LAGAWE, Ifugao (PIA) — Indigenous lawyer Raymond Marvic “Ice” Baguilat, a proud Tuwali Ifugao, has been named one of the 2025 awardees of ‘The Outstanding Young Men’ (TOYM) under the category Law, Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples.
Baguilat was recognized for his exemplary public service, marked by his sustained efforts to advance the rights of indigenous peoples through legal advocacy, education, and policy engagement at the national and international levels.
He currently serves as Head Legal Officer of the UP-Law Center Institute of Human Rights, where he has been at the forefront of policy reform, litigation, and education advancing the rights of indigenous peoples at both national and international levels.
His advocacy is deeply rooted in lived experience, having long confronted and challenged stereotyping and systemic discrimination faced by indigenous communities.
Among his landmark contributions is his role as author of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Act in 2024, a pioneering legal framework that protects the rights of non-Moro Indigenous Peoples within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, particularly over their ancestral domains or fusaka inged.
In the same year, Baguilat led efforts opposing proposed amendments to the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent guidelines that would have weakened protections for indigenous communities. He convened advocates, produced academic analyses, and submitted policy reports to government agencies, lawmakers, civil society groups, and international institutions.
Beyond policy work, Baguilat represents indigenous peoples in cases before the Supreme Court, advises communities facing legal threats, and serves as a trustee of Indigenous Peoples Rights International, supporting urgent legal and security assistance for indigenous leaders and human rights defenders at risk.
In his home province of Ifugao, Baguilat drafted local measures such as the Kiangan Tourism Code and the Hungduan Intellectual Property Ordinance, safeguarding Ifugao heritage from misrepresentation and commercial exploitation, and ensuring community ownership of indigenous identity.
His impact also extends to legal education. At the UP College of Law, he institutionalized equity-based scholarship criteria that have enabled 169 students facing socio-economic barriers to pursue legal education, revived the Indigenous Peoples Law course, and helped shape the country’s first Legal Education Board Model Syllabus on IP law.
TOYM is a prestigious annual national recognition given to Filipinos aged 18 to 40 who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, excellence, and service to the country in their respective fields. The award is organized by JCI Philippines, with the support of the TOYM Foundation, partner organizations, and stakeholders.
“I wish to share this recognition with the youth, whom I hope to inspire to believe that meaningful public service is grounded in knowledge, integrity, and empathy,” Baguilat said during the TOYM 2025 awarding ceremony at Kalayaan Hall in Malacañang Palace on January 22, 2026
“My own journey reflects the responsibility of young leaders to use their education and skills in the service of the community and nation, especially the marginalized,” Baguilat said. **JDP/FBR-PIA Ifugao
