Strengthening indigenous people's land rights and land use

General

This project forms part of CAFOD’s Indigenous People's Land and Livelihoods Programme which aims to support the empowerment of indigenous communities in the Philippines to lead their own development, and improve their quality of life, through increased control and more sustainable management of natural resources within their ancestral lands. The Subanen people who live in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Mindanao, are among the poorest and most marginalized people in the Philippines. Most Subanen communities are located in remote but resource-rich areas, but Subanen people have little, if any, effective representation in decision-making bodies, and many of them are at risk of displacement from their land or exploitation by mining companies. CAFOD have supported Gukom, a council of indigenous elders, representing Subanon communities throughout the Zamboaga Peninsula, in applying for the land rights for their indigenous territories. This project will support 3 communities to undertake land use planning for their ancestral land areas in order to protect and develop their natural resources and improve their quality of life in preparation for receiving their land titles.