Lawyer Eugenio Insigne, chairman of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, was elected to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues during the 32nd meeting of the Humanitarian Affairs Segment of the 2008 Substantive Section of the Economic and Social Council.
Insigne, the first Filipino to be elected to the 16-member council of experts on Indigenous Issues and who himself belongs to the Tingguian tribe of Abra, will represent the Asia and Pacific region filling up the seat vacated by China’s representative, Xiaomei Qin, beginning Jan. 9, 2009 up to Dec. 31, 2010.
“This is a triumph not only for the indigenous peoples of the Philippines but also for the indigenous peoples of Asia. I will serve as their voice as I work with the other members of the UN Forum in addressing the various issues that face indigenous peoples today,” Insigne said.
Insigne, who ran against Ambassador Berenado Vunibobo of Fiji, has been actively involved in the indigenous peoples’ struggle for most of his adult life, working with organizations such as director of the Cordillera Tribal Communities Development Foundation Inc., and serving as general counsel of the Binongan Tribal Foundation.
He was also former president of the Tribal Lawyers Assembly of the Philippines and was a member of the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army-Cordillera Bodong Administrative Negotiating Panel in the 1986 Cordillera Talks.
