Estimated at 10 to 20 percent of the 109 million population in Philippines, Indigenous Peoples (IPs) are among the poorest and most marginalized, although they live in regions with vast natural resources. The lack of representation of IPs in official surveys and administrative data prevents an accurate assessment of their living conditions and the socio-economic challenges they face. This silences their voice, obscures state accountability towards them, and limits their agency to take on a more active role in society. The few available data and anecdotal evidence reveal that IPs face important inequalities of opportunity in several human development dimensions, which are likely aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the extent of these inequalities is not well understood, due to scant data and research on IPs. The lack of surveys with information on ethnicity has also made it difficult to examine the type and extent of inequalities among and within ethnic groups in the country, as well as the impact of intersectionality with gender, disability, and place of residence on their inclusion. This represents a significant challenge when creating public policy at the national level or poverty reduction programs at the local level, as IPs remain unnoticed, unaccounted for, and ultimately deprived of their rights and any real benefit.
Therefore, reliable data on IPs is urgently needed, particularly in this COVID-19 era where IPs can be disproportionately disadvantaged due to legacies of inequality and exclusion. Hence, to collect data and inform evidence-based policy/decision making to better target the needs of IPs, the World Bank commissioned this first ever IP-specific household (HH) survey in Philippines to Philippine Survey and Research Center, Inc. (PSRC).
The main objective of this quantitative household survey is to improve the current understanding about the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) population in the Philippines, and eventually, craft strategies when addressing inequality or representation of the group. Specifically, the study aims to:
1. Collect as much data and inform evidence-based policy/decision making to better target the needs of IPs;
2. Gauge a better view/understanding of the IPs’ poverty, socio-economic condition and the exercise of their rights;
3. Add current knowledge into the ongoing World Bank Advisory Services and Analytics on the Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines.