Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997: Students’ awareness and their participation in community extension programs

International Journal of Research Studies in Management
Divine Word College of San Jose Special Issue
2026 Volume 14 Issue 2

Available Online: 2 April 2026

Author/s:

Binagen, Juliekhar D.*
Divine Word College of San Jose, Philippines (juliekharbinagen583@gmail.com)

Pilaro, Ashley Faye C.
Fernandez, Angelo Santino C.
Gaco, Ashley Jasmine Faith O.
Ysug, Jayrald J.
Jambaro, Danica Mae
Valdez, Erna Joy T.

Abstract:

This study was conducted to determine the level of awareness of senior high school students regarding the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 and to determine the relationship between their awareness and participation in community extension programs related to Indigenous Peoples. The researcher utilized a descriptive-correlational research design and a validated researcher-made questionnaire consisting of 25 items, which was distributed to 200 students. The findings revealed that the students have a high level of awareness of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997. Likewise, the extent of their participation in community extension programs was found to be high, particularly in donation, gift-giving, and outreach. Furthermore, the results showed a significant relationship between students’ level of awareness and their participation in community extension programs. The findings show that increased awareness of Indigenous Peoples’ rights may lead to greater student involvement in activities that support Indigenous peoples. Also, the findings indicate that students with higher levels of IPRA awareness tended to participate more in community extension programs through donations, gift-giving, and outreach activities in support of Indigenous Peoples. Thus, this study recommends that school administrators and community extension personnel may encourage students to participate in community extension programs, such as donation, gift-giving, outreach programs, or forums and seminars with indigenous peoples, by providing platforms and resources to plan and implement activities during school events, club meetings; facilitating partnerships with local Indigenous communities or NGOs to ensure valuable participation; offering mentorship, guidance, and feedback to ensure student initiatives are organized effectively and are culturally respectful.

Keywords: community extension programs, Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997, student awareness, outreach programs, student involvement

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsm.2026.26021

Cite this article:
Binagen, J. D., Pilaro, A. F. C., Fernandez, A. S. C., Gaco, A. J. F. O., Ysug, J. J., Jambaro, D. M., & Valdez, E. J. T. (2026). Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997: Students’ awareness and their participation in community extension programs. International Journal of Research Studies in Management, 14(2), 117-126. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsm.2026.26021

* Corresponding Author