All About Cacao... PIVAC Event
PHILIPPINES, 2024
In April 2024, HEE Group sponsored the participation of two members Nanet Eugenio and Enrico Cabaccan of ISU ISU (Isabela State University) Campus Palanan in PIVAC 2024 in Cebu City. Different topics such as Cacao cultivation, sustainability strategies, soil management and business possibilities, among others, were presented and discussed in PIVAC. It was a great opportunity to approach ISU Palanan members to the cacao activity, looking for spreading this knowledge to the Agta People in near future. Thanks for Myleen Corpus (ISU) and Sadegh Mostafavi for making this possible!
PHILIPPINES, 2024
Visiting ISU Cacao Programme
In February 2024, Mr. Mostafavi (HEE group) and Roy Layao (NCIP) organised a visit of the Agta Association members to the ISU (Isabela State University) Cacao Programme in Echague Campus. It was a great opportunity to introduce the Agta leaders to this new technology and to discuss about the new partnership between ISU and the Agta Association. Thanks Mrs Myleen Corpus and Dr. Ricmar Aquino to make it possible.
Tree Nursery in Palanan
PHILIPPINES, 2024
In January 2024, our Field Coordinator Mr. Sadegh Mostafavi officially started to build the HEE/ISU Nursery in Palanan to attend the Reforestation Programme in Sierra Madre (more information down this page). This project could not be done without the Agta Association and our local partners ISU (Isabela State University) and NCIP (National Commission on Indigenous Peoples) support. When ready, this nursery will be used to grow native trees and cacao seedlings to be planted in key areas of the Agta region, following the Agroforest principles and practices, and certified by DENR (Department of Environment and National Resources). All the technology for cacao production and trade will follow the expertise of the ISU.
SWITZERLAND, 2024
"Agta Book" Kids version
In January 2024, the HEE group in partnership with PNU (Philippine Normal University North Luzon) started to produce a collection of School Books with Agta traditional stories to be distributed in the Primary Schools of Isabela Province. This project aims to increase the awareness about the importance of the Agta culture. It is a collection of seven books with different tales and related activities to be developed by the teachers and their students.
PHILIPPINES, 2024
Agta People and Native trees
In January 2024, while the HEE/ISU Tree Nursery is not ready, the Agta from Diago led by Jimmy Donato, produced two thousand and fifty seedlings of Bisahaw tree - Calophyllum inophyllum L. .
These seedlings have been planted along the shore in Colasi region and Diago as part of the HEE Carbon Free project for Carbon Emission Compensation of HEE group.
Thanks for Cuia Jimmy and his group for that initiative!
SWITZERLAND, 2023
Official visit of ISU and PNU
In November, we received our partners Dr. Ricmar Aquino (President of Isabela State University) and Dr. Leticia Aquino (Executive Director of The Philippine Normal University - North Luzon), to define the next steps for the running projects and design new initiatives and programmes related to the Agta people studies.
They also facilitated the meeting with the Filipino Ambassador Bernard Faustino Dy (in Bern), and designed the International Exchange Programme to be supported by that Embassy.
Thanks Dr. Ricmar and Dr. Leticia for the great partnership!
BERN, 2023
Meeting Ambassador Bernard
In November, HEE group and members of our Filipino partners ISU (Isabela State University) and PNU (Philippines Northern University) had a meeting with the Ambassador Bernard Faustino Dy, in Bern.
We had the opportunity to introduce and discuss about different projects for supporting the Agta People, such as the Agta Book, The HEE Carbon Free, Agta teachers and the International Exchange Programme.
The Ambassador decided to join our projects, giving great support for all of them!
On June 2024, the Embassy will host an event for the official launching of the Agta Book.
PHILIPPINES, 2023
Water pump in Diago
In August, with the help of the Agta Association and coordination of NCIP, the Diago Community built one
deep-well in Diago. This new water resource will benefit around 35 families which live in that area.
Thanks Jimmy Donato for making it possible!
Great Job!!! The NCIP Region 2 Office accomplished a great task for stating up the Reforestation Programme in Sierra Madre. During the month of April, NCIP organised and officialised an Agta IP Association with the help of the Agta leaders of Palanan.
This Association will facilitate the implementation of the HEE Carbon Free initiative and other future projects with the same profile involving the Agta Peoples.
Thanks for Anne Sugguiyao, Roy Layao, Ladylyn Ballesteros and Gener Cabaldo, and all other members of the staff.
Agta IPs Association
PHILIPPINES, 2023
Reforestation Programme in Sierra Madre
PHILIPPINES, 2023
In March 2023, HEE group started the implementation of a Reforestation Programme in partnership with its local partners and the Agta peoples of Sierra Madre - HEE Carbon Free. This pilot programme aims to neutralise the emissions of Carbon of the HEE group. It will be needed around 25000 trees to be planted per year, and these seedlings will be produce and planted by the Agta, under the coordination of CoSel and University of Isabela. A tree nursery for producing more seedlings has been designed and will be build in Palanan (North of Sierra Madre). We expect to have more Research Groups from UZH to join the programme when expanded. A number of 800 seedlings of native species were already acquired this month from the Dumagat of Quezon benefiting 65 families of that area. A 3D map of the Palanan region was made to help identifying the key areas to be reforested.
ZURICH, 2022
Collaboro Project starts in December 2022
Prof. Andrea Migliano (Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich) has been awarded an ERC consolidator grant called COLLABORO: Adaptive history of human socio-cognitive development. This project will add to other successful past and current research projects carried out the Human Evolutionary Ecology Group (HEE) at UZH.
We are very thankfull tp SERI (State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation) in Switzerland for supporting the projects approved by ERC.
During December 2022, a great number of applicants for the five PhD positions have been interviewed and soon HEE will have new research members.
We are also working to start new field sites in other countries!
FIeldwork in Diago
In November 2022, Meike Gunter and Gina Menn went to the Philippines for Data Collection. During 40 days, they worked together with our local team in the AGTA communities of Diago and Dipagden.
PHILIPPINES, 2022
PHILIPPINES, 2022
Agta Book
The Agta Book is in its final editorial phase. This book project illustrates the Agta lifestyle with photos, presents texts of scientists and professionals working with the Agta, and also immortalises the Agta traditional stories. The book illustrations are made by Paulo Sayeg and its contents will be written in four Languages (Agta, Tagalog, English and German).
PHILIPPINES, 2022
Research Centre Facility in Palanan
Following the aims of the signed MOU with our local partners (Isabela State University and Lyceum of the Philippines University), we finished the refurbishment of the building located at the Isabela State University, Campus Palanan. This building will be used as a Research Facility Centre, which can accommodate six researchers and storage all equipment for our future field work expeditions in that region.
ZURICH, 2022
Nomads Forest Survival Course
In September 2022, the HEE group offered a Forest Survival Course for its team and other members of the Department of Anthropology, to prepare students for fieldtrips.
The course was designed by NOMAD and tailor-made for our field sites, focusing on Risk Assessment, Medical Emergencies, Infection Control, Remote Areas Communications and tracking, Emergency Evacuation, Camping Equipment among other topics. NOMAD also provided professional medical kits for emergencies in remote areas.
For this training, NOMAD provided two HCPC registered paramedic instructors, both with military backgrounds and extensive expedition experience.
Since the HEE group is increasing, we are planning to offer another Forest Survival Course in 2023.
Department of Evolutionary Anthropology
