Legarda Seeks to Protect IP and Local Communities’ Conserved Areas

In line with the celebration of the Indigenous Peoples Day today, August 9, Deputy Speaker and Antique Congresswoman Loren Legarda urged the passage of House Bill No. 639 or the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Conserved Areas Act of 2019.

Legarda, who sponsored RA 10689, the law that declares August 9 as National IP day to coincide with the international celebration, said that House Bill No. 639, will not only provide protection to the indigenous peoples (IP) and local communities conserved areas, but also allow the IPs to contribute greatly to the country’s development and biodiversity.

She stressed that, if they were given better opportunities and stronger support from the government, the IPs will be able to play their part in nation-building and preservation of culture.

“It is time that we recognize the importance of protecting our ancestral lands, which are home to some of our protected areas and which play a critical role in conserving biodiversity,” she said.

“But more than that, our IPs and local communities should be able to feel that they are an important part of our development. Our IPs and the protection of their ancestral lands are a vital component of nation-building.”***