IP situationer before IPRA

Pre Spanish Colonization

Philippines then was a Primitive Communal Society. There was no division between the Highlanders
and the Lowlanders. Natives from both the highlands and lowlands live harmoniously with each
other. Both trade goods that are indigenous in their area. Highlanders trade metallic materials like
gold to the lowlanders, who in turn trade goods that are native to their area like; salt and other
spices.

Both the highlanders and lowlanders have almost the same customs and practices. Both practice
almost the same observance in practicing their customs from their marital to their burial practice.
The lowlanders, which will be explained later, however lost their original/traditional practice due to
the adverse effects of colonization.

Both highlanders and lowlanders share almost the same type of clothing. Lowlanders during the pre-
Spanish Colonization also wear g-strings. It will be shocking to many but a clear manifestation of this
is the historic story of our first hero in the person of Lapu-lapu of Mactan. Lapu-lapu was described
by our history books as a native who wore a g-string and wielded a bolo who rallied his men clothed
also in their g-strings against Maggelan at the shores of Mactan.

Both highlanders and lowlanders also share almost the same political practice. Lowlanders back
then, like here in the highlands, also practice mediation and consensus building in resolving conflicts
between tribes. The similarities of the two also extends to some our languages being used today.
Notice a bit of similarities of some of the words of the Ibalois and Pangasinenses.

Native back also value land not as a commodity but their source of life. That is why land ownership
back then including all natural resources like rivers, trees, animals and mineral within bowels of the
earth, are owned communally by the community.

Also, it is worth noting that vast possession of land is determined through tillage. That is why, during
the Pre-Spanish Colonization, if you possess vast parcels of land it would only mean that you’re very
working. Vast land possession is predicated by being industrious. Back then, your possession of land
and boundaries are determined on how wide you till it.

Spanish Colonization

All of the mentioned similarities between the Highlanders and the Lowlanders drastically changed
when the Spaniards docketed our shores. The first recorded resistance launched against the Spanish
Colonizers was the one waged by Lapu-lapu. Lapu-lapu may have won the battle but he lost the war
because Spain was able the enter in the succeeding Spanish expeditions.

Through the use of the infamous “sword and the cross” (force and religion), the Spanish Colonizers
entered then Philippines.

They used the sword to force the lowlanders into submission to their will. Gradually, the lowlanders
indeed submitted. In effect, they lost most of their customary and traditional practices during the
more than 300 year occupation of the Spaniards. A clear illustration of this can be seen in the
festivals being conducted in the lowlands, practices like Santa Cruzan, Reyna Elena to their courtship
practice of Harana are all Spanish influenced.

Also, through the use of the sword, the Spain was able to introduced their feudalistic type of laws
and governance. One significant feudalistic law which they introduced to us was the infamous “Jura
Regalia” or the Regalian Doctrine. Said law basically imposed that all lands in the Philippines belongs
to the King of Spain. The King of Spain back then was Philip thus the name Philippines.

The traditional concept of communal ownership of the lowlanders was scraped upon the imposition
of the Regalian Doctrine. An because the King claims ownership over the lands, it is the King who has
the right to dispose the same. Our claims of ownership over our ancestral lands via tillage and years
of possession were dishonored. It is at this time when the concept of paper titles was introduced.
Basically the imposition of the Regalian Doctrine made the natives of the Philippines squatters over
their ancestral lands.

From Primitive Communal, the Philippines became Feudalistic society. This is clearly illustrated
where natives were not allowed to run for office. The introduction of the Hacienda system was
imposed against us especially to our lowland brothers. A more feudal division of class was impressed
against. Natives were reduced to the different kinds of Alipins.

Natives that were able to achieve education and embrace the Christian religion were classified as
illustrados and below them are the Indios.

These type of Feudalistic type of society went on for more than 3 centuries. A while these were
happening; the Highlanders were fighting their battles against the Spanish Colonizers wanting to
penetrate Cordillera. By the way, Cordillera is a Spanish term which translates Mountain Ranges.

The term Igorot is also rooted in the Spanish term Y-Golotes which means “people from the
mountains” or Highlanders.

Through the use of Cross or Religion, our Spanish Colonizers employed the divide and rule approach
in order to shatter the strong ties among the highlanders and lowlanders. They forced the
lowlanders to embrace Christianity as their religion and instilled deep within their consciousness that
those who does not accept Christianity are pagans, uncivilized and devil worshipers.

And indeed, through this approached the, highlanders who resisted being conquered by the Spanish
Colonizers of more than 3 centuries thus did not embrace Christianity, were vilified as pagans,
uncivilized and devil worshipers. That is why the cultural discrimination being felt today by the IPs is
rooted deep within their spirit of gallantry to defend their ancestral lands away from invaders.

American Colonization

Through the Treaty of Paris of 1898, the Regalian Doctrine was adopted by the next colonial master
– the United States of America – with the same motive as its predecessor. The American regime
passed law after law that legally grabbed vast lands and resources within its newly-acquired
Philippine colony. We can clearly see that most basic laws on land and resources were never neutral.
Instead, they were enacted to further the basic socio-economic interests of the colonial rulers.
The US colonizers imposed their own concepts of land usage and ownership system to combine with
the Spanish colonial land system. Under the Torrens System, land ownership was proven only
through a piece of paper called the Torrens Title or its derivative. Lands not covered by such paper
titles were automatically deemed part of the public domain, hence, owned by the state.
This colonial land system continued even after the so-called Philippine “independence” from the
USA. All the succeeding Philippine Constitutions – the 1935, 1973, and 1987 contained the Regalian
Doctrine.
Notice in the City of Baguio, most of their streets, parks and buildings were named after an American
name, a clear evidence of our colonial past.
It is worth noting that it is only the American who have managed to penetrate the Cordilleras. They
have learned from the 3 centuries of experience of Spain. They used an assimilation approach in
courting the Highlanders which the latter submitted in to. A clear manifestation of this is the religion
introduced by the Americans. The western Christianity dubbed as Anglican adopted to the
traditional beliefs of highlanders and did not forced the highlanders to embrace the westerner’s
religion. Anglican adopted and recognized Cordilleran customs from the traditional burials using
caves as tombs to the traditional baptism.
Our love for country music, cowboy boots and Levi’s jeans is rooted on the approached done by the
Americans which led our ancestors opening their doors to our western colonizers.
Problems that sprouted
IPs in the Cordillera resisting to the encroachment, a prudent and just gesture of gallantry for the
protection and defense of their ancestral lands, were met with different problems. Unfortunate it
may seem, IPs in the Cordillera are victims of their own victories and successes. Problems that have
sprouted were the following:
1. Non recognition of ancestral lands through the feudalistic policies particularly; the Regalian
Doctrine;
2. Cultural and Racial discrimination;
3. Marginalization and underrepresentation of IPs in the mainstream legislative institutions;
4. IPs right to self-determination not recognized; and many more.
Passage of IPRA
To correct these centuries old of problem bestowed upon the ever dauntless spirits of the
Cordillerans, the landmark legislation dubbed as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act or IPRA was
ratified. IPRA envisioned the nation’s IPs will be at par with the mainstream society.
Said legal document imparted the IPs with the four bundle of right namely:
1. Rights to ancestral domain;
2. Right to self governance and empowerment;
3. Rights to social justice and Human rights; and
4. Right to Cultural Integrity