Aeta Village

Kanawan

Morong, Bataan

There is an Aeta Village in Sitio Kanawan, barangay Sabang, Morong, Bataan.

Local guides can be found here to take visitors to Kairukan Falls on Mount
Silanganan in Bataan National Park .

Aeta Village Sitio Kanawan News

LAHi Goes To Camp Kanawan

Members of the History Department and the LAHi Core went on an
adventure at the Bataan Techno Park and nearby Aeta Village of Camp
Kanawan. Rich narratives, a divine sunset, and a night under the stars
all in one weekend. :)
Many thanks to Mr Ino Habana, Ma'am Foren, and the rest of the staff of
Kai Lodge for making us feel very welcome during our stay. We'd also
like to extend our gratitude to Kuya Ludring and Kuya Jose for sharing
stories about their families and traditions, and for the well-delivered
jokes as well. Haha!
Interested in going on an adventure in Bataan like we did? Send ...
o 6Mo

o A

o F

o Aeta

o Bataan

Simple Life Is A Sustainable Life For Aeta Community

Iba pa rin ang katutubo," he said. (The indigenous way is still different.)
Jose Salonga, an Aeta leader, was a taxi driver in Metro Manila, but
moved back to his community in Sitio Kanawan, in Morong town,
Bataan. He said life in Manila was too complicated and preferred the
simpler and more sustainable lifestyle in the mountains.
Back in Morong, the community alternates their food sources so they do
not have to rely on just farming, hunting, or foraging.
When they are farming, they work rice paddies and the land they
prepared using kaingin. Unlike the big operations, Kanawan' ...
o 7Mo

o A

o F

o Aeta
o Bataan
o Honey

Aeta Community In Morong Bataan Appreciating an Indigenous

Culture
To keep the culture is also to keep the nation alive.
As part of the cultural exposure of some American volunteers, we went
to an Aeta Community in Sitio Kanawan, Barangay Binaritan, Morong
Bataan. Aeta, or Agta, is one of the many indigenous groups within the
Philippine archipelago. Commonly, they are situated in the north-eastern
parts of the country, in the island of Luzon. They are traditionally hunters
and gatherers which make them one of the most skilled in terms of
jungle survival, not just in the Philippines, but as well as worldwide
(Peoples of the World). These jungle survival ski ...
o 1Yr

o A

o F

o Aeta
o Bataan

Tarlac To Copy Bataan Reforestation Project

For the second time around, hundreds of participants from the public
and the private sectors climbed up to an Aeta village in Sitio Kanawan,
Barangay Binaritan of this town on Saturday to plant more trees to fight

global warming and counter climate change.

This time, the PTT Philippines Corporation's "Gas Up For A Tree"
project was graced by Sec. Neric Acosta, Presidential Adviser on
Environmental Protection, and Tarlac Governor Victor Yap.
As part of its corporate social responsibility, the oil firm tied-up with the
environmental group, Mga Bayani Ng Kalikasan (MBNK), to start this
envi ...
o 3Yr

o A

o F

o Aeta
o Bataan
o Kamagong tree

Plant A Tree For A Better Tomorrow

This weekend, me and my officemates joined PTT Gas Up for A Tree
Project which seeks to plant 10,000 trees in the next 6 months situated
in Sitio Kanawan, Morong, Bataan.

The Aeta Magbukun Tribe are the ones whose gonna benefit from this
reforestation project, for the bearings that the participants planted will be
used for livelihood purposes.
Wide-Out Workforces Inc., (basically us!) is the official technology
provider for this initiative. Our company created SnapPlot, which
basically monitor where the planted tree is located and see it live at the
application. Oh, it's a mobile applica ...
o 3Yr

o A

o F

o Aeta
o Bataan

Groups To Plant Hardwood Trees In Morong Bataan

Fifty hectares in the upland area of Morong town will be planted with
hardwood trees.
The reforestation project in Sitio Kanawan, an Aeta inhabited upland
territory, will be undertaken by oil company PTT Philippines, an
environmental group Mga Bayani Ng Kalikasan, and other concerned
civic and environment groups.
Felicito "Tong" Payumo, congressional candidate in Bataan first district
and a known environmental advocate, initiated the greening project. He
is the adviser of Mga Bayani Ng Kalikasan.

Aeta Community in Morong,

Bataan: Appreciating an
Indigenous Culture
Date: September 1, 2015Author: Nicson4 Comments

Date of trip: April 16, 2015

To keep the culture is also to keep the nation alive.
As part of the cultural exposure of some American volunteers, we went
to an Aeta Community in Sitio Kanawan, Barangay Binaritan, Morong
Bataan. Aeta, or Agta, is one of the many indigenous groups within the
Philippine archipelago. Commonly, they are situated in the northeastern parts of the country, in the island of Luzon. They are

traditionally hunters and gatherers which make them one of the most
skilled in terms of jungle survival, not just in the Philippines, but as well
as worldwide (Peoples of the World). These jungle survival skills of the
Aetas

were

maximized

by

the

US

Military during

their

war with Vietnam. American soldiers were trained by the Aetas to hone
their survival skills in different mountainous and forested areas in a
tropical region before they go to Vietnam (Peoples of the World).
This jungle survival skill was something that we also witnessed when
we went to the Aeta community in Kanawan. Kuya Billy, one of the
members of the tribe, showed us how to set a fire without using any
gasoline, match or lighter. He just used bamboo shavings, and pieces
of short bamboo poles. After setting the fire, he then showed us how to
cook sinigang (a type of Filipino delicacy) and rice inside a bamboo
pole, and finally showed us how to eat using improvised plates and
utensils made of bamboo. The tribe also showcased a kind of ethnic
dance that exhibits the agricultural practices of the tribe.
During our brief stay in the community, I was able to talk with the Sir
Rudy Tamundog, the current chieftain of the tribe as of this writing. He
has served the head of their community for 7 years already. According
to him, he can still stay as the head of their tribe as long as their
people still wants him as their leader. In the event that the people
dont want him anymore, a selection process for the next chieftain will
be done using grains of corn (maize).
Sir Rudy also mentioned that the Aeta communities within the province
of Bataan belong to the Magbukon Tribe. Magbukon, he added, is also
the name of their local language. However, due to modernization and
their interaction with non-Aetas, this language is not commonly used

anymore. Most of them, especially the younger generations, use

Tagalog in their daily conversations and transactions.
Marriages with non-Aetas also have an influence not just with the
overall appearance of the people in the community, but also to their
belief systems, and to their culture in general. Let us just hope that
even with these changes in the dynamics of their community, they
could

still

conserve

their

culture,

not

just

for

the

whole Aeta community, but for all the Filipinos as well.

When we left, we took nothing but pictures, we left nothing but
memories.
Additional notes:

Prior to your visit, pls coordinate with the local government unit
of Binaritan through the Municipal Government of Morong.

Pls be sensitive enough when dealing with the members of the

community. They may take some jokes as derogatory and offensive.

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES EDUCATION POLICY FRAMEWORK

1. Indigenous peoples (IPs) remain to be among the most vulnerable and marginalized
members of the citizenry. Many IP communities continue to lack access to decent
basic social services, have limited opportunities to engage the mainstream economy,
and suffer social, economic, and political exclusion.
2. Among the current disadvantages that IPs face, access to culture-responsive basic
education stands out as one of the most critical to address, especially if the right to
basic education is viewed as an enabling right. Basic education is an essential

means for IPs to claim their other rights, exercise self-determination, and expand the
choices available to them.
3. The problem of the IPs lack of access to education services is compounded by the
fact that in areas where there are schools accessible to them, many of these have
limited or no capacity to provide culturally appropriate education. Recommendations
of various IP consultations have reiterated time and again the desire of IP communities
for an education that is responsive to their context, respects their identities, and
promotes the value of their traditional knowledge, skills, and other aspects of their
cultural heritage. This is the kind of education that removes barriers to their
meaningful participation in the different levels and spheres of society and empowers
them to exercise their rights and duties as Filipino citizens.
4. Effectively responding to the basic learning needs of IPs is a key measure in
achieving the countrys Education for All (EFA) commitments and the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). In line with the thrust of the Department of Education
(DepED) to pursue institutional and systemic reforms to improve the efficiency and
quality of the delivery of basic education for all, IP education has been included as a
reform item in the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA).
5. There are existing models and best practices on IP education based on successful
projects and interventions by DepED, non-government organizations (NGOs), IP
organizations (IPOs), and other community-based initiatives. The DepED recognizes
the need to consolidate these experiences and lessons to formulate a systematic and
coherent IP Education Program, which subscribes to a rights-based approach and
gives primary importance to the principles of participation, inclusion, and
empowerment. Within a broader perspective, the DepED considers this as a step
towards a Philippine educational system that is truly inclusive and respectful of the
diversity of learners.

6. It is within this context that this policy framework was formulated by DepED in
consultation with representatives from IP communities, civil society, and other
government agencies. This policy document is envisioned to be an instrument for
promoting shared accountability, continuous dialogue, engagement, and partnership
among government, IP communities, civil society, and other education stakeholders.
A. Policy Background

7. The right of indigenous peoples to education is primarily enshrined in the

Philippine Constitution, the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (1PRA), and numerous
international human rights instruments, especially the United Nations (LIN)
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
8. The Philippine Constitution (1987) stipulates that the State shall protect and
promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and shall take
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all (Art. XIV, Sec.l). The State
is further mandated to encourage indigenous learning systems (Art. XIV, Sec. 2.4) and
to recognize, respect, and protect the rights of indigenous cultural communities to
preserve and develop their cultures, traditions, and institutions (Art. XIV, Sec. 17).
9. The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997 (Republic Act No.8371), which
emanated from the constitutional provision on the recognition and protection of the
rights of indigenous cultural communities/IPs (Art. II, Sec. 2), mandates the State to
provide equal access to various cultural opportunities to the ICCs/IPs through the
educational system, public or cultural entities, scholarships, grants and other
incentives without prejudice to their right to establish and control their educational
systems and institutions by providing education in their own language, in a manner
appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning and that (i)ndigenous
children/youth shall have the right to all levels and forms of education of the State
(Sec. 30, Chap. VI).

10. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007), among other
international human rights laws, contains specific provisions on IPs right to
education. Article 14 of the Declaration stipulates that IPs have the right to establish
and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own
languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning
(14.1); indigenous individuals, particularly children, have the right to all levels and
forms of education of the State without discrimination (14.2); and that the State
shall, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, take effective measures, in order for
indigenous individuals, particularly children, including those living outside their
communities, to have access, when possible, to an education in their own culture and
provided in their own language (14.3).
11. In response to the distinct educational needs of IP communities, the DepED has
earlier issued DepED Order No. 42, s.2004 (Permit to Operate Primary Schools for
Indigenous Peoples and Cultural Communities) and DepED Order No. 101, s.2010
(The Alternative Learning System (ALS) Curriculum for Indigenous Peoples (IPs)
Education). The DepED intends to build on these existing policies and further
strengthen the policy environment that would enable all its offices and units,
especially those in the frontline of service-delivery, to effectively address realities on
the ground.
12. Adding to the urgency of fulfilling the mandated duties and obligations contained
in national and international laws is the Philippines commitment to the achievement
of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which include the attainment of
universal access to primary education by 2015, and the Education for All (EFA) 2015
Goals, which include ensuring that by 2015 all indigenous children have access to and
complete free and compulsory primary education of good quality. The country has
adopted the Philippine EFA 2015 National Action Plan as its roadmap to achieve these
time-bound goals and corresponding targets.

13. The DepED, through this policy framework, seeks to move towards the full
realization of these laws, national policies, and development commitments.
B. Process of Formulating the Policy Framework

14. A consultative and participatory process was employed in the drafting of this
National IP Education Policy Framework. Representatives from IP communities,
together with civil society partners, were invited to participate in the two regional
consultations held in Luzon and Mindanao to ensure that IP communities can claim
ownership of this framework. The two regional consultations were followed by a
national validation workshop, where participants affirmed the principles of the draft
framework and gave their recommendations on the formulation and implementation of
an IP Education Program. The DepED shall be guided by these recommendations in
the crafting of future policy guidelines and other related instruments that will ensue
from this policy framework.
C. Policy Statements

15. Consistent with DepEDs mandate to provide inclusive basic education for all, it
shall be the policy of the Department to maintain an education system that will
recognize, protect, and promote the rights and welfare of ICCs/IPs, as well as equip
them with the knowledge and skills needed to face various social realities and
challenges. IP education interventions are to be developed and implemented in
consultation and cooperation with IPs concerned in order to address and incorporate
their special needs, histories, identities, languages, knowledge, and other aspects of
their culture, as well as their social, economic, and cultural priorities and aspirations.
Towards this end, the DepED shall:
a) Ensure the provision of universal and equitable access of all IPs to quality and
relevant basic education services towards functional literacy for all. The

DepED together with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP),

National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), local government units
(LGUs), and other government agencies, and in partnership with civil society and
private sector organizations, shall provide culture-responsive basic education services
through both the formal school system and alternative learning system. The use of
basic education service contracting and other public-private partnership (PPP)
schemes shall be maximized in responding to the learning needs of IPs. Both supplyand demand-side interventions shall be expanded and diversified as needed. As part of
maintaining the Basic Education Information System (BEIS), all DepED offices and
units are directed to gather in an appropriate and timely manner relevant data
needed from schools, learning centers, and education programs/projects for the
effective planning and implementation of its IP Education Program.
b) Adopt appropriate basic education pedagogy, content, and assessment through the
integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSPs) in all learning
areas and processes. The DepED shall give due recognition to and promote the
sustainability of indigenous learning systems. The DepED shall also prioritize the
further development and implementation of the following in schools, learning centers,
and other learning services with enrolled IP learners: a) mother tongue-based
multilingual education (MTB-MLE); b) culture-responsive education for sustainable
development and c) alternative modes of instructional delivery and assessment
schemes to address the peculiar needs of IP learners.
c) Provide adequate and culturally-appropriate learning resources and environment to
IP learners. Aside from ensuring the proper selection and development of textbooks
and other supplementary learning materials provided to IP learners, the DepED shall
put in place a policy that would promote the establishment and maintenance of
culture-responsive educational infrastructures, learning environment and spaces.
Documentation and research activities by IPs on their own history, knowledge,
practices, and other aspects of cultural heritage shall be encouraged and supported by

DepED as a means of enriching the learning resources available to IP communities

and the educational system at large. The DepED shall uphold and advocate the
protection of the intellectual property rights of IPs in pursuing this policy.
d) Strengthen the hiring, deployment, and continuous development of teachers and
learning facilitators in the implementation of its IP Education Program.
The DepED shall review, harmonize, and align its teacher education and development
policies consistent with the National Competency-Based Teacher Standards
(NCBTS), MTB-MLE Policy, Localization Law (Republic Act No. 8190), and other
relevant laws and issuances to support affirmative action responding to the learning
needs of IP learners. A support program for the training and provision of incentives for
teachers assigned in IP communities, especially in isolated and hard-to-reach areas,
shall be pursued as needed. The DepED shall encourage and mobilize support for
members of IP communities, who may wish to enter the teaching profession, to help
them complete the necessary academic preparation and satisfy professional licensure
requirements. The active participation of community members, especially elders and
community knowledge specialists, in the learning process shall be encouraged and
supported.
e) Establish and strengthen appropriate multi-level units within DepED responsible
for planning, implementing, and monitoring IP education interventions. The DepED
shall strengthen the capacity of its teaching and nonteaching staff across levels to
effectively and efficiently manage its IP Education Program. It shall likewise ensure
that adequate financial support sourced from various sources, such as the agencys
regular annual budget, the LGUs Special Education Fund (SEF), and education
projects are readily available to implementing units/entities to ensure smooth
implementation and sustainability of education services.

f) Expand and strengthen institutional and civil society linkages to ensure proper
coordination, knowledge-sharing, and sustainability of the IP Education Program. The
DepED in collaboration with NCIP, IPOs, civil society organizations (CSOs), and
other public and private institutions, shall maximize -but not be limited to existing
inter-agency/multi-stakeholder basic education-related structures at all levels as the
mechanism to coordinate, formulate policies, undertake social mobilization and
advocacy, mobilize resources, and monitor and evaluate IP education interventions
and initiatives. The DepED shall organize consultations and dialogues as needed to
periodically review the implementation of this policy framework and other policy
directives and interventions that will ensue from it.
g) Implement stronger affirmative action to eradicate all forms of discrimination
against IPs in the entire Philippine educational system. Within the framework of
maintaining inclusive and effective learning environments, the DepED shall nurture,
among all learners and DepED teaching and non-teaching personnel, respect for
human rights and cultural diversity. In line with this policy, all concerned DepED
offices and units shall also ensure that textbooks, supplementary learning materials,
and other learning resources are free from discriminatory content and erroneous
accounts, descriptions, and visual depictions, which misrepresent the history and
culture of IPs or do not adequately acknowledge them. To promote greater awareness
and appreciation of the IPs cultural heritage and history an integral, yet often
neglected, part of the Philippine nations cultural heritage and history these shall be
given due recognition and appropriately integrated into the learning content of schools
and learning programs. The DepED shall actively promote compliance with this
policy among private schools and other private institutions of learning.
16. Following the intentions of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, as well as the
principles enshrined in the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 (Republic Act
No. 9155), all DepED offices and units are enjoined to effectively communicate this
policy framework to all concerned stakeholders in their respective areas of concern.

DepEd Order No. 62, s. 2011

Adopting the National Indigenous Peoples Education Policy Framework

To:
Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries Bureau Directors
Directors of Services, Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division / City Superintendents
Heads, Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools All
Others Concerned
1. In line with the countrys commitment to achieve its Education for All (EFA)
targets and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and in pursuit of the Basic
Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA), the Department of Education (DepEd) is
adopting the enclosed National Indigenous Peoples Education Policy Framework. It
was prepared in consultation with the representatives from Indigenous Peoples (IP)
communities, civil society, and other government agencies.
2.This Policy Framework is intended to be an instrument for promoting shared
accountability, continuous dialogue, engagement, and partnership among government,
IP communities, civil society, and other education stakeholders. Recognizing
education as a necessary means to realize other human rights and fundamental
freedoms, the DepEd urges the strengthening of its policy on IP education and develop
and implement an IP Education Program. This Program subscribes to the rights-based
approach which gives primary importance to the principles of participation, inclusion,
and empowerment.
3. Many IP communities continue to lack access to decent basic social services; they
have limited opportunities to engage in the mainstream economy, and suffer social,

economic, and political exclusion marginalization. A major factor contributing to their

disadvantaged position is the lack of access to culture-responsive basic education.
Thus, the right of indigenous peoples to education is provided in the 1987 Philippine
Constitution, the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997, and the numerous
international human rights instruments, especially in the United Nations (UN)
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007).
4.Immediate dissemination of and compliance with this Order is directed.
BR. ARMIN A. LUISTRO FSC (signed)
Secretary
Quality Education for Indigenous Peoples
The enjoyment of the right to education is not fully realized for most indigenous peoples. The
Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples says that without access to quality
education indigenous communities will not be able to fully enjoy their rights. The Expert
Mechanism is a group of five independent specialists who provide expertise on the rights of
indigenous peoples to the Human Rights Council.
In their report to the Council on the right of indigenous peoples to education the experts say,
Deprivation of access to quality education is a major factor contributing to social
marginalization, poverty and dispossession of indigenous
peoples.
The report makes the case that designing education programs for
indigenous communities must take into account many factors that
acknowledge the special needs of these communities. Indigenous
students cannot be forced into mainstream education systems
which do not integrate indigenous culture, it says.
An approach using a single model is inappropriate because of the diversity of indigenous peoples.
Promoting indigenous perspectives, innovations and practices in an environment that replicates
traditional ways of learning is another interest of the Expert Mechanism. This includes having
mother-tongue based bilingual and multilingual education at the primary as well as at higher
levels. Indigenous languages should be integrated into the teaching programs. The report
proposes that community members be trained as language teachers and the development of
indigenous literacy material.

The report identifies gender issues as a common impediment to education for both boys and girls
in indigenous communities. In fact, girls are regularly prevented from attending school. The
report found that families often prefer girls to remain at home to perform domestic chores and
care for children and siblings. When put together with other discrimination issues, this has
serious social consequences for the indigenous communities.
The Expert Mechanism says that indigenous peoples have the right to educational autonomy
including the right to decide their own educational priorities [] as well as the right to establish
and control their own educational systems and institutions, if they so choose.
The report recommends too that human rights education be included in schools to encourage
cooperation between the different cultures. The Expert Mechanism advises that learning about
human rights is the first step towards respecting, promoting and defending the rights of all
individuals and peoples. For this to happen, States must ensure funding for appropriate teaching
materials and the recruitment of indigenous teachers. Education is identified by the report as
one of the best long-term financial investments that States can make. This year on December
10, celebrate Human Rights Day by joining together to celebrate diversity and end
discrimination.
22 October 2009

Serious in its mandate to make Education For All (EFA) a reality and inclusive of all
learners, the Department of Education offers an alternative learning system curriculum
to members of indigenous cultural communities to address their learning needs.
When we say Education For All, we mean to reach even those in the margins of society
who need to be provided with a specially-designed curriculum owing to their unique
circumstances, said Education Secretary Armin Luistro.
Supported by DepEd order No. 101 s. 2010, the Alternative Learning System (ALS)
Curriculum for Indigenous Peoples (IPs) Education was developed in coordination with
the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and validated by IP leaders in
IP communities.
The curriculum was specifically-written to be culture-sensitive with the end-view of
helping them become functionally literate and be net contributors to our society,
Luistro added. The learning competencies of the IP curriculum were drawn from the
existing ALS curriculum for the basic literacy, elementary and secondary levels. The
curriculum content, however, was based on Indigenous Peoples Act (IPRA) or Republic
Act 8371.
The IP curriculum reflects the core areas of the IPs day to day concerns, foremost of
which is family life. This area touches on the life of an IP as a member of the family and
his various roles in relation to the bigger community. There is also health, nutrition and

sanitation which feature indigenous practices, knowledge and local beliefs on hygiene,
health and food. It also discusses common ailments and health issues confronting IPs
brought about by their geographical locations.
Another area of learning is civic consciousness which is loaded with their aspirations
and sentiments as a people including their right to ancestral domain. There is also
economics and income which discusses the idea of supply and demand based on their
own situation. It also touches on the IPs ways of earning a living and caring for their
communal source of life and livelihood. The learning area on environment deals with the
IPs communion with nature which also stresses their strong tie to the environment.
These learning areas will also help develop the IPs communication skills, problemsolving and critical thinking abilities, development of self and sense of community,
practice of ecological and sustainable economics as well as expanding world view.
Luistro said that the curriculum and lesson delivery are written and discussed in the
mother tongue of the learners for optimum education outcome. Many studies have
proven that using the language spoken at home in early schooling results to better
comprehension and student performance.
Related to this, DepEd, with assistance from the Australian government, will make
quality education more accessible to indigenous people through the Philippines
Response to Indigenous Peoples and Muslim Education (PRIME) program, a DepEd
initiative to help address the learning needs of school children belonging to the minority
groups.
Bankrolled by the Australian Assistance for International Development (AusAid) DepEd
is set to develop learning materials, train teachers and adapt the curriculum to make
teaching and learning culturally sensitive and relevant to indigenous and Muslim school
children.