For twenty years, a deep rift split this indigenous community in the Philippines. What started as a territorial dispute in 2000 evolved into an intense conflict over resources, ideologies, and leadership, eventually spiraling into violence, displacement, and the loss of many lives. It also prevented the formation of a unified council needed to secure the tribe’s land rights. With climate change and environmental degradation potentially making scarce resources even scarcer, further escalation seemed almost inevitable. 

But now, two decades later, both sides are taking crucial steps toward reconciliation. 

NCIP and BRIDGE Project help clear a path to peace 

The Talaandig, the smallest indigenous group in the Philippines’ Caraga Region in Mindanao, is a dwindling tribe with fewer than 2,000 families. The conflict forced some to flee deep into the forests, limiting their access to education and basic services mostly available in the lowlands. Many of its youth also struggle to maintain their traditional way of life and cultural identity due to discrimination and limited opportunities for learning and livelihood.  

For years, the tribe tried to settle the dispute, but insufficient resources and the periodic recurrence of violence made it challenging.  

With facilitation from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and support from the European Commission-funded BRIDGE project, members of the Talaandig tribe recently gathered for a peace dialogue. The goal was to bridge the long-standing divide by openly and respectfully talking about misunderstandings and grievances, committing to preventing future conflicts, and (re)uniting in their claim over their shared ancestral domain. This included establishing clear land boundaries and facilitating the creation of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) to strengthen their legal claim. 

This landmark event opened a new chapter for the tribe. “From now on, there will be no more bloodshed,” declared one tribal chieftain. 

“We can’t ignore the hurt this conflict has caused our families and the damage it’s done to our relationships, but I truly believe that, by starting this dialogue today, we can begin to heal,” said another tribal leader. 

The peace dialogue 

While the dialogue itself took place within a day, most participants spent one day traveling to the venue and another day returning home. For some, because they lived in such remote, “last mile” areas, the journey to the venue involved two days of walking barefoot. Yet, for something that had been out of reach for two decades and for which they spent years preparing, it seemed a reasonable price to pay.

The event began with a traditional Talaandig ceremony invoking peace and unity, led by the tribe’s elders. Two datus, or tribal chieftains, from the conflicting parties presented their perspectives, detailing the origins and consequences of the territorial dispute. Elders, women, and youth from both sides shared insights and recounted their genealogy, the conflict’s history, and its impact on their community. 

The group that remained in the original settlement in the lowlands spoke of their community’s milestones, including having two college graduates who are now teachers, and said they hoped these could serve as an inspiration to others and a testament to what the Talaandig can achieve given the opportunity. 

Mediators also played a key role, helping pave the way for a peace agreement by using the appropriate mediation processes. Mediators included the Municipal Tribal Chieftain Datu Raul Minglana, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of San Luis Bae Ederlina Precioso, NCIP Regional Director Ordonio P. Rocero, and NCIP Lawyer Atty. Fritzie Lynne Sumando. BRIDGE project staff, and personnel from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, served as secretariat and witnesses to the dialogue. 

The DepEd teachers also conducted a learner mapping to assess the educational needs of the community, especially in alternative learning systems. 

Talaandig women’s voices 

Women were instrumental in the peace process by documenting the dialogue and providing significant information to complete the tribe’s history. They also lent the discussion a nurturing and caring lens, helping participants see possible ways to heal past wounds. The event underscored the importance of inclusive participation, involving women in reconciliation and decision-making.  

Resolution and future steps 

To close the dialogue, the datus exchanged metal bracelets to symbolize their commitment to peace. They reached a tentative agreement on land boundaries and the establishment of the CADT, and all parties pledged to maintain the peace and prevent future conflicts. They also agreed to support each other’s aspirations for a dignified life by educating their children and ensuring equitable access to their ancestral land’s resources. 

From humanitarian response to peacebuilding 

The dialogue partially illustrates what working within the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus looks like, and how humanitarian and peacebuilding initiatives can build upon each other’s gains. In Mindanao, ACCORD, CARE, and partners implement two projects intentionally designed to complement each other: ACCESS, which addresses urgent humanitarian needs, and BRIDGE, which focuses on peacebuilding. 

Months before the dialogue, a group from the tribe – who had been experiencing chronic violence, threats, and harassment for years – was given food, shelter, WASH (water supply, sanitation, and hygiene promotion), health, and civil registration assistance by the EU Humanitarian Aid-funded ACCESS Project.  Seeing an opportunity to ask for help and give his people a better future, the group’s leader sought the project’s help in organizing a discussion with the other Talaandig groups. Through BRIDGE, the team from ACCORD supported NCIP in setting up the much-needed talk. 

With the NCIP’s partnership with BRIDGE, initial aid from ACCESS, and the Talaandig Tribe’s commitment to peace, cultural preservation, and self-determination, this decades-long conflict may finally be coming to a close. 

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ACCESS is a multi-year, multi-sectoral project funded by the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and implemented by consortium members ACCORD, Action Against Hunger Philippines, CARE Philippines, Community Organizers Multiversity, Humanity & Inclusion Philippines, and Save the Children Philippines. 

The “Civil Society, Women and Youth Promoting Culture of Peace in Mindanao” (BRIDGE) Project is funded by the European Commission and implemented by ACCORD Incorporated, CARE Philippines, Community Organizers Multiversity, and Oxfam Pilipinas