Mabuwaya Foundation

22/04/2026

🌍 Exactly on Earth day, we’ve reached 8k! 🥳

Our community keeps growing the same way nature does: quietly, steadily, and with purpose.

Thanks for following our advocacy and standing with us—let’s keep showing up for our planet Earth! 💚

21/04/2026

We’re chirping with excitement following our recent refresher training on birdwatching techniques and species identification for eco-tour guides in Bluewater Baggao, Cagayan.

As part of our preparations for the upcoming 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐊𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐰 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥: A Sierra Madre Bird Fest, we conducted a two-day refresher course for our eco-guides to strengthen their knowledge and field skills in accurate bird identification, effective observation techniques, and responsible guiding practices ensuring they are well-prepared to assist visitors and participants during the festival.

With our eco-guides now better equipped to lead meaningful and informative birdwatching experiences, we look forward to welcoming guests who wish to explore and appreciate Baggao’s rich birdlife.

〽️ If you would like to join the event this coming June, you may check the link below for more information and registration:
🔗 https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JAiTvF8rF/

Be part of the experience!
Secure your slots now before it’s gone in the wind 🐤

14/04/2026

UP scientists feature recent research on Philippine honey, including samples from Palaui Island, where Mabuwaya Foundation works with Agta communities on sustainable honey harvesting.

Findings show that honey carries distinct metabolomic signatures shaped by surrounding biodiversity—linking its chemical composition to native species such as narra, as well as to broader forest and coastal ecosystems. In this sense, honey serves not only as a livelihood product, but as a biochemical reflection of landscape integrity.

Read the whole article: https://up.edu.ph/the-forest-in-a-drop-of-honey-how-up-scientists-uncovered-the-chemical-fingerprint-of-the-sierra-madre/

A bottle of honey holds more than just sweetness.

At a time when questions about honey authenticity in the market abound, researchers from the University of the Philippines found that fresh honey from the Sierra Madre carries chemical fingerprints of the forests where bees gather nectar — everything from narra trees to mangroves and mountain flora.

Their findings show how honey can act as a molecular record and mirror of our biodiversity.

Discover how UP chemists uncovered the forest hidden in a drop of honey.

Read the story here: https://up.edu.ph/the-forest-in-a-drop-of-honey-how-up-scientists-uncovered-the-chemical-fingerprint-of-the-sierra-madre/

30/03/2026

Ang tunay na yaman ng pamayanan ay hindi lamang ang lupang ninuno, kundi ang kabataang magpapatuloy ng kanilang kwento.

As a mission partner, Mabuwaya Foundation is honored to have been part of the 8th Graduation Ceremony and Recognition of PAG-ASACA at Bantay Baligi, Marede, Sta. Ana, Cagayan last March 27, 2026.

Anchored on their theme “Ka-manlalakbay ng may Malalim na Ugnayan, Damayan at Tulungan Tungo sa Pangarap ng Pamayanan,” we continue to stand with the community in strengthening community development and education—especially those grounded in Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices.

To share these moments, we have also recorded some short clips of the cultural performances we were honored to witness, reflecting their lived traditions and highlighting their role as partners in protecting their ancestral land and the environment we all share.

Sa bawat pagtatapos, may panibagong kwentong isinusulong ang mga kabataan para sa kanilang pamayanan at nananatili kaming may pag-asa at pananabik sa mga susunod pang kwentong kanilang tatahakin.

21/03/2026

This , we are looking at the value of our natural capital 🌳

While we appreciate their beauty, forests also contribute to real income and livelihoods. They underpin the global economy, with over 1.6 billion people relying on them for their daily lives. Whether through sustaining eco-tourism or providing essential resources, forests are not a separate luxury from development because they are actually the foundation of it.

It makes you wonder: the question is no longer whether we can "afford" to protect our forests, but how much longer we can thrive if we keep imagining our economy can survive without them.

So.. how are you celebrating the value of our forests today? ☺️🤝

18/03/2026

Baggao is one of our project sites where we continuously work on initiatives such as agroforestry, alongside programs for women, youth, and community development, with encouraging progress and ongoing implementation on the ground.

Building on these, our next phase with LGU Baggao centers on more coordinated and scalable initiatives, expanding the reach of conservation work and strengthening its integration with sustainable tourism.

We extend our appreciation to the Baggao Tourism, Culture and the Arts Office led by Mr. Dan Paulo Ramos for their continued support, accommodation, and strong collaboration in advancing these shared efforts. 💚

13/03/2026

Another batch of veterinary medicine students from Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) is back for a two-day experiential learning experience 🤩

13/03/2026

A quick pause from the field — today we’re celebrating one of our community organizers, Hannah! 🥳

From community enterprise to ecotourism initiatives, she has been right there helping ideas turn into action. Thanks for keeping things moving and for showing up for the communities we work with. 💚

Mabuwaya fam wishes you a day as lively as the communities you serve!

08/03/2026

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the Mansarong Women’s Agri and Food Processing Association, a group of dedicated women showing that the most powerful tool for conservation is a woman with a plan.

What began as a shared vision for protecting our natural resources has grown into a strong community eco-enterprise, now proudly supported by 52 members, demonstrating that when women unite, they can create a lasting, positive change.

In line with this year’s global theme, , we are highlighting how tangible actions like mentoring, training, and lifting women up create a stronger, more inclusive world. Supporting the leadership of this women’s association helps build a resilient, forest-friendly future.

Join us in celebrating the Mansarong Women’s Association and the positive change they are creating and sustaining in their community. 🐤✨

Swipe through the photos to see their story ➡️

Happy International Women’s Day!

04/03/2026

Throughout history, babaylans were leaders, healers, and guardians of their communities.

This Women’s Month, we honor that same spirit in Ms. Marites Balbas, Mabuwaya’s Director of Operations, whose 29 years of conservation work in the Northern Sierra Madre reflect the same courage, stewardship, and commitment to ecological balance, continuing the legacy of women protecting both people and nature.

Lead like the Babaylans, Filipinas! 🌿💜

Read her full story below ⬇️

Philippine Information Agency (PIA)

03/03/2026

For the Agta of the Northern Sierra Madre Mountain, medicinal plants are key to community health and survival. Research shows that frequent illnesses among the Agta include gastrointestinal problems and malaria, largely because forest lifestyles increase exposure to disease vectors and untreated river water.

Among the plants used are species whose roots, stems, leaves, and barks are boiled, crushed, or applied in various forms to treat wounds, stomach ailments, dizziness, asthma, and more — reflecting deep traditional plant knowledge passed across generations. While many plants grow abundantly in the mountain range and are not actively cultivated, this abundance should not lead to complacency: as environmental pressures rise, protecting forests also means protecting Indigenous health knowledge and the biodiversity that sustains it.

🌱 On this , we celebrate and affirm the importance of conserving medicinal and aromatic plants — for health, heritage, and livelihoods.

——
📖 Reference: Cardona, B. S. (2024). Indigenous medicinal plants used by the Agtas of Northern Sierra Madre Mountain: A basis for sustainable development and educational intervention. International Journal of Research in Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(10).https://www.ijris.com/storage/articles/3/IJRIS_V2_I10_6.pdf

Want to learn more? Check out these studies:

• Minter, T. (2010). The Agta of the Northern Sierra Madre: Livelihood strategies and resilience among Philippine hunter-gatherers (Doctoral dissertation). Faculty of Social Sciences, Leiden University. https://hdl.handle.net/1887/15549

• Ramirez, R. B., & Capili, J. T. (2017). Ethnobotanical survey of medicinals used by the Agta communities of Aggugaddan, Bugatay, and Lapi of the Municipality of Peñablanca, Province of Cagayan, Northern Philippines. IAMURE International Journal of Ecology and Conservation, 22(1). https://ejournals.ph/article.php?id=12494