Philippine Church highlights Aeta voices on Indigenous Peoples Sunday

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples will feature Aeta voices during the national Indigenous Peoples Sunday celebration on Oct. 11. The event in Sitio Bacao will include Aytas and Dumagats sharing their experiences, aspirations, and pastoral concerns in a session titled “Listening to the Indigenous Peoples: The Bacao Ayta Experience.”

The gathering aims to highlight threats such as environmental destruction, displacement, the loss of traditional livelihoods, and the erosion of cultural identity. The commission also intends to address risks to ancestral domains and called for stronger protections for indigenous rights. Specifically, the commission requested genuine Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) regarding decisions that affect indigenous communities and their lands.

Bishop Moises Cuevas, head of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples, stated that FPIC has been weakened. He noted that consultations are necessary to answer community questions regarding watersheds, lands, coastal ecosystems, and livelihoods. The commission described indigenous peoples as partners in the mission of the Church and custodians of creation rather than just recipients of pastoral assistance.