LocationsUNDP Philippines marks Cultural Communities Week with ancestral domain planning initiative
July 6, 2026
Indigenous leaders from Tagakaulo and Blaan in Malita, Davao Occidental attend the I-LEAD Implementation Phase launch in May 2026
MANILA, Philippines – In celebration of Cultural Communities Week this July, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) in the Philippines are proud to highlight the ongoing implementation of a planning initiative aimed at improving the management of four ancestral domains in Mindanao.
Launched in May this year, the $4.5-million, New Zealand government-funded Indigenous Women and Girls-Leadership and Empowerment in Ancestral Domains (I-LEAD) project covers theancestral domains of the Ata in Davao City; Tagakaulo and Blaan in Malita, Davao Occidental; Obo Monuvu in Magpet, Cotabato; and Tboli and Manobo in Sarangani. I-LEAD works to enhance the leadership capacities of 1,600 indigenous women and girls in these areas through interventions that target barriers to their participation in governance and economic activities.
I-LEAD was developed through consultations with indigenous communities, which identified persistent barriers to participation, access to resources, and institutional support. These insights shaped the project’s focus on strengthening indigenous women’s leadership, ensuring gender-responsive economic opportunities, and reinforcing governance systems that uphold ancestral domain rights.
With the theme “Katutubo, Kasaysayan, Kaunlaran (Indigenous Peoples, History, Development),” this year’s observance of Cultural Communities Week resonates with I-LEAD's objectives of supporting indigenous rights; valuing indigenous knowledge and heritage; and fostering empowerment and sustainable progress.
Supporting indigenous peoples in developing their own plans
A key strategy of I-LEAD is strengthening indigenous governance and planning processes to ensure that women and girls have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their ancestral domains. By supporting community-led planning, the project aims to help indigenous communities identify their development priorities and investment opportunities, and access resources needed to pursue their aspirations.
To help translate these priorities into concrete actions and investments, I-LEAD will support partner Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) in preparing theirCommunity Resource Management Development Plans (CRMDPs), with technical assistance from NCIP.
CRMDPs are developed by ICCs/IPs themselves and serve as comprehensive guides on how they can sustainably manage, protect, and develop their ancestral domains and natural resources. Through NCIP’s guidance and technical support, ICCs/IPs identify community priorities, strategies, and proposed programs, projects, and activities that promote environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, and socio-economic development. CRMDPs also provide guidance on the management of benefits derived from resource use, including royalties where applicable, and strengthen the implementation of the broader Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP).
While CRMDPs have not yet been fully integrated into local government processes, the project aims to incorporate them into the annual investment plans of local government units (LGUs) to help secure funding for priority programs, projects, and activities identified by ICCs/IPs within their ancestral domains.
Women and girls at the forefront
Obo Monuvu ICCs/IPs in Tico, Magpet, North Cotabato
A key feature of the CRMDPs that I-LEAD helps develop is that they are both gender-responsive and investment-ready. This means that the plans will be created through a process that emphasizes meaningful participation of women and girls in governance and economic spaces. Being investment-ready also means that community priorities are translated into clearly defined programs and projects that can be considered for financing by LGUs, government agencies, development partners, and private investors.
A blueprint for investment in ancestral domains
As investment-ready plans, CRMDPs can serve as blueprints for channeling resources toward community priorities while remaining aligned with ADSDPPs and broader local and nationaldevelopment frameworks. They promote nature-positive economic development while supporting ecological protection and restoration.
For example, CRMDPs’ emphasis on biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and equitable benefit sharing aligns with the objectives of the Indigenous Peoples Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan which outlines indigenous peoples’ roles in protecting nature.
Through these plans, I-LEAD will support indigenous women-led enterprises and community economic initiatives that align with ancestral domain priorities—strengthening food security, local value chains, and economic self-reliance. These efforts aim to reduce vulnerability; increase community resilience to economic and environmental shocks; and ensure that economic growth does not come at the expense of cultural integrity or environmental sustainability.
Sustainability beyond the life of the project
While the project is set to conclude by 2030, it is working to put in place mechanisms that will guarantee continued implementation beyond its completion.
By integrating CRMDPs into local planning and budgeting processes, I-LEAD seeks to ensure that indigenous priorities continue to receive support even after project funding ends. The project will also work toward strengthening national and local institutions for enhanced gender- and human rights-responsive policy and institutional support for indigenous women and girls.
Aside from strengthened systems and institutions, I-LEAD’s sustainability also depends on the efforts of stakeholders to promote indigenous rights and stewardship. These will ensure that investments made today translate to lasting benefits for ICCs/IPs.
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I-LEAD (Indigenous Women and Girls – Leadership and Empowerment in Ancestral Domains) is a five-year, USD 4.5-million project launched in May 2026 and funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Implemented by UNDP Philippines in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, the project works with Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) in Regions XI and XII in Mindanao to help indigenous women and girls strengthen their leadership, take part in decision-making, and access better economic opportunities and essential services. The project supports ICCs/IPs, local partners, and government agencies in creating more inclusive opportunities while respecting indigenous rights, cultures, and traditions.
