In line with our guiding principle of proactive and community-driven engagement, FISTCOP recently facilitated a multi-day consultation and paralegal training workshop with the leaders and members of the Bukidnon-Tagoloanon tribe, in partnership with the BUKTAMACO cooperative.

The event, held within the heart of their ancestral domain, focused on several key areas of our mission. Sessions included in-depth discussions on the provisions of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), hands-on training for aspiring community-based paralegals on how to document and report rights violations, and collaborative workshops on strengthening their cooperative’s governance and sustainable livelihood enterprises.

These images capture the spirit of collaboration, shared learning, and unwavering commitment of the Bukidnon-Tagoloanon people to safeguarding their rights, culture, and future. It is through these grassroots partnerships that the promise of the IPRA is transformed into a lived reality.