Long before the first boats touched the shores of the Philippine islands, the mountains already had guardians. They were called the Aeta one of the oldest Indigenous peoples in the world, and the first known inhabitants of the Philippines.

For thousands of years, the Aeta lived in harmony with the land, moving with the seasons, following rivers, and making their homes beneath the high forest canopy. Skilled hunters and gatherers, they learned every whisper of the wind, every footprint on the trail, every healing secret hidden within the roots and leaves of nature.

The Aeta believe the mountains are sacred gifts from the Creator. They speak of Apo Namalyari, the great deity who shaped the peaks of Pinatubo and filled the forests with life. In return, the Aeta treat the land as a living relative, never taking more than needed, always giving thanks.

History changed, as it often does. New settlers arrived. Colonizers came. The world beyond the mountains grew louder. Yet the Aeta continued to protect their way of life, even when pushed deeper into the hills. Disaster struck in 1991 when Mount Pinatubo roared to life ash covering their ancestral lands like a heavy gray blanket. Many Aeta families were forced into lowland towns, far from the life they knew. Still, their spirit did not break.

Today, the Aeta people remain strong and proud guardians of ancient wisdom and culture. Their music and dance celebrate the earth. Their stories remind the nation of its earliest roots. Their resilience is a living testament that identity, once rooted in God’s creation, cannot be erased.

The Aeta are not just part of Philippine history they are the Philippines’ first story, still being written. And the world is finally listening.