Agta tribe finds home, jobs in Ilagan City

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

THE Indigenous Agta tribe is nomadic in nature, roaming from place to place and hunting in the mountains of Sierra Madre. Some of them, however, have found a place they can call home in the City of Ilagan, Isabela.

Here, the Agta people were not only provided shelter but also given livelihood by Ilagan Mayor Josemarie Diaz, tasking them as caretakers of the Abuan River Adventure and Eco-park.

Some serve as lifeguards while others work as sanitary workers and waste collectors in the newly rehabilitated river that has now become a tourist attraction.

ECO-PARK With the help of the Agta Indigenous people, Abuan River has been become a major tourist attraction in Ilagan City. LGU PHOTO

"Before, you can see them roaming around. They don't have a permanent place to stay, and they were like nomads, a typical kind of living for the ancient Indigenous people," Diaz said.

"Part of our inclusivity is to make them feel that they are valued."

Miloc Asuncion, one of the senior members of the tribe, shared how ending up in Ilagan City changed their lives.

"OK na kami dito. Andito na kami sa barrio (We're OK here. We now live in a barrio)," Asuncion said.

"Dati, palipat-lipat kami, mahirap. Dati, makahuli ka ng makakain, pagpapalit mo sa bigas, wala nang kilo-kilo 'yun, walang timbang, gaya ng baboy ramo papalit namin sa bigas (Before, we moved from one place to another. It was difficult. We would hunt for food, if we catch a wild boar, we would trade it for rice)."

Asuncion said that they still hunt for food in the mountains to survive, but they live more comfortably after the local government took care of them and gave them the sense of belongingness.

Asuncion said the members of the tribe now live in decent houses, and their children go to school.

Inclusivity has been a big part of the mayor's brand of public service.

"These people who had been involved in illegal logging had started working hand in hand with the local government unit," Diaz said.

"We want to put an end to the impending destruction of the river due to illegal loggers as well and the presence of the illegal structures in the riverbanks. The riverbanks served as the pathways of illegal loggers before due to its adjacent proximity with Sierra Madre mountains."

Ilagan City has long been known for its corn and rice production, but when it comes to tourism, it has lagged behind compared to other cities in the north.

With the help of the Agta people, the Abuan River and Ilagan Sanctuary were developed to attract tourists and nature lovers.

"The Ilagan Sanctuary, even before I took up the cudgels of leadership, used to be the hub for illegal loggers," Diaz said.

"This is an 800-hectare national park. There were activities of illegal logging before until such time that the local government decided to manage the 200 hectares, and at the same time, it will also give us an opportunity to divert the illegal loggers who were given jobs."

Inside the sanctuary is an ecotourism park that features a cable car, a zip line and an anti-stress wall where visitors can throw glass and other breakable objects as a form of therapy.

There are also caves, rock formations, waterfalls and a mini-zoo in the area.

"We also partnered with DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) to administer and supervise the 200-hectare land where we can have our national park and amenities, and call for a grand sustainable plan for tree planting," the mayor said.

"There is a paradigm shift from the illegal loggers. Instead, we are the ones helping them in planting trees. Every now and then, there were activities from our national government units. We've definitely created an eco-friendly environment."

The rehabilitation of the Abuan River and the establishment of the Ilagan sanctuary, Diaz said, boosted the city's tourism industry and, at the same time, helped combat illegal logging.

Maria Cristina Rosales Simon, the city's tourism chief, said tourist arrival has improved in Ilagan.

In 2023, there were 634,146 visitors and in 2024, it increased to 665,185.

In the first quarter of this year, the city has logged 249,997 arrivals.

The city's other major tourist attraction, Simon said, is the well-preserved Japanese War Tunnel.

"It's a symbol of our resilience and a reminder of a pivotal period of our national history. It helps communities learn from the past and establish cultural identities and collective memory," the mayor added.