Richelle Diane P. Cla os, M.Ed.
◼HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH AND POLICY REFORM PROGRAM
Beyond Policy,
Towa d Kinship
Re hinking Indigeniza ion in
Philippine Highe Educa ion
Discussion Pape Se ies 2025-39
Richelle Diane P. Cla os, M.Ed.
◼HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH AND POLICY REFORM PROGRAM
Beyond Policy,
Towa d Kinship
Re hinking Indigeniza ion in
Philippine Highe Educa ion
UP CIDS Discussion Pape Se ies
is published by he
Uni e si y o he Philippines
Cen e o In eg a i e and De elopmen S udies
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Copy igh 2025 by he
UP Cen e o In eg a i e and De elopmen S udies.
The iews and opinions exp essed in his discussion pape a e hose o he au ho /s and
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o In eg a i e and De elopmen S udies. No copies can be made in pa o in whole
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ISSN 2619-7448 (P in )
ISSN 2619-7456 (Online)
Co e image c edi
"Alab"
A olun ee eache sa wi h he Sama Bajao you h a ound a glowing bon i e in Cebu, he Philippines. Thei aces so ened
by wa m h and quie ligh , he ci cle became a space whe e ime slowed. S o ies ose and se led like embe s, each one a
b idge connec ing hem o hei ances y, o he sea ha shapes hei li es, and o he memo y o hose who came be o e
hem. Ac oss many Indigenous Peoples, s o y elling is a way o ca ying iden i y, his o y, and ways o li ing in ha mony
wi h land, wa e , and communi y. S o ies do no simply ell. They oo , hey guide, and hey emind. This momen shows
ha educa ion becomes meaning ul when i hono s he wisdom al eady held by communi ies. He e, lea ning g ows om
ela ionship, p esence, and ca e.
Sa alab ng samahan, sumisibol ang mga inig na ma agal nang nananahimik. Ang unay na edukasyon ay yaong kumikilala
a nagbibigay-daan sa boses ng mga Ka u ubo, upang ang kanilang kaalaman, kul u a, a ka anasan ay maging anglaw sa
loob a labas ng akademya.
(Cla os, Richelle Diane P. Field no es, Alcan a a, Cebu, No embe 5, 2024.)
DISCUSSION PAPER SERIESUP CIDS 2025-39
cids.up.edu.ph
Table o Con en s
2 Abs ac
2 Key Takeaways
3 In oduc ion
3 The Policy Landscape and he Ques ion o P esence
3 The Need o a Rela ional App oach o Indigeniza ion
5 S a emen o he A gumen and Resea ch Ques ions
5 Re iew o Rela ed Li e a u e
5 Rela ional Founda ions o Knowing
6 Global Con e sa ions on Indigenizing he Academy
7 Philippine Schola ship and Policy Landscapes
8 Me hodology and F amewo k
8 Resea ch O ien a ion: Lea ning as Rela ionship
8 Resea ch Se ing and Pa icipan s
9 Ga he ing Knowledge: Con e sa ions, Re lec ion, and Co-
In e p e a ion
10 The Re amed Fou -Dimension F amewo k
11 E hical Conside a ions and Re lexi i y
12 Limi a ions and Rela ional Bounda ies
13 Findings
13 T acing he Cu en s o Indigeniza ion
13 Ways o Teaching and Sha ing Knowledge
14 S o ies and Lea ning Pa hways
14 Languages o Belonging
15 Nu u ing Educa o s’ Cul u al G ounding
16 In e lacing Lea ning, Cul u e, and Belonging
16 Discussion and A gumen a ion
16 Reclaiming Educa ion as Rela ionship
17 F om Policy F amewo ks o Rela ional P axis
17 Decolonizing Knowledge Sys ems
18 Re hinking Indigeniza ion in Non-Ances al Con ex s
18 The E hical Dimension o Indigeniza ion
19 Towa d a Rela ional Pa adigm o Highe Educa ion
19 Conclusion
20 Indigeniza ion as a Rela ional E hic
21 Rein e p e ing Policy Th ough Rela ionship
21 Decolonizing Lea ning in Non-Ances al Con ex s
21 Reclaiming he Educa o ’s Role
22 Con inuing he Jou ney
23 Policy Recommenda ions
23 S eng hening Ins i u ional Suppo o Indigeniza ion
23 Facul y De elopmen and Cul u al Fo ma ion
24 Enhancing Policy Cohe ence and Collabo a ion
25 P omo ing Mul ilingual and Cul u ally Responsi e Educa ion
25 Deepening Communi y Pa ne ships
26 Sus aining Indigeniza ion Beyond he S udy
26 Concluding No e on Policy In eg a ion
27 Re e ences
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BEYOND POLICY,
TOWARD KINSHIP
Re hinking Indigeniza ion in
Philippine Highe Educa ion
Richelle Diane P. Cla os, M.Ed.1
1 She is a Doc o o Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Indigenous S udies s uden a he Uni e si y o he
Philippines Baguio. She ounded Lakbay-A al Wo k o ce o Indigenous G oups (LAWIG)
PH Inc., a communi y- oo ed ini ia i e ha upli s Indigenous and coas al peoples h ough
cul u e-g ounded lea ning, collec i e empowe men , and ela ional leade ship.
1
© CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Cebu’s eache s exempli y his shi . They ans o m hei class ooms in o
ce emonial g ounds, ansla ing legal manda es in o ges u es o ca e—
h ough s o y elling, mul ilingual dialogue, and e lec ion. Th ough hese
ac s, Indigeniza ion mo es om he ealm o compliance o ha o co enan .
The li e a u e hus si ua es his s udy wi hin a con inuum o hough ha
ea s educa ion as a ce emony and policy as a ela ionship.
METHODOLOGY AND FRAMEWORK
Resea ch O ien a ion: Lea ning as Rela ionship
This s udy upholds ela ional accoun abili y. As Wilson (2008) eaches,
esea ch is o “ ul il a se o ela ionships.” The esea che does no s and
apa om he inqui y bu mo es wi hin i — esponsible o he people,
s o ies, and places ha make knowledge possible. Simila ly, Chilisa (2012)
desc ibes Indigenous me hodologies as hose ha “speak o he communi y’s
hea bea ,” a i ming ha esea ch is no da a ex ac ion bu he es o a ion
o ha mony.
Guided by hese eachings, he p esen inqui y app oached Indigeniza ion
as a li ing con e sa ion be ween educa o s, ins i u ions, and he mig an
Indigenous communi ies dwelling wi hin Cebu’s u ban landscape. The
goal was ne e o e alua e compliance, bu o lis en o ela ionship: How
do educa o s ansla e law in o ca e? How do class ooms become si es o
ecip oci y? The esea ch i sel became a ce emony o lis ening—an ac
o si ing wi h educa o s in humili y, lea ning om he cu en s o hei
expe iences, and allowing meaning o eme ge h ough dialogue.
Rela ional accoun abili y demanded e lexi i y a e e y s ep. The esea che
en e ed each con e sa ion conscious o he own posi ionali y as a
Cebuana schola wo king alongside ellow eache s, and mind ul ha he
in e p e a ions ca y e hical obliga ions. People do no own he knowledge
sha ed he e; hey hold i in us and o e i back o he communi ies and
ins i u ions ha inspi ed i .
Resea ch Se ing and Pa icipan s
Cebu—long celeb a ed as a c oss oads o mig a ion—se ed as he ela ional
g ound o his s udy. Al hough i holds no o mally ecognized ances al
domain, i shel e s communi ies whose oo s each ac oss he seas: he Sama
8
Bajau o Ba angay Mambaling and he A i o he Ci y o Naga. Thei s o ies o
mo emen and endu ance emind us ha indigenei y is no ixed o soil bu
ca ied h ough kinship and p ac ice.
Pa icipan s we e olun ee educa o s, adminis a o s, and s uden s om
se e al HEIs who had engaged in p og ams ela ed o cul u al inclusion and
Indigenous educa ion. Each pa icipan en e ed he s udy h ough in i a ion
a he han ec ui men , embodying Chilisa’s p inciple o Ubun u esea ch—
“I am because we a e.” They we e no esponden s bu ela ional pa ne s,
co-c ea ing unde s anding h ough con e sa ion.
E e y encoun e un olded in he language mos na u al o he pa icipan —
Cebuano, Filipino, o English—a i ming linguis ic digni y as pa o e hical
me hod. In o med consen was ea ed no as a o m o be signed, bu as
an ongoing dialogue o us . Pa icipan s could wi hd aw o e isi any
s a emen ; hei wo ds we e e i ied and e u ned o con i ma ion. This
i e a i e consen hono ed Wilson’s insis ence ha Indigenous esea ch
es ablishes alidi y h ough ela ional con inui y a he han s a is ical
eliabili y.
Ga he ing Knowledge: Con e sa ions, Re lec ion, and
Co-In e p e a ion
The s udy ga he ed knowledge h ough semi-s uc u ed dialogues, g oup
e lec ions, and documen e iew. Ra he han igid in e iews, hese we e
con e sa ional encoun e s guided by sha ed cu iosi y. Educa o s spoke o hei
expe iences in eg a ing Indigenous pe spec i es in o cu icula, ecoun ing
bo h possibili ies and ensions. Some na a ed class oom p ac ices—s o y
ci cles, mul ilingual ac i i ies, communi y isi s—while o he s e lec ed on
ins i u ional policies ha ei he nu u ed o cons ained hei e o s.
Engaging wi h ins i u ional epo s, cu iculum guides, and CHED di ec i es
alongside educa o s’ s o ies illumina ed con e gences be ween policy and
li ed p ac ice. Each con e sa ion was ollowed by e lec i e jou naling,
allowing he esea che o eco d emo ional esonances and con ex ual
meanings. Consis en wi h Chilisa’s (2012) no ion o pa icipa o y alidi y,
in e p e a ions we e e u ned o pa icipan s o a i ma ion—ensu ing ha
he knowledge eme ging om hese dialogues emained hei s as much as
he esea che ’s.
9
This ela ional me hod ans o med he da a-ga he ing phase in o a
communal p ocess o sensemaking. Pa icipan s and collabo a o s did no
ex ac knowledge; hey de eloped i oge he as pa o a sha ed p ocess.
The Re amed Fou -Dimension F amewo k
To wea e cohe ence om hese ela ionships, he s udy adap ed and localized
King and Schielmann’s (2004) pa ame e s o Indigenous educa ion in o wha
i calls a Re amed Fou -Dimension F amewo k. This amewo k does no
p esc ibe a model; i o e s a cons ella ion o guiding ela ionships h ough
which obse e s can examine eaching and lea ning. Each dimension
ep esen s a commi men —an e hical pa hway h ough which Indigeniza ion
is li ed and p ac iced.
The i s dimension, Ways o Teaching and Sha ing Knowledge,
emphasizes collabo a i e and dialogical lea ning spaces whe e espec
and in e dependence eplace hie a chy. Teaching becomes a con e sa ion
a he han a pe o mance, echoing Wilson’s call o “knowledge h ough
ela ionship.” The second dimension, S o ies and Lea ning Pa hways,
acknowledges s o y elling as an epis emic ac . Na a i es ca y memo y and
mo al eaching, connec ing academic con en o li ed expe ience. Educa o s
in Cebu used mig a ion ales and local his o ies o b ing policy o li e,
ans o ming abs ac manda es in o human s o ies.
The hi d dimension, Languages o Belonging, ecognizes ha language is
no me ely a medium, bu a home. When eache s al e na e among Cebuano,
Filipino, English, and occasionally Sinama o A i, hey enac wha Chilisa
calls “linguis ic hospi ali y,” a i ming iden i y, inclusion, and he digni y o
mul ilingual exp ession.
The ou h dimension, Nu u ing Educa o s’ Cul u al G ounding,
unde sco es he necessi y o sel -awa eness. Teache s mus know who hey
a e and whe e hey s and. Cul u al g ounding ans o ms Indigeniza ion
om a echnical e o m in o a o m o spi i ual accoun abili y, eminding
educa o s ha au hen ici y begins wi h sel -knowledge.
The igu e below illus a es hese ou dimensions as in e connec ed
ela ionships a he han sepa a e ca ego ies.
10
◼Figu e 1. Re amed Fou -Dimension F amewo k o Rela ional Indigeniza ion
These dimensions wo k oge he o o m a ela ional map a he han
a checklis , and hey p o ide a amewo k o humili y ha sus ains
Indigeniza ion h ough connec ion and ecip oci y. This guide does no
emain s a ic o ollow a ixed sequence; i e ol es h ough ela ionships
among educa o s, lea ne s, and communi ies. By g ounding p ac ice in
mu ual ca e and espec , his amewo k a i ms ha genuine Indigeniza ion
lou ishes when educa ion becomes an ac o belonging a he han
compliance.
E hical Conside a ions and Re lexi i y
E hics in Indigenous esea ch a e g ounded no in p ocedu al clea ance,
bu in he quali y o ela ionships buil h oughou he inqui y. The s udy
applied he p inciples o espec , ecip oci y, and esponsibili y o ensu e
ha pa icipan s se ed as co-c ea o s o knowledge a he han subjec s
o s udy. E e y s age o he p ocess, om design o in e p e a ion, was
app oached wi h ca e o emo ional sa e y, cul u al con ex , and he hy hms
o us ha allow s o ies o be sha ed au hen ically.
11
Re lexi i y se ed as a mo al compass. Th ough con inuous jou naling and
dialogue, he esea che examined how he own posi ion as a Cebuana
schola and educa o shaped wha she could hea and how she in e p e ed
meaning. Awa eness o posi ionali y was no an admission o bias bu
a ecogni ion o accoun abili y. In Wilson’s (2008) wo ds, “objec i i y is
eplaced by ela ional esponsibili y.” The c edibili y o his s udy es s on
he since i y o hose ela ionships, on he abili y o lis en wi h humili y and
o e u n knowledge in ways ha sus ain a he han consume. E hical igo ,
in his sense, was exp essed h ough p esence. I mean being a en i e,
pa ien , and answe able o he ela ionships ha ga e ise o he esea ch
i sel .
Limi a ions and Rela ional Bounda ies
E e y ela ionship has i s limi s, and his s udy is no excep ion. The inqui y
engaged a modes numbe o pa icipan s om selec highe educa ion
ins i u ions in Cebu. While hei na a i es we e ich and insigh ul, hey do
no ep esen he ull ange o expe iences ac oss he p o ince’s academic
landscape. The indings should he e o e be iewed as con ex ual a he
han comp ehensi e, o e ing an in e p e i e window in o how educa o s
expe ience and p ac ice Indigeniza ion wi hin hei own ins i u ional
en i onmen s.
The s udy ocused p ima ily on educa o s' pe spec i es. Di ec collabo a ion
wi h he Sama Bajau and A i communi ies was limi ed o espec ul
consul a i e exchanges wi hin exis ing ins i u ional bounda ies. The
e lec ions o pa icipa ing educa o s acknowledged hei oices. Howe e ,
u u e esea ch should aim o include hese communi ies mo e di ec ly in
he dialogue o ensu e a ulle unde s anding o ela ional Indigeniza ion.
Time and esou ce cons ain s also limi ed he ex en o ield engagemen .
The limi a ions o bu eauc a ic, ime-bound sys ems educed oppo uni ies
o p olonged imme sion and ollow-up in e ac ions, e lec ing he
b oade eali ies o conduc ing quali a i e and ela ional esea ch. Despi e
hese challenges, he p ocess e ealed he impo ance o building us
and sus aining ela ionships ha con inue beyond he p ojec ’s o mal
conclusion. These limi a ions emphasize a i al lesson a he han diminish
he s udy: meaning ul Indigeniza ion equi es mo e han a single esea ch
cycle. I equi es sus ained collabo a ion, ins i u ional suppo , and ongoing
commi men om bo h educa o s and communi ies. The ela ionships
12
o med h ough his s udy emain open, in i ing u u e pa ne ships
ha deepen unde s anding and s eng hen he sha ed wo k o cul u ally
g ounded educa ion.
FINDINGS
T acing he Cu en s o Indigeniza ion
The indings o his s udy e eal ha Indigeniza ion wi hin Cebu’s HEIs un olds
as an ongoing p ocess o ela ionship-building and cul u al esponsi eness.
Educa o s' daily choices shape i as hey seek o make lea ning mo e inclusi e
and meaning ul, a he han being d i en by o mal compliance wi h na ional
manda es. Indigeniza ion in Cebu a ises om pe sonal con ic ion, communi y
in e ac ion, and a sha ed sense o esponsibili y.
Educa o s desc ibed hei e o s as g adual and e ol ing, o en aking he
o m o in en ional ye s aigh o wa d p ac ices ha e lec empa hy and
cul u al awa eness. This aligns wi h Wilson’s (2008) iew ha educa ion gains
meaning when g ounded in ela ionship, and wi h Filipino schola s such as
En iquez (1992) and Sal a (2022) who loca e lea ning wi hin kapwa o sha ed
iden i y. While ins i u ional s uc u es emain o mal and a imes igid,
indi idual educa o s ac as ca alys s o quie ans o ma ion, inding ways o
b ing Indigenous and local alues in o hei eaching despi e adminis a i e
cons ain s.
Ac oss ins i u ions, ou ecu ing hemes eme ged, co esponding o he
s udy’s Re amed Fou Dimension F amewo k: 1) Ways o Teaching and
Sha ing Knowledge, 2) S o ies and Lea ning Pa hways, 3) Languages o
Belonging, and 4) Nu u ing Educa o s’ Cul u al G ounding. Each dimension
illus a es how educa o s mo e beyond he p ocedu al o he ela ional,
ans o ming policy in o p ac ice h ough connec ion and ca e.
Ways o Teaching and Sha ing Knowledge
Many pa icipan s desc ibed a shi in hei eaching app oach om
au ho i y-based ins uc ion o mo e pa icipa o y, dialogical o ms o
lea ning. Se e al educa o s sha ed ha hey encou age s uden s o con ibu e
examples om hei communi ies and o ela e academic con en o li ed
expe ience. One pa icipan obse ed, “When s uden s ell hei s o ies, he
class lis ens di e en ly. I becomes a sha ed space a he han a lec u e.”
13
These p ac ices mi o he pa icipa o y models desc ibed by Ba nha d
and Kawagley (2005), who emphasized ha Indigenous educa ion h i es
in collabo a i e lea ning en i onmen s oo ed in coope a ion and espec .
In he Philippine con ex , his app oach esona es wi h pakikipagkapwa and
bayanihan, e lec ing he collec i e alues o Filipino cul u e.
Howe e , pa icipan s also acknowledged he di icul y in sus aining such
me hods wi hin igid ins i u ional expec a ions o measu able ou comes.
Assessmen s uc u es o en p io i ize s anda diza ion o e e lec ion and
dialogue. Despi e hese limi a ions, many eache s con inue o c ea e “lea ning
communi ies” in which in e ac ion, a he han one-way ansmission, shapes
how knowledge is sha ed.
S o ies and Lea ning Pa hways
S o y elling eme ged as one o he mos consis en s a egies among
pa icipan s. Educa o s used s o ies— olk na a i es, mig a ion accoun s,
and amily his o ies— o make lessons cul u ally esonan . A li e a u e
ins uc o sha ed ha he s uden s “unde s and iden i y mo e clea ly when
we alk abou he jou neys o he Sama Bajau.” S o ies helped connec
lea ne s o b oade issues o displacemen , esilience, and belonging.
This use o na a i e aligns wi h Kimme e ’s (2013) iew ha s o ies hold
bo h emo ional and e hical weigh , allowing knowledge o li e in memo y,
a he han emain con ined o ex . In he Philippine con ex , s o y elling
econnec s s uden s o cul u al he i age and communi y expe ience,
enabling e lec ion on iden i y, place, and sha ed esponsibili y wi hin he
lea ning p ocess (Coch ane 2023; Dela C uz e al. 2025).
While mos educa o s exp essed con idence in in eg a ing s o ies, some also
oiced conce n abou he isk o mis ep esen a ion. They emphasized he
impo ance o naming Indigenous g oups wi h sensi i i y and accu acy, and
hey ecognized ha s o y elle s mus hono he o igins and meanings o
hose s o ies. Despi e hese challenges, he majo i y ag eed ha s o y elling
humanizes lea ning and opens pa hways o empa hy and e lec ion.
Languages o Belonging
Language p ac ices in he class oom e ealed ano he o m o Indigeniza ion.
Pa icipan s no ed ha using Cebuano o Filipino, in addi ion o English,
14
c ea ed a mo e elaxed and inclusi e en i onmen . S uden s epo edly
engaged mo e eely when ins uc ion began in hei mo he ongue. As
one educa o s a ed, “Language se s he one o belonging. When I speak in
Cebuano, he class oom eels like home.”
This p ac ice esona es wi h he a gumen s o Ngugi wa Thiong’o (1986)
and B ock-U ne (2012), who ad oca e o linguis ic decoloniza ion as a key
s ep owa d inclusi e educa ion. Filipino schola s such as Sal a (2022) and
Edua do and Gab iel (2021) likewise ecognize ha mul ilingual eaching
a i ms iden i y and democ a izes pa icipa ion.
Ne e heless, ins i u ional policies o en p i ilege English as he de aul
language o ins uc ion and assessmen . Educa o s desc ibed his as a
pe sis en challenge ha limi s hei capaci y o use local languages o mally.
Despi e his, many con inue o in eg a e e nacula languages in o class
discussions and e lec ion ac i i ies, inding in hem a sub le ye powe ul
o m o esis ance. Thei e o s highligh he ole o language as bo h an
educa ional ool and a ma ke o cul u al a i ma ion.
Nu u ing Educa o s’ Cul u al G ounding
Educa o s consis en ly e lec ed ha meaning ul Indigeniza ion begins wi h
sel -awa eness. Se e al desc ibed momen s o ealiza ion ha hei eaching
philosophies mi o ed he ways elde s o communi y men o s augh hem.
This sel - ecogni ion led many o explo e hei own cul u al oo s and o see
eaching as an ex ension o pe sonal iden i y.
One pa icipan sha ed: “I began o unde s and ha my cul u e is al eady
pa o how I each. When I hono ha , my eaching eels mo e au hen ic.”
This echoes he emphasis o De Mesa (2020) and Cen eno and Fe nandez
(2020) on e hical sel -unde s anding as he ounda ion o cul u al educa ion.
When eache s a e g ounded in hei own his o ies and alues, hey a e
be e able o engage o he s wi h openness and espec .
Some ins i u ions ha e s a ed o e ing wo kshops on local cul u e and
Indigenous wo ld iews, helping acul y e lec on hei own posi ionali y.
Pa icipan s obse ed ha hese ac i i ies encou aged collabo a ion ac oss
disciplines and p omo ed mo e ela ional app oaches o eaching. Howe e ,
hey also no ed ha such p og ams a e o en sho - e m and depend hea ily
on leade ship in e es o ex e nal unding. Sus aining hese ini ia i es
15
equi es ins i u ional ecogni ion ha educa o o ma ion is cen al o he
success o Indigeniza ion.
In e lacing Lea ning, Cul u e, and Belonging
Taken oge he , hese indings show ha Indigeniza ion in Cebu is a p ocess
o in e lacing: o wea ing lea ning, cul u e, and belonging in o a sha ed
educa ional ab ic. Teache s ac as he wea e s, b inging oge he h eads
o policy, pedagogy, and pe sonal commi men . Thei p ac ices ansla e he
spi i o R.A. No. 8371, R.A. No. 10908, and CHED Memo andum O de No. 2,
s. 2019 in o li ed expe iences ha a i m iden i y and ela ionship.
Despi e s uc u al and policy limi a ions, educa o s con inue o os e
inclusion h ough s o y elling, language di e si y, and e lec ion. Thei wo k
a i ms Ba is e’s (2013) concep o he “lea ning spi i ,” whe e in ellec ual
and cul u al de elopmen coexis . In his se ing, Indigeniza ion is no a
checklis o e o ms bu a dynamic p ocess o ca e and connec ion.
Ul ima ely, Cebu’s educa o s demons a e ha e en in non-ances al
con ex s, Indigeniza ion can h i e as a li ing p ac ice g ounded in humani y
and espec . They shape hei class ooms in o spaces whe e lea ning is
ela ional, policy becomes a esponsibili y, and educa ion unc ions as an
ac o belonging.
DISCUSSION AND ARGUMENTATION
Reclaiming Educa ion as Rela ionship
The indings e eal ha Cebu’s expe ience o Indigeniza ion is oo ed in
human connec ion. Educa o s’ ac ions show ha inclusion does no a ise
om policy en o cemen alone bu om in en ional ela ionships cul i a ed
wi hin class ooms. This inding suppo s Wilson’s (2008) idea ha he
s eng h o ela ionships de e mines he quali y o educa ion. When eache s
and lea ne s co-c ea e knowledge, lea ning becomes a collec i e p ocess
shaped by ca e and mu ual espec .
This emphasis on ela ionship is also e lec ed in Filipino hough . En iquez
(1992) and Sal a (2022) desc ibe kapwa as a sha ed sel ha si ua es he
indi idual wi hin he communi y. Educa ion is an e hical encoun e a he
han a echnical ask. Cebu’s eache s embody his philosophy by ea ing
16
hei s uden s no as ecipien s o knowledge, bu as pa ne s in e lec ion
and g ow h. Such p ac ices es o e digni y o bo h eaching and lea ning,
ans o ming educa ion in o an ongoing ac o ecogni ion.
Indigeniza ion, he e o e, is no a supplemen a y p ojec wi hin highe
educa ion. I is a eminde ha educa ion i sel is a ela ional p ac ice, one
ha connec s ins i u ions o he li ed eali ies o he communi ies hey se e.
F om Policy F amewo ks o Rela ional P axis
Philippine laws such as he Indigenous Peoples Righ s Ac , he In eg a ed
His o y Ac , and CHED Memo andum O de No. 2, s. 2019, p o ide a
s ong legal ounda ion o Indigenous educa ion. Howe e , as his s udy
demons a es, policies gain meaning only when in e p e ed h ough p ac ice.
Cebu’s educa o s enac hese amewo ks h ough s o y elling, mul ilingual
eaching, and cul u al e lec ion. These ac s may appea modes , bu hey
e lec he e hical spi i o decoloniza ion, which esides in ela ionships
a he han egula ions (Ba is e 2013).
This ansla ion o law in o ela ional p axis shows ha policy implemen a ion
is no linea . Ins i u ions wi hou ecognized ances al domains mus adap
na ional di ec i es o hei speci ic cul u al and geog aphic eali ies. In Cebu,
his adap a ion in ol es shi ing om compliance-d i en implemen a ion
o engagemen -d i en p ac ice. Educa o s become he b idge be ween
legisla ion and li ed expe ience. Thei class ooms ans o m legal p o isions
in o spaces o connec ion, whe e lea ning becomes a o m o pa icipa ion
in he na ion’s collec i e commi men o inclusion.
Decolonizing Knowledge Sys ems
Cebu’s expe ience also unde sco es he need o e-examine he
epis emological assump ions ha unde lie highe educa ion. Decoloniza ion
equi es e hinking he e y na u e o knowledge p oduc ion a he han
inse ing Indigenous con en in o exis ing amewo ks (Smi h 2012; Naka a
2007). The educa o s in his s udy demons a e ha knowledge can eme ge
h ough dialogue, memo y, and cul u al exp ession.
This shi challenges wha Ba is e (2013) e ms “cogni i e impe ialism,”
o he dominance o Wes e n amewo ks in de ining wha coun s as alid
lea ning. When educa o s alida e o al his o y, spi i ual e lec ion, o
17
2. Facul y imme sion and men o ship p og ams should be de eloped
in pa ne ship wi h Indigenous and local communi ies o os e
expe ien ial lea ning.
3. Pee lea ning ci cles should be ins i u ionalized o encou age
in e disciplina y dialogue on inclusi e and cul u e-based pedagogy.
4. Schola ships and incen i es will be p o ided o acul y who conduc
communi y-engaged esea ch and cu iculum de elopmen ela ed o
Indigenous educa ion.
Such ini ia i es no only enhance educa o s’ skills bu also nu u e hei
pe sonal awa eness o ela ional e hics and esponsibili y in eaching.
Enhancing Policy Cohe ence and Collabo a ion
The s udy unde sco es he need o g ea e syne gy among na ional agencies
implemen ing educa ion and Indigenous policies. O e lapping manda es
o en esul in agmen ed o inconsis en app oaches a he local le el. To
add ess his, he ollowing a e ecommended:
1. The Commission on Highe Educa ion (CHED), Depa men o Educa ion
(DepEd), and Na ional Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) should
es ablish a join amewo k o moni o ing and e alua ing Indigeniza ion
ini ia i es in bo h basic and highe educa ion.
2. Regional and p o incial clus e s may be o med o con ex ualize
policies, allowing lexibili y o a eas wi hou ances al domains o
localize implemen a ion.
3. C oss-agency coo dina ion mechanisms should include communi y
ep esen a i es o ensu e ha Indigenous oices a e hea d in decision-
making.
4. Regula na ional and egional dialogues among educa o s, policymake s,
and Indigenous leade s should be ins i u ionalized o sha e p ac ices
and esol e implemen a ion challenges. Such coo dina ion will ensu e
ha Indigeniza ion emains consis en , inclusi e, and g ounded in he
eali ies o di e se local con ex s.
24
P omo ing Mul ilingual and Cul u ally Responsi e
Educa ion
Language eme ged as one o he mos e ec i e en y poin s o Indigeniza ion.
To s eng hen linguis ic and cul u al inclusi i y, policies should p io i ize:
1. Recogni ion o mul ilingual eaching as a legi ima e pedagogical
app oach in highe educa ion.
2. De elopmen o local-language ins uc ional ma e ials ha align wi h
Indigenous pe spec i es and communi y knowledge sys ems.
3. Collabo a ion wi h egional language cen e s and cul u al ins i u ions
o p o ide linguis ic esou ces and capaci y-building wo kshops.
4. Incen i es o bilingual and mul ilingual eache s who c ea e accessible
and cul u ally ele an lea ning en i onmen s.
Language inclusion ein o ces cul u al iden i y, educes ba ie s o
pa icipa ion, and os e s a sense o belonging among lea ne s om di e se
backg ounds.
Deepening Communi y Pa ne ships
Genuine Indigeniza ion equi es long- e m pa ne ship wi h communi ies
a he han sho - e m ou each. The s udy ound ha educa o s in Cebu
build hese ela ionships in o mally, o en wi hou ins i u ional suppo . To
s eng hen his ounda ion:
1. Uni e si ies and colleges should adop pa ne ship amewo ks ha
ecognize Indigenous and local communi ies as equal collabo a o s.
2. Memo anda o unde s anding (MOUs) may be de eloped o guide
esea ch, cu iculum de elopmen , and se ice p og ams ha bene i
bo h ins i u ions and communi ies.
3. Pa icipa o y moni o ing and e alua ion sys ems should be
implemen ed o enable communi ies o assess whe he p ojec s e lec
hei p io i ies and alues.
4. Ins i u ional e hics commi ees should include communi y
ep esen a i es o ensu e accoun abili y in cul u ally sensi i e
engagemen s.
25
Such pa ne ships ans o m educa ion om an ex ac i e sys em in o a
collabo a i e and es o a i e p ocess ha builds mu ual us and sha ed
lea ning.
Sus aining Indigeniza ion Beyond he S udy
Finally, sus aining Indigeniza ion equi es long- e m planning, consis en
leade ship, and he in eg a ion o ela ional alues in o he ins i u ion's e y
iden i y. To ensu e con inui y, i is ecommended ha :
1. CHED and uni e si y councils ins i u ionalize annual e iews o
indigeniza ion p ac ices o assess p og ess and add ess eme ging
challenges.
2. Ins i u ions adop ela ional leade ship models ha emphasize
empa hy, inclusi eness, and sha ed decision-making in educa ional
managemen .
3. Na ional and local go e nmen s alloca e s able unding mechanisms
o suppo Indigenous and local knowledge p og ams wi hin highe
educa ion.
4. Documen a ion and dissemina ion o good p ac ices should be
p io i ized h ough esea ch publica ions, con e ences, and open-
access eposi o ies.
By embedding Indigeniza ion in o ins i u ional sys ems and leade ship
cul u e, highe educa ion can con inuously e ol e owa d g ea e inclusi i y
and esponsi eness.
Concluding No e on Policy In eg a ion
The Cebu expe ience demons a es ha Indigeniza ion is a collec i e
esponsibili y sha ed among educa o s, ins i u ions, communi ies, and
policymake s. To mo e o wa d, policies mus ecognize educa ion as
bo h ela ional and ans o ma i e. S eng hening collabo a ion, p o iding
adequa e suppo , and upholding espec o local iden i ies will ensu e ha
Indigeniza ion becomes an endu ing ounda ion o Philippine educa ion.
When policy aligns wi h ela ionship, and when eaching aligns wi h ca e,
Indigeniza ion ceases o be a p og am. I becomes he e y way educa ion
26
ul ills i s pu pose— o connec , o include, and o sus ain li e h ough
lea ning.
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29
THE UP CIDS
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