MANILA, Philippines – In the past five years, the government workforce has seen steady growth, with career and non-career workers increasing from 1.76 million in 2020 to 2.04 million by mid-2024, according to the latest Inventory of Government Human Resources (IGHR).
Yet, when it comes to Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in government roles, the numbers have barely budged. Five years ago, the headcount stood at 42,368, inching up only slightly to 42,554 in the first half of this year.
Based on data from the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC), 42,554 IPs hold career or non-career positions in government. Of that figure, nearly 60% or 25,360 are women, while just over 40% or 17,194 are men.
In every region except the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Davao Region, and Calabarzon/Mimaropa, female IP workers outnumbered their male counterparts, according to the data.
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) accounts for a significant portion, with 15,122 females and 8,414 males.
The data also showed that despite comprising just 1.65% of the national population, the Cordillera stands as the largest employer of people from indigenous cultural communities.
As of June 30, 2024, government offices in the CAR employed 23,536 IPs, representing 55.31% of the national total, and surpassing the combined IP workforce in all other regions.
Cagayan Valley came in a distant second with 3,468 IP workers, accounting for 8.15% of the total.
Other regions trailing behind are as follows:
- Davao Region: 3,320 IP workers (7.8%)
- Ilocos Region: 2,178 IP workers (5.12%)
- Soccsksargen: 2,087 IP workers (4.91%)
- National Capital Region: 1,573 IP workers (3.7%)
- Northern Mindanao: 1,421 IP workers (3.34%)
- Calabarzon/Mimaropa: 1,029 IP workers (2.42%)
- Caraga: 988 IP workers (2.32%)
- Zamboanga Peninsula: 897 IP workers (2.11%)
- BARMM: 807 IP workers (1.89%)
- Western Visayas: 620 IP workers (1.46%)
- Central Luzon: 500 IP workers (1.17%)
- Bicol Region: 71 IP workers (0.17%)
- Central Visayas: 58 IP workers (0.14%)
- Eastern Visayas: 1 IP worker (0.002%)
– Rappler.com