Teduray and Lambangian Tribes Secure 117,000-Hectare Ancestral Title After 20 Years
The Teduray and Lambangian indigenous groups in Bangsamoro have been granted a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title covering 117,101 hectares after more than two decades of legal struggle.
Following a petition filed in 2005 and a series of administrative hurdles, the Teduray and Lambangian indigenous communities in the Bangsamoro region were handed a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title for 117,101 hectares spread across 11 parcels in South one outlet, Maguindanao del Sur. The turnover ceremony featured the Tulak Këgëforor ritual and was attended by tribal leaders, local officials and representatives from the Institute for Autonomy and Governance, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and the BARMM Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs.
Timuay Alim Bandara emphasized the title’s importance for younger generations and urged unity to safeguard the land against unauthorized transactions. NCIP Chairperson Nancy Catamco highlighted the role of free, prior and informed consent in protecting self-determination, while MIPA Minister Guiamal Campong called for increased budget allocations to support implementation. South one outlet Mayor Helen Benito-Padua appealed for community solidarity to preserve the newly recognized territory.
Why it matters
It legally secures land rights for thousands of indigenous people and sets a precedent for indigenous self-determination in the Philippines.
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