Agta, Alabat Island

Commonly referred to as Negritos, Agtas do belong to the Negrito ethnolinguistic

group. There are many Agta tribes, scattered over Regions I to V in the island of
Luzon.The few remaining Alabat Island Agtas are concentrated on the east of Quezon
Province in CALABARZON Region, mostly on the said island.

Agtas are characteristically short, dark-skinned, kinky-haired, thick-lipped, and small-

nosed. Their traditional clothing is tapis (skirt) for women and bahag (breechcloth) for
men. Breastfeeding mothers wear uban, a piece of fabric slung from the shoulders.
Most men scar their bodies, using various designs that have been passed down to
them by their ancestors. Today, most Agtas have abandoned their tribal attire for
"civilized" clothes.

Traditional Agta houses are built in clusters and made from indigenous materials such
as bamboo, wood, talahib (cogon), coconut leaves, and abaca bark. Agtas as young as
14 marry the partner chosen by their parents. Hunting is their main means of
subsistence. They use pointed sticks called galud to kill birds, wild deer, monkeys,
and wild pigs. Agtas exchange part of the meat and some forest products for starchy
food and other goods with nearby farmers. Their other traditional means of livelihood
are farming and fishing. Today, however, many Agtas take on seasonal jobs, such as
copra and charcoal making, and gold panning.

The Agtas worship the spirits of their ancestors or Anitos; their rituals include dances
and a depiction of hunting movements. They have no formal leaders. The old males in
their community only serve as consultants for arbitration purposes.

The spiritual, health, livelihood, education, and literacy needs of the Agtas are a big
challenge to the government.

Ati
The Ati, a Negrito ethnic group, are mostly found in Western and Central Visayas.
Large concentrations are found in Aklan, Capiz, Antique, and Iloilo on Panay Island,
and the biggest group is in Iloilo. There are also Ati populations on the islands of
Guimaras and Negros (comprising Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental). Few Atis
still speak their traditional language, as it has been replaced by Kinary-a, which is
spoken in Antique and some parts of Iloilo.

Atis cultivate a variety of crops for their livelihood. Tobacco is bartered for the
products of their Visayan neighbors. During September and October, they work at the
sugar plantations of Christian landowners. Other means of subsistence are hunting,
fishing, handicrafts, and bow-and-arrow making; working as household help and
midwives; and practicing herbal medicine as herbolarios.

The name Ati-Atihan means "make-believe Atis. " It has been known as the wildest
among Philippine fiestas. The Ati-Atihan is a festival in honour of the Santo Niño.
During the last three days of this week-long festival (fiesta), a parade is characteristic.
A colourful happening with celebrants who paint their faces in many different ways
and who are dressed in the most outstanding costumes.
The Ati-Atihan festival is named after the Ati, the indigenious natives of the island
before the arrival of the Malay in the 10th century and the Spanish in the 16th century.
The festival is held on the third week of January every year on the second Sunday
after Epiphany in Kalibo in the Aklan province on the island of Panay. The festival is
to rejoice the arrival or gift of the Santo Niño by Magellan to the native Queen of
Cebu in 1521 and is manifested by hyperactive merriment on the streets . The dancing
on the rhythms of the drums makes this festival very similar to the Mardi Gras
celebration in Rio in Brazil.
ATI-ATIHAN is one of the greatest, most colorful and fun festivals. It's nickname,
"The Filipino Mardis Gras" and takes place the 3rd weekend in January every year in
Kalibo, Aklan, Panay Island

Ayta, Abellen
The Aytas are called Negritos for their dark skin and kinky hair. They landed on the
archipelago more than 30,000 thousand years ago and are thought to be the earliest
inhabitants of the Philippines. The Negritos share some physical features with African
pygmy populations.

Nowadays, rare is the Ayta wearing traditional clothing: the bahag (loincloth) for men
and wraparound skirts for women. They now use urban attire. Ayta women are skilled
in weaving, plaiting, and producing household containers, rattan hammocks, and
winnowing baskets of excellent quality. Nomadic Ayta build temporary settlements
made of indigenous materials, such as forked sticks, palm or banana leaves, cogon,
and bamboo.

The Abellen Aytas are found mostly in the mountains of western Tarlac and Zambales.
They have adopted the language of their Austronesian neighbors, speaking a Sambalic
language that belongs to the Central Luzon language family.

The Abellen Aytas are traditionally semi-nomadic. After the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo
and due to intermarriage with their Ilocano neighbors, they have spread throughout
the region. However, a good number of Abellen Ayta settlements still live in remote
reaches of the mountains of Tarlac Province.

Cebuano
Called Sugbuanons or Sugbuhanons on the island of Cebu, Cebuanos are found in the
provinces of Cebu, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Leyte, and Southern
Leyte; across the island of Mindanao; and in small and good-sized communities
countrywide. Now commonly known as Bisaya, Cebuano is the lingua franca of the
Visayas and Mindanao. While other languages and dialects are also spoken, Cebuano
is mutually intelligible and understood by the majority in these areas.

Cebu City is known as the Queen City of the South and often regarded as the cultural
capital of the Cebuanos. The city served as the gateway for Catholicism to the
Philippines, so Cebuanos are said to be highly Christianized. Spanish culture and
indigenous Philippine traditions have strongly influenced Cebuano culture.

The main source of livelihood in Cebu has the vast ocean surrounding it. For reason,
Cebuanos delight in seafood. Fishing was the island’s primary source of income
before technology and modernity gained footholds.

Cebuanos are famous for their guitars, baskets, hats, and mats of all types. They are
proud of their being artistic and creative; various forms of art (painting, sculpting, and
drawing), singing, dancing, and writing are cornerstones of Cebuano culture. Many
popular mainstream artists in the Philippines are from Cebu City, and painters,
singers, and writers reside there.

Caviteño
 Chavacano is a Spanish-based creole language and known in linguistics as
Philippine Creole Spanish. Initially, and as a means to express themselves, native
speakers mixed Spanish with their respective dialect: Tagalog in Cavite, Ternate, and
Manila; Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Moro languages in Cotobato, Davao, and
Zamboanga. As a result, there are six variations of Chavacano: Caviteño,
Cotobateño, Davaoeño, Ermiteño, Ternateño, and Zamboangueño.
Now used almost exclusively in Cavite City and coastal Ternate, Cavite
Chabacano enjoyed its widest diffusion and greatest splendor in Spanish and
American period of Filipino history, when newspapers and literary outputs flourished.
Residents of Paco, Ermita, Quiapo and Malate shared this common tongue with those
of San Nicolas, Santa Cruz and Trozo. During the Spanish regime, it was prevalent
for Spaniards, both peninsulares and insulares, to use the creole in their negotiations
with the townfolk. Cavite Chabacano was spoken with relative ease because it was
essentially a simplification of Castillan morphology patterned after Tagalog syntax.
Gradually and naturally, it acquired the sounds present in the Spanish phonological
system, which had the authocthonous phonetics as core. After World War II, creole
Spanish speakers within the capitol of the archipelago vanished.

Tagbanwa, Calamian

The Calamian Tagbanwas are primarily located in the northern part of Palawan in the
Calamian and Linapacan islands. Interestingly, they do not belong to the Palawanic
subgroup, but are directly classified under the Philippine subgroup. This subgroup is
known as the Kalamian group, which includes the Agutaynon. Calamian Tagbanwas
do not use of the Tagbanwa script.

Though the languages of the Aborlan and Calamian Tagbanwa belong to different
subgroups, their culture and practices are similar.

Iraya
 The eight indigenous tribes of Mindoro
have known no other home since
prehistory, although their ancestors probably migrated from Indonesia. (The seventh-
largest island in the Philippines, Mindoro is part of the MIMAROPA Region and is
divided into two provinces, Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro.) The tribes,
which are referred to by the general term "Mangyan," comprise the Alangan, Bangon,
Buhid, Hanunoo, Iraya, Ratagnon, Tadyawan, and Tawbuid. The Mangyan population
in the Philippines is over 100,000, and the great majority have grown roots in
Mindoro.

The Iraya Mangyans live in Occidental Mindoro, mainly in the towns of Abra de Ilog,
Mamburao, and Paluan. Some populations of Iraya are also found in the Oriental
Mindoro towns of Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, and Baco.

The Iraya are usually not concentrated in just one specific area; they live in various
barangays* of a municipality. Their population in Puerto Galera, northwest Mindoro,
is a typical example. Barangay Baclayán, which is about a one-hour walk from Santo
Niño, has around 600 Iraya. The barangay has a health clinic and a school, and a very
active community.

Other barangays in Puerto Galera have substantial populations of Iraya: Sitio

Talipanan Barangay Aninuán, located about two kilometers from San Isidro (White
Beach) and Anilao, also has several Iraya residents. Other small pockets of Iraya are
found along the Puerto Galera-Calipan road.

Ikalahan, Keley-i
Also known as Antipolo Ifugao, the Keley-i Ikalahan inhabit the northwestern part of
Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya in the Cagayan Valley Region. They are also found in Napayo
and Kiangan, Ifugao Province (Cordillera Administrative Region).

Bangon

The eight indigenous tribes of Mindoro have known no other home since prehistory,
although their ancestors probably migrated from Indonesia. (The seventh-largest
island in the Philippines, Mindoro is part of the MIMAROPA Region and is divided
into two provinces, Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro.) The tribes, which are
referred to by the general term "Mangyan," comprise the Alangan, Bangon, Buhid,
Hanunoo, Iraya, Ratagnon, Tadyawan, and Tawbuid. The Mangyan population in the
Philippines is over 100,000, and the great majority have grown roots in Mindoro.

The Bangon live mostly along Binagaw River and in the municipalities of Bansud,
Bongabong, and Gloria. They were once considered a subgroup of the Tawbuid
because they speak the “western” dialect of that language. The Tawbuid and Buhid
languages are closely related, and are unusual among Philippine languages in that the
phoneme is used. In 1996, the Bangon were accepted as one of the major Mangyan
tribes, as their customs, language, and writing system are different.
Palawano, Brooke's Point

Not only is Palawan Island considered one of the most captivating tourist attractions
in the Philippines, but it is rich in languages and culture as well. Palawan is one of the
best-known archaeological sites that carry solid evidence of the country’s ancient
past.

Most Palawanos choose to live along upland rivers, while a few opt for the coast.
Their primary source of food is agriculture, using the slash-and-burn method. Hunting
with blowguns, fishing, and food gathering are also relied on for sustenance. In
traditional societies, most of the agricultural tasks are assigned to the women.

Brooke’s Point Palawanos reside in the southern part of the island, particularly on
the east side — from just south of Abu-Abu to Bataraza.