Cultivating Partnerships with Indigenous Communities in Davao City, Southern Philippines

The study analyzes the developments in Catholic church teachings after Vatican II in promoting dialogue with indigenous communities through an examination of documents issued from the Vatican and local Philippine Church. In the light of these, it then aims to examine and analyze the current initiatives of the Josefa Segovia Foundation (JSF) as a faith based organization (FBO) in its efforts to partner with the five indigenous communities of Davao City. The concept of dialogue, various roles of civil society in promoting peace and development and an interdisciplinary ecological perspective was utilized in examining strategies, approaches and innovations in working with indigenous communities. Findings show that JSF views indigenous communities as partners in promoting peace and development in Davao City. They have supported the organization of indigenous leaders, women and youth with their efforts to empower them in accessing services of different government agencies and civil society organizations, by promoting peace and dialogue, education and respect for indigenous culture, and environmental protection.