Philippines

Forest Peoples Programme has been working with partners in the Philippines for over 30 years. Through the Transformative Pathways Project, we are currently helping our partners to improve conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity by supporting the actions and contributions of Indigenous peoples. Our focus is on five key areas: food systems, health and well-being, youth leadership, arts and literature, and policy advocacy. 

Main Activities:

• Supporting communities in their political advocacy efforts at all levels, from the global stage down to local government.
• Developing mapping and community-based biodiversity monitoring methods.
• Supporting our indigenous partner organisations in developing key publications and organising events aimed at preserving and reviving indigenous arts and culture.
• Supporting the revitalisation of traditional indigenous food systems.
• Helping to establish indigenous youth networks, education programmes, and community hubs focused on leadership and capacity building, as well as through intergenerational skills sharing and knowledge transmission.

Current work:

• Transformative Pathways Project, which works to support improved conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity by recognising, supporting, and expanding the actions and contributions of indigenous peoples.
• Indigenous Navigator is a framework and set of tools developed for and by indigenous peoples to systematically monitor the level of recognition and implementation of their rights.

Recent Impacts

Partners for Indigenous Knowledge Philippines was named the 2020 awardee of the Philippine Heritage Awards for their education program, "Keeping Alive the Wisdom of The Cordillera Indigenous Peoples." his project focused on documenting and promoting indigenous knowledge including food systems and heritage recipes, with the aim of contributing to culture-rooted education for indigenous youth.