WHEREAS, Chapter I, Sec. 2 of the R.A. 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA provides that, “The State shall recognize and promote all the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities/ Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) hereunder enumerated within the framework of the Constitution:

WHEREAS the IPRA and NSCB Resolution No. 5 - Series of 2008 defines indigenous peoples as a group of people or homogenous societies identified by self-ascription and ascription by others, who have continuously lived as organized community on communally bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed customs, tradition and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and culture, become historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos.

WHEREAS, a successor plan, the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), 2011-2016 has been formulated to set forth comprehensive policies, strategies and program areas that need to be adopted and implemented in the medium term;

WHEREAS, in support of the PDP, the Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP), 2011-2017 translates the mission of the Philippine Statistical System into programs and activities, among others, to produce statistics for the basic sectors, including indigenous peoples;

WHEREAS, the availability of a comprehensive set of statistics which is disaggregated according to ethnolinguistic group will provide a sound basis for formulating plans and programs aimed at improving the status of indigenous peoples as well as for monitoring the impact of such plans and programs;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that the RSCC enjoin all government agencies to integrate and promote indigenous peoples concerns in the production and dissemination of statistics for planning and policy/decision-making purposes.

Approved this 26th day of July 2012 at Baguio City, Philippines.

CERTIFIED TRUE AND CORRECT:

BENJAMIN Y. NAVARRO
Secretary, RSCC-CAR
(Regional Head, NSCB-CAR)

ATTESTED:

(SGD.) LEONARDO N. QUITOS
Chair, RSCC-CAR
Regional Director, NEDA-CAR