Source: FB (Altermidya)

Indigenous people from the Cordillera protest at the House of Representatives against corruption and development aggression on their ancestral lands

Indigenous people from various provinces of the Cordillera staged a protest on the morning of November 25, to condemn widespread government corruption and destructive dam, mining, and logging projects in their communities.

Also commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW), the group was led by indigenous women.

According to Jillian Basan, an indigenous Isnag from Kabugao, Apayao, women are the first to be affected by destructive projects in their communities, which is why they are also at the forefront of the fight to protect them.

After their protest, they launched the One Billion Rising dance against the abuse of women. Several indigenous women leaders entered the National Assembly to lobby their campaigns to stop destructive mining and logging in the Cordillera region and to oppose the privatization of the Baguio Public Market.

Report by Adrian Puse/Altermidya