Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President 
Republic of the Philippines 
Malacanang Palace 
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel 
Manila 1005 PHILIPPINES 
Fax: +63 2 736 1010 
E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph 
 
Atty. Eugenio A. Insigne, Chairman  
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) 
2nd Floor N. dela Merced Building, 
Cor. West and Quezon Avenues, 
Quezon City, Metro Manila, PHILIPPINES 

Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines say:

“Help us Protect our Lands, Homes, and Rivers” 

Map by Julien KatchinoffAmong remote Indigenous communities in the modern world, Didipio is a success story, both for what the people have made of their land and community and for the

There is still a chance to stop the Didipio mine before operations begin and the worst environmental effects are felt. Before mine waste can flood their valley, the Didipio Earth Savers Association wants to generate a flood of international letters to convince the government to recognize their rights and stop the mine.

In August, during the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s (CERD) 75th Session, Colombia, Peru, and the Philippines were among the states that were reviewed for their adherence to and implementation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. CERD raised many concerns about ongoing discrimination against Indigenous Peoples and made concrete recommendations on how the three states can improve their record in its Concluding Observations.

On March 15, the United Nations General Assembly voted 170–4 to create a new Human Rights Council, effectively dissolving the oft-criticized Commission on Human Rights. Candidates for the Council will need to be elected by an absolute majority of 96 votes in order to secure a position, and once elected members can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.