Senator Legarda files bill to institutionalize DA's 4K Program for indigenous communities

Senator Loren Legarda has filed a measure seeking to institutionalize the Department of Agriculture's Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) Program. The measure aims to provide sustained livelihood opportunities and improve market access for Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs).

Under Senate Bill No. 2258, the 4K Program would adopt a market-driven framework that connects indigenous farming communities directly with institutional buyers from the private, public, and civic sectors before production begins. The measure covers agricultural products such as coffee, rice, ube, bananas, corn, and bamboo, with the goal of strengthening farm-to-market linkages.

The proposed program also provides production and post-harvest equipment, access to credit and crop insurance, and capacity-building initiatives, including community organizing, skills development, and enterprise training. It likewise promotes indigenous agricultural practices such as intercropping, seed saving, and natural pest management as part of efforts to enhance food security.

“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 identifies four key pillars of the program: social protection for vulnerable families, production and livelihood support through farm inputs and machinery, enterprise and marketing assistance, and gender, culture, and diversity initiatives aimed at ensuring inclusive implementation.

To oversee implementation, the proposal creates a 4K Advisory Council that will be jointly chaired by the Agriculture secretary and the chairperson of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples. Representatives from government agencies involved in agriculture, fisheries, mechanization, enterprise development, labor, and social protection will also be part of the council.

The measure further requires the establishment of national and regional program management offices, a results-based monitoring system, and procurement procedures tailored to the needs of indigenous communities to improve transparency, accountability, and program delivery.

“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,” Legarda said.

Legarda said the proposed 4K Act reflects her long-standing advocacy for protecting indigenous rights, preserving cultural heritage, and promoting inclusive development, adding that the measure is intended as a long-term investment in communities that have historically been underserved.