Senator Robinhood “Robin” Padilla has taken a prominent stand for indigenous rights after families in Sitio Marihangin, Balabac, Palawan reported threats of eviction and displacement from their ancestral homes. Padilla, who chairs the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs, said the testimonies lawmakers heard during a public hearing should shape how government and legislators protect ancestral lands. “The goal of this hearing is to seek truth, justice, and peace — not only for the residents of Sitio Marihangin and the Molbog Indigenous community, but for the Filipino people as a whole,” he said, signaling his wider concern for fairness and stability.
Padilla urged national and local authorities to uphold laws that safeguard indigenous peoples and cultural communities, emphasizing existing legal protections while listening to those most affected. Residents in Sitio Marihangin told the Senate panel they face eviction notices tied to competing land claims, and some have lived on the land for decades. “The testimonies we heard should be the basis for laws that show genuine care and protection for the rights of indigenous peoples and Muslim communities,” Padilla said, emphasizing the need for laws that match those goals.
Indigenous leaders and advocates have long pointed to delays in issuing Certificates of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) and challenges in applying the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997, a law meant to recognize and protect the rights and heritage of indigenous groups. Padilla’s hearing drew attention to these issues as residents told lawmakers their lands and way of life are at risk.
Padilla said lawmakers should pursue legislative reforms and oversight that give teeth to protections already on the books. He called for policies that prevent unlawful displacement and ensure that decisions affecting ancestral domains involve the voices of indigenous peoples themselves. His remarks reflected a broader push in government to address long-standing disputes over land rights, culture, and fair treatment across the country.
The senator’s engagement in Palawan is part of his committee’s work to strengthen enforcement of indigenous protections and to address concerns raised by communities that feel left behind by slow bureaucratic processes. Padilla said government actions should match the Constitutional mandate to respect and promote the rights of indigenous cultural communities, leaving no room for confusion or neglect.
