QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES — Under the flagship program of National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Secretary and Chairperson Nancy A. Catamco, the NCIP-National Action Center (NCIP-NAC) was officially launched on June 22, 2026 at the NCIP Conference Room.
The launch marks a paradigm shift from reactive to proactive governance in recognizing, promoting, and protecting the rights and well-being of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) across the country.
The NCIP-NAC is envisioned as a central mechanism to help address fragmented information flows, delayed coordination, and prolonged response times in handling urgent Indigenous Peoples’ concerns nationwide. Moving away from a historically reactive approach, the NAC aims to serve as a centralized “nerve center” that will help coordinate, document, follow through, and support synchronized responses across NCIP offices.
In her message, Secretary Nancy emphasized that the National Action Center (NAC) is being launched as a flagship program under the Office of the Chairperson, and not yet as a formally institutionalized office under the Commission En Banc. She explained that the initiative is currently being introduced as a practical and experimental mechanism to demonstrate the need for a stronger coordinating arm within the agency.
According to Secretary Nancy, the NAC is not intended to function merely as a receiving desk for documents or complaints. Rather, it is envisioned to serve as a bridge between the Office of the Chairperson, the bureau directors, regional offices, and other concerned units to ensure that issues are properly monitored, followed through, and acted upon.
“The Office of the Chairperson wants to be updated on what is happening on the ground. Dapat mayroong nagmo-monitor, mayroong nagfo-follow up, dahil kung wala, walang resulta at walang output na makukuha,” Secretary Nancy said.
“NAC is the front door to bridge what is lacking. This will open the door for the changes we want to see in NCIP. We have a big mandate, but our structure is not enough,” she said.
Secretary Nancy also expressed hope that the National Action Center (NAC) will eventually evolve into a more permanent structure, possibly as a bureau, once its importance, function, and operational value are fully demonstrated.
“My intention is to strengthen and expand NCIP. I hope everyone will evolve, even in mindset. We have to evolve,” she said. “I believe this will bring NCIP closer to the people on the ground.”
She called on NCIP officials and personnel to support the initiative with openness and cooperation, noting that the program’s success will depend on the collective commitment of the agency.
Presenting the rationale and operational overview of the NCIP-NAC, NAC Project Manager Cresente Claver highlighted the role of the center in improving coordination, documentation, and response to ICC/IP concerns nationwide.
Claver said the NCIP-NAC is designed to support proactive public service through an evidence-based framework known as the 6Ps, which will guide the center in managing, verifying, and responding to concerns involving ancestral domains, illegal resource extraction, displacement, discrimination, and other urgent issues affecting Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples.
Driving Proactive Public Service through the 6Ps
Directly under the Office of the Chairperson, the NCIP-NAC will operate through an evidence-based framework known as the 6Ps, designed to manage, verify, and resolve issues ranging from ancestral domain concerns, illegal resource extraction, displacement, discrimination, and other urgent issues affecting ICCs/IPs.
Pagtugon or Response
Delivering critical initial action within 8 to 48 hours from the filing or reporting of a localized grievance.
Pag-alam or Awareness and Database
Establishing a national database to track verified incidents, regional trends, and actual legal resolutions.
Pagsuporta or Support
Preparing technical policy briefs and empirical research directly for the Chairperson and the Commission En Banc.
Pakikipag-ugnayan or Coordination
Operationalizing an active and systematic network with National Government Agencies, Local Government Units, law enforcement, Civil Society Organizations, and other concerned partners.
Pakikilahok or Participation
Ensuring the direct inclusion of traditional IP leaders, elders, and sectoral representatives in incident verification and monitoring.
Pananagutan or Accountability
Strengthening performance indicators, program evaluation, and mandatory quarterly updates to ensure follow-through and measurable results.
United Institutional Support
The launching ceremony also highlighted declarations of support from the agency’s Ethnographic Commissioners representing various geographical domains, including:
Purisimo L. Tiam, Region II
Rhodex
