[STATEMENT] Honoring Indigenous environmental heroes at the forefront of environmental protection

“If we lose our natural resources, we all die.” The late Lumad leader Bai Bibiaon Ligkayan Bigkay once reminded us of this truth: the survival of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and the fate of our planet are the same.

This August 9, on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan reaffirms our solidarity with our guardians of the earth. Even as they bear the heaviest burdens of ecological destruction, state-backed plunder, and violative militarization, they remain steadfast in defending our lands and our rights to them.

As the climate crisis continues to worsen due to corporate greed, Indigenous Peoples remain at the forefront of defending the land, rights, and the environment. As they actively and justly resist projects that displace and threaten their communities, they face severe human rights violations committed by corporations and the state—the very entity tasked with protecting them.  Data from Global Witness [1] shows that the Philippines consistently ranks as the deadliest country in Asia for land and environmental defenders, with Indigenous Peoples accounting for over 40% of all recorded killings despite comprising only about 10% to 15% of the national population. 

Despite intense repression, Indigenous communities continue to mount active, unwavering resistance to defend their ancestral lands and national patrimony. To honor these courageous struggles, the Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan (GBK) celebrates individual and collective defenders who inspire the broader movement for environmental justice. 

Among its most notable Indigenous awardees are Bai Bibyaon Ligkayan Bigkay, a legendary Talaingod Manobo chieftain and GBK Most Distinguished Awardee who led her people in defending the Pantaron Mountain Range against commercial logging and corporate encroachment; Nestor Rotaquio, a community chieftain in General Nakar who stood as a steadfast defender against coastal development projects threatening local sacred caves and ancestral lands; and Marieta Corpuz, a dedicated Dumagat leader who tirelessly campaigned against destructive dam projects and resource extraction across the Sierra Madre range. 

Organizational awardees also exemplify this resistance. The Central Luzon Aeta’s Association (CLAA) mobilized Aeta communities to defend their territories. It spearheaded successful campaigns to rehabilitate lahar-ridden ancestral domains following natural disasters. At the same time, the Sabokahan Unity of Lumad Women unites Indigenous women and youth across Mindanao to fight for self-determination, land defense, and community education. 

Together, their legacy reinforces a vital truth–honoring Indigenous Peoples and upholding their fundamental rights to self-determination is essential to ensuring a sustainable future for all.

GBK calls on Filipinos to stand with the Indigenous Peoples who are at the forefront of environmental defense. Let us step forward in solidarity, support their struggle for self-determination, and amplify their voice as we honor their bravery in protecting the environment.