SEN. Loren Legarda has filed Senate Bill 2258 that seeks the institutionalization of the Department of Agriculture’s Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) Program.
The legislation, she said, aims to break the cycle of poverty among Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples by strengthening farm-to-market linkages. Legarda said that unlike traditional programs focused on production, the measure begins by identifying market demand and directly linking IP communities and their agricultural products — including coffee, rice, ube, bananas, corn and bamboo — with institutional buyers from the private, public and civic sectors. The program provides production and postharvest machinery, access to credit, crop insurance and capacity-building interventions such as community organizing, skills training and enterprise development. It also promotes Indigenous farming practices, including intercropping, seed saving and natural pest management, as part of the country’s broader food security strategy. ”The 4K Act is a commitment to restore dignity and opportunity to our Indigenous peoples. For generations, they have carried the weight of poverty and exclusion despite being the stewards of our land and culture, possessing rich local knowledge in farming. This measure ensures that they gain the tools to prosper in their ancestral domains, strengthen their communities and pass on their heritage with pride. It is about justice, livelihood and the rightful place of our Indigenous peoples in the nation’s growth story,” Legarda said. The bill is anchored in four components: social protection for vulnerable families; production and livelihood support; enterprise and marketing assistance; and gender, culture and diversity programs to ensure inclusivity. To strengthen implementation, the measure creates a 4K Advisory Council co-chaired by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chairman of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, with representatives from key government agencies. It also mandates national and regional program management offices, a results-based monitoring system and context-appropriate procurement procedures to promote transparency, accountability and efficient implementation. Legarda said the measure replaces fragmented interventions with a convergence approach that respects culture and strengthens Indigenous knowledge systems. ”Indigenous peoples must be recognized as vital partners in building a sustainable future. Their knowledge systems, resilience and stewardship of the environment strengthen our food security and enrich our cultural identity. By institutionalizing the 4K Program, we affirm their role in shaping inclusive growth, acknowledge their contributions to national development and ensure that progress is measured by the dignity and empowerment of our most marginalized communities,” the senator said.
