The volcanic eruption in 1991 had destroyed and blanketed the entire forest with

ash including the topsoil, fisheries, wild animals, plantations, villages, rivers, and
streams. The forest became uninhabitable. The first and last time the
government surveyed the land around Mount Pinatubo was in 1993; they learned
that the land in the forest was undocumented. Most of the forest lands were part
of the public domain and belong to the state. Large corporations, developers, and
government officials rushed to purchase these lands for investments and
disregarded the Aeta people. Subsequently, the Aeta began to occupy most of
the cities and nearby town centers where they were forced to beg for food, water,
and money. To combat this problem, the government granted the Aeta people’s
rights and protection to live on 128,000 hectares of ancestral domain (but not
ownership of the land) at the foot of Mount Pinatubo, so that they could continue
living primitively according to their traditions, customs, practices, and culture
under the Indigenous People Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997. The Aeta people were
displaced in resettlement areas. The government of the Philippines failed to
address both short-term and long-term issues necessary for the Aeta’s survival
such as water systems, sanitation facilities, electricity, roads, and bridges.

Twenty-seven years have passed since the eruption and the Aeta tribes continue
to struggle in their daily lives owing to a lack of water, unproductive forest land,
and a shortage of food; they are trapped with virtually no hope for a better life
without outside intervention. The solutions and prioritization will be to establish a
community-based urban setting of sustainable farming with training and research
facilities that will increase food security and lead to food sovereignty,
environmental conservation, and reforestation. Cultural preservation and social
identities will play significant roles in using appropriate farming practices that are
culturally suitable for the Aeta communities without sacrificing their traditional
values. By taking advantage of the Aeta’s knowledge of the forest and utilizing
that knowledge toward regeneration efforts will fill the demands of their growing
population for pure, fresh, locally grown food that can be grown rapidly and
sustainably using natural fertilizers and less water in a scalable process. The
vast majority of the Aeta people lives in villages with a total population of close to
100,000; they want governance, institutions, and civil society to give them
recognition and legal rights to basic social welfare, economic fairness, and land
ownership.

One of the most recent milestones for the Aeta has been the discovery of new
natural spring waters near the villages. It is therefore critical to immediately
restore and secure any new spring waters near the Aeta villages with cement
and rebar to protect them from potential landslides during monsoon rains. The
usage of water for production input and water conservation will be implemented
to ensure that the springs will be compatible with long-term water security.
Mango trees with deep roots, coconut trees, and wild plants such as bamboo will
be planted around the spring to prevent soil erosion. The type of flourishing
vegetables and trees will already be familiar for the Aeta to plant such as rice and
root crops, coffee and cocoa trees, bamboo, and other sought-after fruits and
vegetables to make their production more efficient and to secure their own food
supply. During the harvest season, the crops will be sold and redistributed
through partnerships, networks, and other linkages. The Aeta can also work
directly with consumers, restaurants, grocery chains, shopping malls, and
schools to avoid middlemen. Lastly, distribution of water buffaloes will help with
reforestation, cultivation of land, transportation, and to provide milk for children in
the villages. The buffaloes will be owned by women and mothers to empower
them and give them control over the most beneficial way to use the buffaloes.
The result of this initiative will mobilize the Aeta people to expand their access to
water, food, health, education, and employment, thus leading to greater self-
sufficiency and sustainability.