Senator Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla vowed on Thursday to uphold the rights of indigenous people (IP) groups in the Philippines.

There are still indigenous peoples who are victims of discrimination and abuse of their ancestral domains - and have yet to gain access to government programs, Padilla said in his opening statement when he chaired the first meeting of the Senate cultural communities and Muslim affairs committee today.

"Kung may dapat unang makinabang sa progreso, sa pag-unlad ng bayan natin, dapat ang mga katutubo ang mga unang makatamasa sapagka’t sila ang nagmamay-ari ng bayang ito. Bago tayo dumating dito, mga multi-cultural, bago tayo naghari dito ay sila po ang nauna dito (If there is anyone who should benefit from our nation's progress, it should be our indigenous peoples because they are owners of our land - they have been here before any other race),” he said.

"Ang pag-aalaga sa ating mga katutubo at sa mga nauna rito sa bansang Inang Bayan Pilipinas, sa mga Muslim, ito po ang tinatawag nating totoong kalayaan (Taking care of our IPs and our Muslims will be the best proof that we are free). Sapagka’t hindi po natin pwedeng sabihin na meron tayong kalayaan dito sa bayan natin kung tayo mismo ay naging mga lokal na mananakop (We cannot say we are free or independent if we play the role of local conquerors)," he added.

Padilla also said his committee would play a major role in ensuring the rights of IPs and Muslims, as this is a symbolism of the nation's freedom.

"Pagka hindi natin ihinaon sa kahirapan ang ating kababayang katutubo at hindi nila tinamasa ang yaman nila sa sarili nilang mga lupa, ibig sabihin noon, wala pong kalayaan dito sa ating Inang Bayan. Naglolokohan lang po tayo (If we do not deliver our IPs from poverty or protect their ancestral land, we cannot say we have freedom - we are just fooling ourselves)," he said.

Also, Padilla said IPs should be the first to benefit from the nation's progress since they have been here before any other race.

Before he was elected as Senador, Padilla advocated for the rights of IP communities.

The lawmaker stressed that IPs have a big role in our national identity - "kung kaya’t nararapat lamang na sila ay bigyan natin ng importansya na kasing-lebel ng iginagawad natin sa iba’t-ibang sektor ng ating lipunan (which is why they should be given importance on the same level as other sectors of society).”

"Bilang kinatawan ng Muslim communities sa Senado, dala ko sa aking mga balikat ang makabuluhang layunin na iangat ang antas ng pamumuhay at tugunan ang mga isyu sa mga polisiyang nakakaapekto ng ating mga kapatid (As the representative of Muslim communities in the Senate, I carry on my shoulders the task of improving the lot of our IP brethren). Makakaasa ang ating kababayan na gagawin natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya upang siguruhing magiging produktibo ang ating komite (

Our people can rest assured I will do my best to make sure our committee's discussions are productive)," he said.