We stand in solidarity with the Indigenous Ayta communities in the Philippines, whose ancestral lands are threatened by land grabs and a U.S. ammunition factory, and we call on the Philippine government, related agencies, and businesses to stop these actions, withdraw without community consent, and respect Indigenous rights
First published on 09/29/2025, and last updated on 09/30/2025
By ICCA Consortium
The ICCA Consortium expresses our most profound solidarity with the Ayta Abellen Indigenous Peoples of Maporac, Zambales, and the Ayta Magbukon of Kanawan, Bataan, whose ancestral lands, livelihoods, and sacred territories are under imminent threat from land grabs by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines and the establishment of a U.S. ammunition factory.
Both communities are recognized custodians of their ICCAs—territories of life, with state-approved Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles. Their governance and conservation practices have been celebrated nationally and globally, including by the Global Environment Facility and the Philippine government, as models of inclusive and sustainable stewardship of biodiversity.
Still, they face violations of their rights to self-determination, ancestral domains, and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, as enshrined under Philippine law RA 8371, known as the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997, and international obligations, such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
We call on the Government of the Philippines and all other agencies and businesses involved to halt these incursions immediately, withdraw actions taken without the consent of the communities, and respect the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples as guardians of their territories. Any development that disregards these rights is not only unlawful but also an attack on the ecosystems that sustain all life.
We further call on governments, civil society organizations, conservation groups, conservation and development donors, and allies worldwide to join us in supporting the Ayta Abellen and Ayta Magbukon. Their struggle is not theirs alone—it is part of the global defense of Earth’s life-support systems. The courage of these communities in protecting forests, waters, and biodiversity must be matched by our unwavering solidarity.
The ICCA Consortium stands firmly with the Ayta Abellen and Ayta Magbukon in their legal defense and in their call for justice, dignity, and the protection of their ancestral lands. Together, we must ensure that their territories remain places of life, culture, and hope for future generations.
In solidarity,
The ICCA Consortium
