NCIP: Stop calling IPs 'Lumad' address them according to tribe

By: Nilda T. Delos Reyes

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Oct 28 (PIA) – Engr. George Jocutan, provincial director of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in Basilan called on the public to stop addressing the indigenous people "Lumad".

“Yong paggamit ng salitang 'Lumad' sa ating mga IPs ay hindi po talaga maganda, talagang dini-discourage namin yan. May resolution na ang NCIP para dito na huwag na natin silang tawaging 'Lumad' call them according to their tribe instead,” he said during the Philippine Information Agency regular radio program at DXNO-FM Radyo Komunidad de Isabela, Basilan.

NCIP has approved a resolution on March 02, 2021 denouncing the use of the term “Lumad” to refer to Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples particularly of Mindanao and enjoining the public to address IPs by their respective affiliation or ethnolinguistic group.

The NCIP Commision En Banc Resolution No. 08-009-2021 states that the term “Lumad” is a Cebuano term meaning native. 

“Lumad referring to indigenous peoples of Mindanao was adopted by members of the Lumad Mindanao Peoples Federation (LMPF) on June 26 1986 during its First Congress/Assembly in Kidapawan, Cotabato. “Lumad” was used as it was to them a common language that can identify the ICCs/IPs of Mindanao. 

An ensuing meeting of the LMPF was conducted at the University of San Carlos in Talamban, Cebu to lay down the framework to use the term “Lumad”. From then on, the term gained popularity and was widely used to refer to ICCs/IPs.

Engr. Jocutan said the term “Lumad” is not proper to refer to the indigenous people and the NCIP as government agency responsible for protecting the rights of the indigenous peoples in the whole country has supported the clamor of leaders and members of ICCs/IPs in Mindanao that the term “Lumad” should not be used to refer to them for the reason that the LMPF who adopted the term is not a recognized representative of the ICCs/IPs of Mindanao.

Under the resolution, the decision adopting the term “Lumad” is not representative of the collective sentiments of the entire ICCs/IPs in Mindanao.

Furthermore, NCIP Resolution No. 08-009-2021 states that “Lumad” is not an indigenous term, saying that its emergence and continued use is marred by its association with CPP-NDF and NPA whose ideology is not consistent with the cultures, practices and beliefs of ICCs/IPs.

“Lumad” is similar to or associated with the national minorities as opposed to IPs, thereby diluting the identity of IPs and the continued use of “Lumad” is a misrepresentation and distortion of the true identities and cultures of ICCs/IPs and is equivalent to the non-recognition of their genuine and respective identities and rights as ICCs/IPs; and that the term has no ancestral domain or indigenous territory to speak of and is condescending and derogatory, among others,” the resolution read.

With this, the NCIP enjoined all government offices to refrain from using “Lumad” in official documents and communications. They also appealed to the general public to stop addressing or calling the indigenous people “Lumad”. (NBE/RVC/EDT/NDR/PIA9-Basilan)