Ayta Ethno Botanical Center empowers IPs in New Clark City

The Ayta Ethnobotanical Center (AEBC) project, a sustainable livelihood training, has empowered the Indigenous People (IP) in creating a thriving source of revenue inside the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

During the National Indigenous Peoples’ Month, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) hosted an activity at the said AEBC on October 17, 2025. The activity provided the media a glimpse of how the AEBC serves as a platform for learning to Aeta communities.

According to BCDA President and CEO Engr. Joshua Bingcang, the AEBC provides providing hands-on training in sustainable agriculture, native plant cultivation, and food forest management.

“This activity also explores how the project integrates traditional ecological knowledge with modern practices to support inclusive and sustainable development,” he added.

The Ayta Ethnobotanical Center is a 10-hectare ethnobotanical learning site and model food forest in New Clark City, developed in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Pampanga State Agricultural University.

Now on its 14th week, the AEBC program aims to empower 300 Ayta farmers in Capas and Bamban, Tarlac through hands-on, farm-based training implemented in partnership with the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) and the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office III.

Located on a 10-hectare learning site in Sitio Binyayan, Capas, the AEBC serves as a living classroom and livelihood hub where Ayta farmers are trained in rice and high-value crop production, including coffee, mango, and various vegetables.

Beyond cultivation, the AEBC program also helps prepare trainees for educational equivalency certifications in agriculture and agribusiness, giving them formal recognition that strengthens their employability and access to government support.

It aims to promote sustainable food production, biodiversity conservation, and build the agricultural capacities and livelihood opportunities of nearby Aeta communities.

Currently, 33 Aeta students are undergoing training and are part of the program that is on its 14^th week.

Prof. Charito Sebastian, Project Manager and UP professor, said that the AEBC aims to incorporate traditional knowledge of Aetas and modern technology to further develop their livelihood. Also present during the activity where the Pampanga State Agricultural University and the Department of Agriculture.

Meanwhile, in the agency’s bid to boost the education in New Clark City, the BCDA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Provincial Government of Tarlac (PGT) to establish the new Tarlac Community College here.

Through this partnership, BCDA and PGT aim to broaden access to affordable, quality education and strengthen New Clark City’s position as a hub for learning, research, and innovation.

Under the MOU, BCDA will identify and facilitate the use of a five-hectare site within New Clark City for the college campus and provide technical and planning support. PGT, meanwhile, will take the lead in the project’s planning, development, and implementation.

Also present during the signing were Tarlac Governor Christian Tell A. Yap, Tarlac Vice Governor Estelita M. Aquino, and BCDA OIC-SVP for Conversion and Development Group Mark P. Torres.