ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the current state of indigenous peoples (IP) in the Philippine archipelago by outlining the historical and political origins of ‘IP’ as a population category, contextualizing key aspects of their plight as national minorities and identifying elements that influence how IPs are perceived by mainstream Filipinos. Specific topics addressed include: the etymology of various political terms that have been used for IPs; the major ethnic sub-categories of Indigenous Filipinos (Cordilleran, Lumad, Aeta, Mangyan); Moros as indigenous minorities and the phenomenon of Lumads as second-order minorities; the development of colonial and post-colonial government policies pertaining to IP populations, including the current IPRA laws; the colonial roots of differentiation and the legacy of racial discrimination; patterns of development aggression and land alienation unique to IPs; and the future challenges faced by IPs in the Philippines.
