ABA ROLI Formally Launches Legal Aid Caravan for Indigenous Peoples Communities in Bataan and Bukidnon in the Philippines

On November 20, 2021, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) and its partner the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) conducted its inaugural legal aid caravan for indigenous peoples (IPs). The event was part of ABA ROLI’s ACCESS to Justice and Support for the Rule of Law program (ACCESS program), a five-year year project supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Two of the ten planned legal aid clinics took place in Dinalupihan, Bataan and Barangay Busdi, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon on November 20 and 24, respectively. Atty. Charina P. Ramos, IBP Bataan Chapter President, and Atty. Heinz Guderian Villanueva, IBP Bukidnon Chapter President each led their respective legal aid clinics. Local chapters of the IBP will organize the other eight legal aid clinics with ABA ROLI, which will provide legal counselling services to attendees from various local IP communities in selected IBP chapters throughout the country.

The Bataan Legal Clinic was the first in-person activity for the ACCESS program since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, and the government-imposed restrictions to curb the spread of the virus. As the number of COVID cases continue to decline in the country, and lockdown measures have eased restrictions for in-person events, ABA ROLI and IBP took the opportunity to reach out to vulnerable IP communities in-person.

Atty. Ramos welcomed more than 30 attendees from various cities and municipalities in Bataan, namely City of Balanga, Dinalupihan, Bagac, Orion, Limay, Abucay, Samal, Orani, and Mariveles. Subsequently, four volunteer lawyers and 52 indigenous peoples joined the Bukidnon leg of the caravan.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) attended the activity, represented by Engr. Jones Conception Binwag, who took part in the ‘open forum’ session. Amongst the guests were tribal leader of the Ayta Magbukun Bokal Rosita N. Sison, board member of the Provincial Government of Bataan and chairperson of the Bataan Committee on Indigenous Cultural Communities, who led the prayers; and Mr. Harold R. Espeleta who represented Hon. Maria Angela S. Garcia, Mayor of Dinalupihan, Bataan.

Atty. Paul Maglalang, Governor of IBP Central Luzon, also attended the legal aid clinic and provided legal consultation to attendees. In his message of support, Atty. Maglalang commended the partnership between the IBP Bataan and ABA ROLI. 

After consultations with IP participants, IBP Bataan presented on participants common concerns and discussed recommendations to address their issues immediately. A few specific action plans were also agreed upon, including the preparation of affidavits for birth registrations; support for farm to market sale of produce and use of IBP logo in tarpaulins or signages of IPs in said stalls; and organizing a local dialogue amongst pertinent government agencies to look at the issues regarding ancestral domains titles.

The Bukidnon clinic, on the other hand, included a presentation of video messages from the local government officials of Malaybalay City and updates on COVID-19 developments by the local representative of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. In addition to the consultations, IBP Bukidnon provided free notarial services at the event.

To close the program, COVID kits, which include face masks, face shields and hand-sanitizer, were distributed to the attendees. The second leg of the caravan—the remaining eight of the ten legal aid clinics—will come soon; check back regularly to the ABA ROLI’s official channels for updates.

Learn more about ABA ROLI’s work across Asia & the Pacific.