Republic of The Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development

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Republic of the Philippines

Department of Social Welfare and Development


IBP Road, Batasan Pambansa Complex, Constitution IHtils, Quezon City 1126
Telephone Nos. (632) 931-8101 to 07; Telefax (632) 931-8191
e-mail:.o&eciSdswd.gov.ph ,, , .
Website:

MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. O!


Series o f 2009

SUBJECT: Indigenous Peoples Participation Framework

I. BACKGROUND/RATIONALE

The 2007 Census o f Population and Housing showed that around 17% or 14.9 million o f
the total population o f 88.5 million is from 110 ethnolinguistic groups. Historically, the
IP communities have been resistant to assimilation and thus they have been driven to
remote rural areas, mostly mountainous communities with no or inadequate access to
basic services. Thus, most IP communities represent the poorest sector in the country.
Even if some opportunities reach the IP communities, the IP concerns tend to be
“invisible” in these programs/services which were developed in accordance with the
norms o f the majority. Thus, majority o f the services are not sensitive to IP cultures
which members are committed to preserve.

To respond to these issues, the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) was signed into
law on October 29, 1997 by then President Ramos, which seeks to recognize, promote
and protect the rights o f the IPs. These include the Right to Ancestral Domain and Lands;
Right to Self-Governance and Empowerment; Social Justice and Human Rights; and the
Right to Cultural Integrity.

The DSW D in implementing poverty alleviation and developmental programs and being
true to its mission o f providing social protection and promoting rights and welfare o f
vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, is committed to ensure the promotion and
protection o f the rights o f all indigenous people in the Philippines towards poverty
alleviation and empowerment. Towards this end, the DSWD developed this Indigenous
Peoples Participation Framework (IPPF) which serves as a declaration of policies and
standard procedures in developing, funding and implementing programs, projects and
services for indigenous people as part o f the social welfare and development reform.
While the IPPF is initially developed for the implementation o f the W orld-Bank assisted
Social Welfare and Development Reform Project (SWDRP), the Department intends to
use this Framework in the development o f future projects.

II. POLICY CONTEXT

A. The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA Law):

The IPRA Law safeguards against negative or adverse project impacts on ancestral
domains. It also ensures that IPs have the right to participate in decision-making, in
all matters that may affect their lives. The law stipulates that IPs have the right to an
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informed and intelligent participation in the formation and implementation o f any
projects be it initiated by government or private entities.

B. UN Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples:

The declaration explicitly defines the right o f the Indigenous Peoples to participate in
decision-making in matters which would affect their rights, and the responsibility o f
the state to consult with the indigenous peoples concerned to obtain their free, prior
and informed consent before adopting and implementing legislative or administrative
measures that may affect them.

C. World Bank Policy on Indigenous Peoples (OP 4 10):

The World Bank Policy on Indigenous Peoples (OP 4,10) provides that all World
Bank-assisted projects shall be designed and implemented “in such as way that
Indigenous People do not suffer adverse effects during the development process, or
when avoidance is not feasible, minimize, mitigate or compensate for such efifects
(paragraph 1)” . Moreover, Bank-financed projects are also ‘designed to ensure that
the Indigenous Peoples receive social and economic benefits that are culturally
appropriate and gender and inter-generational inclusive (paragraph 1)” ,

III. THE SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT REFORM PROJECT (SWDRP)

The Social Welfare and Development Reform Project aims to advance the social
protection reform agenda of the Government of the Philippines by strengthening the
effectiveness o f DSWD as a social protection agency to: (i) efficiently implement the
new CCT program (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps) and
(ii) expanding/establishing an efficient and fiinctional National Household Targeting
System o f social protection programs in selected areas.

Specifically, the project has three components, as follows:

Component 1: Implementation of the National Household Targeting System for


Poverty Reduction (NHTSPR) - this component would support the DSWD in
developing and implementing the National Household Targeting System for Poverty
Reduction (NHTSPR) which will be used to better target key social assistance and social
protection programs o f DSWD and other goverrmient agencies.

Component 2: Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) - this component is to


cover 360,000 households during 2009-2013. This is a poverty reduction strategy that
provides cash grants to extremely poor households aimed at breaking the cycle o f
intergenerational poverty to improve health, nutrition and education outcomes o f poor
children and pregnant women.
Component 3: Building Institutional Capacity to Lead in Social Protection - this
component would support the strengthening o f basic institutional capacity o f DSWD to
assume a leadership role in social protection by (i) developing the enabling policy
environment for sustained implementation o f the Philippines CCT program and broad
adoption o f the national targeting system; (ii) installing technically sound monitoring and
evaluation system.

IV. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ PARTICIPATION STRATEGIES

The following are the strategies to be adopted by the Department in all aspects o f the
social welfare and reform agenda to ensure full and meaningful IP
participation/empowerment; promotion o f their rights and protection from any adverse
results during the whole cycle o f the development processes. All these strategies shall be
undertaken in close coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
(NCIP) at the national and local levels. '

A. Situational Analysis/Project Identification

Ensuring that IPs’ concerns are considered in the process o f searching for promising
investment opportunities for disadvantaged communities especially in using the
various analytical tools (e.g. Stakeholders Analysis) so that projects to be identified
would be acceptable and inclusive/responsive to their current and emerging needs.
Consultation with IP communities should be done to ensure their participation in the
project identification, and that their concerns are considered. All database o f the
Department, starting with the National Targeting System shall be designed to include
updated data/information on IPs in the Philippines to allow more informed analysis o f
social welfare programs and policies.

B. Project Planning

There should be a deliberate effort to include the specific responses to IP concerns in


the formulation o f objectives; processes/activities that will facilitate their
participation in the implementation o f planned/enumerated project components and
activities; ways on how IPs could contribute/utilize their own resources (human,
material and equipment); and their roles in the structuring the project organization

Various analyses (feasibility study tools) geared towards determining the viability and
feasibility o f the project should be undertaken to ensure that projects would not have
adverse effects to them. Social acceptability especially o f the IPs to the projects
should be determined through actual consultation with them, where results o f impact
analysis and environmental study, among others are presented to serve as their basis
in deciding on whether or not the project can and should be undertaken.

When adverse effects cannot be avoided, there should be plans to minimize said
effects as well as appropriate compensation for those who will be affected. These
should also be clearly presented to IP communities.
specific to the SWDRP, the Pantawid Pamilyang Filipino Program (4Ps) ensures that
special focus is given to IP-grantees. Data on the ethnic grouping is captured in the
grantee booklets that allow the program to identify the IPs. The DSWD shall
undertake periodic consolidation and analysis o f the profile o f the IP grantees as basis
for ensuring the responsiveness o f the program to the specific needs of the IPs.

C. Project Appraisal

Ensure that one o f the bases for the approval o f proposals submitted by partner
national/regional agencies, LGUs and other entities is its potential contribution to the
attainment o f poverty alleviation and empowerment o f IPs.

D. Project Implementation, Operation and M anagement

IP communities should be given equal opportunity to become beneficiaries and


become part o f the community welfare structure management team who will manage
the project implementation and operation. Appropriate technical assistance/capability
building activities should be given to them to enhance their project and organizational
management skills. Project management stage marks the full transfer o f the operation
o f the project to the beneficiaries, thus, technical readiness o f IPs on this should be
ensured. An IP fiiendly system/mechanism o f addressing complaints/grievances and
carrying out redress should be established to immediately respond, among others to
violation in IP human rights.

The 4Ps shall give attention to ensuring that all aspects o f the program are culturally-
sensitive and responsive. Among others, this will involve consideration o f IP
concerns in relation to the conditionalities, mobilization o f grantees, system o f cash
transfer and establishment o f grievance redress system. Efforts shall be deliberately
taken to ensure optimum IP participation and representation in alt activities o f the
Project at all levels. Moreover, the National Advisory Committee, composed o f other
government Departments has committed to develop and adopt strategic adjustments
to allow full participation o f IPs in the Program,

E. Progress M onitoring and Project Evaluation

Level o f IP participation in terms o f decision making, management, and sharing of


resources should be one o f major considerations in the regular monitoring and
evaluation, aside firom determining whether the project is still relevant to their needs,
effective and beneficial. IP participation in these processes should be ensured.

Monitoring and evaluation o f policies and programs (including 4Ps) shall include
special analysis on IPs, the results o f which shall be used for emerging initiatives.
The results o f the monitoring and evaluation on IP concerns shall be fedback to the IP
groups and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
F. Program Documentation '

Special focus should be given to the outcome/effects/impact o f the project to the IPs
in terms o f participation, empowerment and quality o f life, among others.

G. Project Localization/Sustainability

At the outset (as early as project planning stage), activities to enhance and utilize the
financial, technical and managerial skills o f the IPs should be planned and
implemented to ensure that they have the capability to continue and sustain the
project and its effects, and provide technical/managerial inputs to the
project/members.

V. EFFECTIVITY

I ’his Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

Issued in Quezon City, this of 2009.

DR/ESPERANZA L CABRAL
Secretary .

PanicipatMn Fnmcworic^! QBiiMy 6oc {Seniaid

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