Paper short abstract:

Our presentation discusses how Pala’wan indigenous communities position themselves in relation to various parties (e.g. NGOs, lawyers, government agencies, local authorities, etc.) within highly contested environments and, here especially, within the context of the agribusiness industry.

Paper long abstract:

Our presentation discusses how conversion of land into industrial agriculture is endangering biodiversity, water resources, the quality of topsoil and the livelihood of indigenous peoples, while undermining Palawan local food sovereignty. On the other hand, it analyses how Pala’wan indigenous communities position themselves in relation to various parties (e.g. NGOs, lawyers, government agencies, local authorities, etc.) within highly contested and ‘politicised’ environments and, here especially, within the context of the agribusiness industry. Overall, people’s choices on collective land titling, livelihood strategies and perceptions of risk might vary significantly especially when communities’ cohesion, internal solidarity and reciprocity networks are breaking apart. On the other hand, such choices also depend on whether groups and factions, within the same community, begin to side themselves on opposite paths: i.e. against or ‘pro’ agribusiness firms. At the same time, people’s own standings in relation to ‘corporations’ are also subject to constant rethinking and change of positions, particularly when the affected community has no previous experience in dealing with large-scale enterprises. In addition to this, we wish to determine how and to what extent, the ‘Lion Heart Corporation’ has been able to bypass existing laws and regulations, which – instead - should have ensured sustainable development and environmental conservation on Palawan. To conclude, we propose that also the enactment of progressive environmental and ancestral land laws in the Philippines is still hindered by poor implementation coupled by a dysfunctional judicial system and, overall, by the inability of government agencies to stand by their own mandates.