LONG before sustainability and biodiversity became global priorities, the BagoboTagabawa and Obo Monuvu communities of Mt. Apo had already been practicing them.
For generations, their customs, language, governance and ancestral knowledge have shaped how forests are protected, wildlife is respected and natural resources are used responsibly. Their way of life reflects a deep understanding that caring for the land and preserving culture are inseparable.

Yet like many Indigenous communities around the world, these traditions face an uncertain future. As younger generations become increasingly immersed in mainstream education and digital culture, fewer opportunities exist for them to learn directly from their tribal elders. While formal education has integrated Indigenous peoples’ education into its curriculum, it often cannot fully capture the deeper connection between cultural identity, customary laws and environmental stewardship that has long defined life within the ancestral domain.

Holistic educational model
Recognizing this challenge, First Gen’s Energy Development Corporation (EDC), together with the communities and its local partners, established the School of Indigenous Knowledge (SIK), an initiative designed not simply to preserve tradition, but to ensure it continues to thrive through future generations.

The project traces its roots to a series of community consultations that began in 2013, when tribal leaders raised concerns over the rapid erosion of their culture and traditions. Serving the Bagobo-Tagabawa communities in Makilala and the Obo Monuvu communities in Magpet, Cotabato, the school was established to safeguard traditional customs, language, craftsmanship, governance systems and environmental knowledge that have long guided the stewardship of Mt. Apo.

Its goal is to develop a new generation of BagoboTagabawa and Obo Monuvu youth who are proficient in Indigenous knowledge systems and practices or IKSP and who contribute to the continued growth and unity of their community. At its core, SIK seeks to revive and restore traditions—from dance, weaving and language to customary laws, governance and environmental protection.

Unlike conventional cultural preservation programs that focus primarily on crafts or language, SIK offers a holistic educational model that brings together structured learning and traditional teaching. Lesson guides are developed alongside modern educational standards, while tribal culture masters remain at the center of instruction. Students learn not only inside classrooms but also through immersion in their ancestral domain, where forests, rivers and mountains become living classrooms that teach observation, responsibility and respect for nature.

The curriculum goes beyond preserving traditional arts. Learners are immersed in tribal history, identity, customary laws, environmental stewardship, weaving, bead making, dressmaking and governance. In doing so, the school nurtures future culture bearers who understand that protecting their heritage also means protecting the forests and biodiversity of Mt. Apo.

Long-term protection
This philosophy lies at the heart of the initiative: Biodiversity protection cannot exist without cultural preservation.

For EDC, this belief aligns naturally with its regenerative approach to business. Beyond generating renewable energy, the company recognizes that healthy ecosystems are sustained not only through science and technology, but also through the traditional wisdom of communities that have cared for these landscapes for centuries. By helping pass this knowledge on to younger generations, the company is investing in the long-term protection of Mt. Apo’s forests and biodiversity.

Equally important is the way the school is managed. Rather than operating as a company-run program, SIK is led by a school management board composed of community leaders. Partners, including the Department of Education, Mount Apo Foundation Inc. and the Obo Monuvu Active Language Resource and Community Development Inc., provide curriculum development, literacy support, technical expertise and logistical assistance while ensuring that leadership and decision-making remain firmly within the community.

Since its establishment, the initiative has continued to expand. Following the graduation of its pioneering learners in Magpet, the program grew to Makilala, bringing the total number of graduates to 60 during its initial expansion in 2025. Today, SIK continues to train new batches of learners while strengthening local leadership to help ensure the school’s long-term sustainability.

Over the next five years, the school aims to educate hundreds of students, develop new culture masters in weaving, dressmaking and bead making, and produce traditional woven fabrics, attire and accessories that help preserve cultural heritage while creating opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.

Outstanding CSR project
This meaningful work has now earned national recognition.

The School of Indigenous Knowledge was recently honored with the Outstanding CSR Project for Arts and Culture Award at the League of Corporate Foundations CSR Guild Awards 2026, recognizing its innovative approach to preserving cultural heritage while empowering communities to shape their own future.

For First Gen’s EDC, however, the recognition represents something even more meaningful.

It affirms that preserving culture is not just about remembering the past. It is about ensuring that ancestral knowledge continues to guide future generations so that the forests of Mt. Apo, the traditions of its people and the communities that depend on both can continue to flourish together.

Because when a young learner masters a traditional weave, speaks the language of their ancestors, embraces the customary laws that protect their homeland and eventually passes their knowledge on to their fellow community members, culture does more than survive—it continues to live.


The School of Indigenous Knowledge’s third batch of learners celebrates their graduation in April 2025 after completing six months of learning in Indigenous knowledge systems and practices, marking another milestone in nurturing future culture bearers and environmental stewards of Mt. Apo


The School of Indigenous Knowledge was honored with the Outstanding CSR Project for Arts and Culture award at the League of Corporate Foundations CSR Guild Awards 2026, recognizing its innovative approach to preserving cultural heritage while empowering communities to shape their own future


Tribal leaders of Bagobo-Tagabawa in Makilala, Cotabato, conduct a pamaas ritual to bless their culture bearers and the school building before they officially open the campus to learners in their community


Learners showcase their weaving skills, one of the core cultural traditions taught through the school