGNS - are very
meaningful for the people of Abra.
Their clothing has a simple linear
designs but are assigned with many
meanings. Some of their textiles are
reserved for use only during special
occasions such as birthgiving,
weddings, and harvesting. They use
natural dyes from different trees and
TINGGUIAN DESIGNS plants (mahogany-red,
jackfruit/ginger – yellow, narra -
brown, malatayum-indigo).
PIŇA AND JUSI - are the
traditional fabrics in Batangas. In
Taal, hand embroideries are
characterized by a smooth stitches,
fine, composed of fine delicate
shapes, embossed, and durable.
Barong is an embroidered formal
BATANGAS men's wear in the Philippines and
EMBROIDERY it is the most versatile apparel on
special occasions like weddings
and formal affairs.
CRAFTS

BURNAY - (locally known as tapayan

or banga) is an earthenware jar crafted
by a skillful potters with the use of
potter’s wheel and kiln. It is made by a
grade- A clay and fine sand. Burnay is
commonly used for storage of water,
grains, fermented fish (bagoong), basi
(sugarcane wine), salt, and other
condiments. Burnay has small openings
while those with bigger mouths are
called wangging.
BURNAY
BURI MAT is the smoothy
woven mat from Bolinao that is
made of dried leaves of palm
(buri, raffia, and buntal), dyed and
woven.

BURI MAT

LABBA - is a bowl-shaped coil

basket of Kalinga that is made
from finely split rattan and nito
vine. It is used for carrying and
storing rice or vegetables.

LABBA
The LINGLING-O OR DINUMUG is a
common ancient artifact symbolizing fertility,
prosperity and love found in the Ifugao, Bontoc and
other Cordillera regions of the northern Philippines.
It has a negative space formed that be considered the
internal female reproductive system— the womb
LINGLING and the birth canal. This fertility symbol captured
the feminine essence that nurtures life within itself
and gives birth to it.

VAKUL headdress is the headgear for Ivatan

women of Batanes that is used to protect them
from the heat of the sun and rains.
VAKUL

VESTS are worn by Ivatan men farmers.

Vakul and vest are made from the leaves of
vuyavuy, a tree endemic to Batanes.

VESTS
SINGKABAN of Bulacan is the art of creating an
entrance arch and other decorative materials mainly
from bamboo.

SINGKABAN
PASTILLAS of Bulacan is different from
other pastillas in the country. It has a unique,
colorful and intricately designed paper
wrapper which is locally known as “pabalat or
borlas de pastillas”.
PASTILLAS WRAPPERS

Other Bulacan arts and crafts include fire

crackers, and goldsmith.
KIPING is a traditional Filipino leaf-
shaped wafer made from glutinous rice. It
originated from the City of Lucban,
Quezon. It is used to decorate houses
during the Pahiyas Festival. It can be eaten
grilled or fried and can be dipped in sugar,
vinegar, or other sauce.
KIPING

The Bicol Region is abundant not only

in natural fibers of abaca and raffia but
also in their own arts and crafts
including baskets, bags, slippers, coin
purses and other crafts. Their crafts
designs are simple but colorful.
GIANT LANTERNS of Pampanga
are known for their special features. Before,
giant lanterns of Pampanga uses papel de
hapon for coverings but were then innovated
by using colored plastics as a material for
covering. In today’s ages, Pampangenos use
fiber glass and homemade paper for their
lanters. Every lantern has illuminated dancing
lights that follow the beat of the music and are
controlled by a rotor. Lanterns also come in
different designs and geometric patterns. On
the other hands, giant lanterns are created
GIANT LANTERNS
using steel frames and other locally available
materials.