From Legal Frameworks to Lived Realities

The protection of Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) rights is the cornerstone of FISTCOP’s mission. While the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997 provides a comprehensive legal framework, a persistent gap remains between the law and its effective implementation on the ground. FISTCOP was established to bridge this gap, acting as a vital non-state actor to provide direct facilitation, monitoring, and intervention where needed. Our programs are designed to operationalize the provisions of IPRA, ensuring that the fundamental rights and ancestral domains of our constituent members are safeguarded.

Understanding IPRA (Republic Act No. 8371)

The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) is a landmark statute in the Philippines, designed to recognize, protect, and promote the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs). It legally reverses the historical Regalian doctrine of state ownership, instead establishing Indigenous Peoples as self-governing stewards of their ancestral lands, cultures, and futures. The law is structured around four mutually-reinforcing bundles of rights: Ancestral Domains & Lands, Self-Governance & Empowerment, Social Justice & Human Rights, and Cultural Integrity.

Key IPRA Provisions FISTCOP Addresses

Our work focuses on ensuring the most critical provisions of IPRA are upheld. These include the recognition and protection of ancestral domains through mechanisms like the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) and Certificate of Ancestral Land Title (CALT); the inherent right to self-governance and mandatory representation in local councils; the requirement for Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) before any project can proceed within ancestral domains; and the right to use their own justice systems and customary laws to resolve disputes.

FISTCOP’s Specific Services & Programs

To transform legal rights into tangible realities, FISTCOP provides direct, proactive support to IP communities. Our services include providing crucial legal and technical assistance for the complex process of CADT/CALT applications, including documentation and mapping; offering direct legal aid and training community-based paralegals through our IP Legal Assistance (IPLA) program; facilitating and monitoring FPIC agreements to safeguard against fraud; and collaborating with communities to document their customary laws, which strengthens both dispute resolution and ancestral domain claims.