October is National Indigenous Peoples Month in the Philippines, and Bislig's city council has asked every institution in the city to take part. Resolution No. 2026-797, adopted on October 6, 2026, requests "all institutions in the City of Bislig to observe and participate" in the celebration, which commemorates the enactment of the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act.

It is a good time to look at something many Bisliganon may not know: part of the land inside Bislig's borders is legally recognized as the ancestral domain of the Manobo and Mandaya, and the city government itself has to ask permission to use it.

Where IP Month comes from

The Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act (IPRA), Republic Act No. 8371, was signed on October 29, 1997. It recognizes the rights of indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs) to their ancestral domains, to self-governance and to their cultural integrity.

On October 5, 2009, Proclamation No. 1906 declared October of every year as National Indigenous Peoples Month. An earlier proclamation, No. 486, had already set October 29 as National Indigenous Peoples Thanksgiving Day.

Bislig's Manobo and Mandaya ancestral domain

According to Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 2026-714, adopted on August 25, 2026, the Manobo and Mandaya ICCs/IPs are "the recognized owners of the ancestral domain covered by Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) No. R13-BIS-0408-070," issued under IPRA.

A CADT is the formal title the government issues to recognize an indigenous community's ownership of its ancestral domain. It is held by the community as a whole, not by any single person.

Why the city needed a deed

The City Government of Bislig plans to build a Level II potable water supply system and child care facilities, including a Lingap Center and a Bahay Pag-asa, within the ancestral domain. A Level II system serves a community through shared public faucets rather than individual house connections. A Bahay Pag-asa is a youth care facility for children in conflict with the law, required of local governments under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.

Because the land is ancestral domain, the city could not simply build. The resolution says the Manobo and Mandaya, "through the Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) process, have agreed to allow the City Government of Bislig to use and occupy the necessary portion" for the projects. FPIC is IPRA's requirement that a community give its consent, freely and with full information, before projects proceed on its domain.

Resolution No. 2026-714 then authorized Mayor Florencio C. Garay to sign a Deed of Usufructuary Rights Agreement with the communities. A usufruct lets the city use and benefit from the land without owning it. The resolution describes the land as located within 9,998 hectares "at the boundary of Barangay San Jose and Barangay Tabon," and covers the water system, the child care facilities and "future facilities."

Schools on ancestral land too

The same arrangement has raised questions about schools. On July 21, 2026, the council adopted Resolution No. 2026-603, inviting the DepEd Bislig City Division to a meeting to clarify "Provision No. 5 of the Deed of Usufructuary Rights Agreement with CADT-070 and its possible applicability to Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Schools." The full text of that resolution has not been posted, so the content of Provision No. 5 is not yet public.

A seat in the council

IPRA also requires indigenous peoples to be represented in local legislative councils. In Bislig, that seat is held by Florio S. Josafat, Jr., listed in council records as the Indigenous Peoples Representative, who sits in the Sangguniang Panlungsod as an ex officio member alongside the Liga ng mga Barangay and SK Federation presidents.

Sources: City of Bislig, Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 2026-714 (adopted August 25, 2026) and the published titles of Resolution Nos. 2026-603 and 2026-797, at bislig.gov.ph; Republic Act No. 8371; Proclamation No. 1906, s. 2009 (via Lawphil); Republic Act No. 9344 as amended by Republic Act No. 10630.