Hapag Katutubo project launched to boost indigenous development in Tanay, Rizal

In line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s 8-point Socio-economic Agenda and to promote Open Government Partnerships as stipulated in Executive Order No. 31, s. 2023, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), in collaboration with the Local Government of Tanay, Rizal, launched the “Hapag Katutubo Project” on July 16, 2024, at the Brgy. Laiban Multi-Purpose Covered Court in Tanay, Rizal.

Anchored in the principles of inclusive development, the project, themed “Katutubo, Katuwang sa Pag-unlad para sa Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas,” aims to realize and institutionalize the convergence of various stakeholders, including national government agencies (NGAs), civil society organizations (CSOs), academia, and private institutions. The project's goal is to holistically support Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples by enhancing their agricultural productivity and creating sustainable opportunities for income generation and self-sufficiency.

The project was conceptualized through the dedication and passion of Legal Affairs Office (LAO) Director Atty. Brain S. Masweng and Mr. Michael G. Bugnosen, with support from NCIP Chairperson Jennifer Pia Sibug-Las, Executive Director Mervyn H. Espadero, and DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs, Usec. Felicito Valmocina.

Key officials present during the event included DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr.; DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs, Usec. Felicito Valmocina; DILG Assistant Secretary for Community Participation, Asec. Elizabeth N. Lopez De Leon; Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Fatima Aliah Q. Dimaporo; Tanay Mayor Hon. Rafael Tanjuatco; Tanay Vice Mayor Hon. Rex Manuel Tanjuatco; and Barangay Laiban Chairman Hon. Antonio A. Estrellado.

Leading the NCIP were Chairperson Jennifer Pia Sibug-Las and Executive Director Mervyn H. Espadero, along with representatives from the NCIP Region IV-A Office and various NCIP Bureau Offices, including the Office on Empowerment and Human Rights (OEHR), Office on Policy, Planning, and Research (OPPR), Administrative Service (AS), Finance Service (FS), Office on Education, Culture, and Health (OECH), Office on Socio-Economic Services and Special Concerns (OSESSC), Ancestral Domains Office (ADO), Legal Affairs Office (LAO), Foreign Assisted Programs and International Relations Office (FAPIRO), and Internal Audit Service (IAS).

The event was made possible and hosted by the Local Government of Tanay, Rizal, and the NCIP Regional Office - IVA (NCIP Calabarzon), headed by Director Dr. Carlos P. Buasen, Jr.