Legarda bats for 4K Act to empower indigenous communities

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Loren Legarda is pushing for the institutionalization of the Department of Agriculture’s Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) Program, a nationwide initiative designed to break the cycle of poverty and exclusion among Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) by creating and strengthening farm-to-market linkages. She emphasized that the measure seeks to transform decades of neglect into empowerment by delivering livelihood, dignity, and justice to families living in their ancestral lands.

Legarda filed Senate Bill No. 2258 to establish the 4K program, which adopts a market-driven approach. Unlike traditional initiatives that focus primarily on production, the program begins by identifying market demand and directly links Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities and their agricultural products—including coffee, rice, ube, bananas, corn, and bamboo— with institutional buyers from the private sector, the government, and the civic sector.

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The 4K program provides production and post-harvest machinery, access to credit facilities, crop insurance, and capacity-building interventions such as community organizing, skills training, and enterprise development. It also promotes indigenous farming practices—including intercropping, seed saving, and natural pest management— as part of the country’s broader food security strategy.

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“The 4K Act is a commitment to restore dignity and opportunity to our indigenous peoples. For generations, they have carried the weight of poverty and exclusion despite being the stewards of our land and culture, possessing rich local knowledge in farming. This measure ensures that they gain the tools to prosper in their ancestral domains, strengthen their communities, and pass on their heritage with pride. It is about justice, livelihood, and the rightful place of our indigenous peoples in the nation’s growth story,” Legarda said.

The measure outlines four major components: social protection for vulnerable families; production and livelihood support through farm inputs and machinery; enterprise and marketing assistance to strengthen community enterprises; and gender, culture, and diversity programs to ensure inclusivity.

This bill does not merely establish the program but ensures its long-term effectiveness. Among its key innovations is the creation of the 4K Advisory Council, to be co-chaired by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chairperson of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). The Council shall include the heads or designated representatives of relevant government agencies responsible for program implementation, technical support, production, extension services, fisheries, mechanization, enterprise and organizational development, labor, and social protection.

Legarda emphasized that the program moves away from fragmented interventions toward a convergence approach that respects culture and strengthens indigenous knowledge systems. The bill also mandates national and regional program management offices, a results-based monitoring system, and context-appropriate procurement procedures to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficient implementation.

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“Indigenous peoples must be recognized as vital partners in building a sustainable future. Their knowledge systems, resilience, and stewardship of the environment strengthen our food security and enrich our cultural identity. By institutionalizing the 4K Program, we affirm their role in shaping inclusive growth, acknowledge their contributions to national development, and ensure that progress is measured by the dignity and empowerment of our most marginalized communities,” Legarda said.

Legarda concluded that the proposed 4K Act reflects the same vision she has championed for nearly three decades of public service—advancing culture, protecting heritage, and upholding the rights of indigenous peoples. She said the measure is a long-term investment in communities that have long been overlooked, an investment that secures their future, strengthens food security, and builds a more inclusive and resilient nation.

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