In the forests of the Pantaran Mountain Range in the southern Philippine province of Bukidnon, the indigenous Pulangian youth are leading efforts to restore their ancestral lands. Once devastated by logging under the regime of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the forests now thrive, thanks to the Assisted Natural Regeneration Initiative launched in the 1990s.
Father Pedro Walpole who features in the video, spoke of his mission in Bendum at the Asian Forum on “Celebrating Synodality & Indigenous Living Tradition in the Asian Church,” organized by the faith-based group Circle of Sacred Rice in Nepal in November 2024. The Jesuit priest has spent more than 30 years in the Pantaran Mountain Range and teaches environmental stewardship rooted in faith at the Apo Palamguan Cultural Education Center.
The restored forests now provide abundant, clean water, sustaining 120 households even during dry seasons. Beyond water security, the reforestation efforts symbolize the Pulangian’s fight against climate change, demonstrating that Indigenous wisdom and determination can preserve ecosystems and safeguard livelihoods.
Their story reflects the growing call for the Church and society to take meaningful action in protecting life and ancestral lands from the dual threats of environmental degradation and encroaching corporate interests.
