Ancestral land sales, declining interest in farming, and the preservation of Indigenous identity emerge as key concerns in shaping the 2026–2030 development agenda.
DAVAO CITY (November 4) — Who will protect the ancestral lands, sustain traditional livelihoods, and pass on Indigenous culture when the next generation grows up?
These questions shaped a gathering of Bagobo Klata, Bagobo Tagabawa, and Obu-Manuvu leaders who are pushing for stronger community participation, particularly among women and youth, in decisions affecting Mount Apo and their ancestral domains.
At the Mount Apo Indigenous Peoples Conference 2026 held at Malagos Garden Resort, the leaders presented policy recommendations covering ancestral domain protection, Indigenous governance, biodiversity conservation and climate change, sustainable livelihoods, and women’s and youth participation.
The recommendations will form the basis of the Mount Apo Indigenous Peoples Declaration 2026 and the Mount Apo Indigenous Peoples Action Agenda 2026–2030, intended to guide collective action across the Mount Apo landscape.
Joshua Donato, project coordinator and lead proponent of LifeBank Foundation Inc.-Sicao, said the conference produced the expected outputs, including the declaration, action agenda, and policy recommendations.
He said the five-year plan was drawn from concerns raised by participating communities, particularly the need to protect ancestral lands, strengthen Indigenous governance, sustain livelihoods, preserve forests, and give women and young people a greater voice in decision-making.
When poverty pushes communities to sell ancestral land
One of the most pressing concerns raised during the preparations for the conference was the reported sale of ancestral lands by some Indigenous families.
Donato said a case study conducted before the gathering found that some Indigenous landowners had sold portions of their ancestral territories because they lacked the resources to cultivate them.
“Unsa’y reason nga gibaligya nila, sa among case study nga result, because wala silay mahimo. Wala silay resources para i-till ilang land,” Donato said during a press conference on October 9.
The problem, he stressed, is not limited to Mount Apo but is also experienced by Indigenous communities elsewhere in the country.
The findings point to a difficult reality: ancestral land protection cannot be separated from the economic conditions of the families expected to safeguard it.
Without adequate livelihood opportunities, agricultural support, and resources to develop their land, some families may remain vulnerable to selling or losing access to their ancestral territories.
Donato said the conference devoted part of its discussions to Indigenous Peoples’ rights and the sustainable management of ancestral domains and natural resources.
He cited Sitio Sicao in Barangay Tamayong, where Mount Talomo and 14 waterfalls offer potential for hiking and ecotourism development.
Such initiatives, he said, could provide alternative sources of income while encouraging communities to protect their natural resources.
Who will continue farming?
Beyond land ownership, Indigenous leaders also raised concerns about the future of farming as more young people pursue formal education and professional careers.
Jeciry Antic, chairperson of the Tibolo Integrated Farm Workers Association, welcomed the growing number of Indigenous children attending school but questioned whether this progress was being matched by efforts to sustain traditional agricultural livelihoods.
“Kung daghan na ang edukado o nag-eskuwela nga mga bata, kinsa pa man ang mag-uuma?” Antic asked.
She observed that many members of their association have become professionals, including lawyers and agriculturists, while those who continue practicing farming often have limited formal education.
She said some parents themselves discourage their children from working on farms, associating agricultural work with the hardships they experienced.
“ Ayaw pag-trabaho sa uma, gusto ka mapareho namo,” is the kind of advice children hear from parents who do not want them to experience the same difficulties.
Antic said the challenge is to bridge professional education and farming rather than force young people to choose between the two.
“I hope from this moment, nga usa sa atong matutukan kung unsa ang pag-balance sa profession into farming lifestyle,” she said.
Her concern highlights the need to make agriculture more viable and attractive to younger generations through better opportunities, skills development, technology, and improved access to markets.
Education must also preserve Indigenous identity
For Indigenous youth leaders, access to education should also mean strengthening, rather than weakening, young people’s connection to their communities and cultural heritage.
Jaspher Ortiz Lanzo, provincial officer of the Mindanao Indigenous People Youth Organization, said the growing number of Indigenous learners should be matched by efforts to ensure they understand their tribal histories, languages, and customary practices.
“Nagadaghan naman gyud diay atong IP learners, pero sa unsa pud nga level ang ilahang involvement ug ang pagkahibalo kabahin sa tribo? Ingon ana na sad ba kataas?” he asked.
He said Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) needs stronger implementation, emphasizing that the Department of Education must take responsibility for ensuring that Indigenous knowledge and culture are meaningfully integrated into learning.
“Dili na something na mag-gikan sa atoa, mag-gikan gyud mismo sa agency, sa DepEd,” Lanzo said, pointing out that implementation varies among schools, depending partly on the support of school administrators.
The concern is significant in Davao Region, which has 255,385 Indigenous learners—the highest number among Philippine regions—with IP learners accounting for 22 percent of public school enrollment, according to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) report released on October 26.
The figures underscore the importance of ensuring that access to formal education goes hand in hand with cultural education and community participation.
Keeping tribal identity alive
For Obu-Manuvu tribal chieftain Bae Nilda Landim of Barangay Carmen in Baguio District, preserving Indigenous identity begins within families and communities.
She recalled how barangay health workers documented residents’ names, tribal affiliations, and places of origin, revealing that many residents were Indigenous.
She also observed that children in the community increasingly wear their traditional tribal attire during Indigenous Peoples’ activities, with parents helping provide the clothing.
For Landim, these practices help children remain connected to their roots even as they study and grow up in an increasingly urban environment.
“Bisan asa sila muadto sa Davao, og asa sila nag-eskwela, mahinumdoman gihapon nila nga tribo gyud sila,” she said.
Her observation reflects a broader challenge facing Indigenous communities: ensuring that younger generations can pursue opportunities outside their ancestral communities without losing their language, traditions, and sense of belonging.
From declaration to action
The two-day conference, which began on October 28, brought together leaders and representatives of the Bagobo Klata, Bagobo Tagabawa, and Obu-Manuvu communities.
Organized by LifeBank Foundation Inc.-Sicao, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) 11-Davao City Provincial Office, and the Mount Apo Natural Park Protected Area Management Office (MANP-PAMO), the gathering sought to consolidate community concerns into a common policy and development agenda.
Donato said organizers would consolidate the conference outputs and bring them to the participating tribal offices for validation before submitting them to the policy and advocacy office of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).
Three congressmen may also be tapped to help advance the recommendations in Congress, he said.
Donato added that existing measures concerning Mount Apo need to be strengthened to respond to the continuing challenges faced by Indigenous communities.
For the tribal leaders, however, the real test of the five-year agenda will be whether their recommendations translate into concrete programs, resources, and policies.
Protecting Mount Apo means more than conserving its forests and natural attractions. It also means ensuring that Indigenous families have viable livelihoods, farmers can sustain their land, children grow up knowing their heritage, and women and young people have a genuine voice in decisions affecting their communities.
The future of the mountain, ultimately, is inseparable from the future of the people who have long called it home.
