While open to tourists, Mount Apo, the highest peak in the country, has off-limits zones accessible only to authorities and indigenous tribes. Such zones are marked by natural barriers or biofence which are usually plants.

Recently, Bagobo Tagabawa indigenous peoples (IP) planted 1,000 arabica coffee seedlings along the Sibulan Trail to serve as biofence and sustainable livelihood for the tribe. The coffee planting was done in partnership with the Tribal Councils of Sibulan Clusters 1 and 2, the Barangay Council of Sibulan, and the Apo Sandawa Porters’ Association, with support from the Aboitiz Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Aboitiz Group.

“By supporting a coffee biofence along Mt. Apo, we are helping protect a critical ecosystem while enabling indigenous families to build a sustainable source of income. This is how we translate renewable energy into shared value, where environmental protection and livelihoods grow together,” said Noreen Vicencio, first vice president and general manager for Hydro Operations at Aboitiz Renewables, which is also supporting the project.

Aboitiz Foundation’s support for the construction of Mt. Apo coffee biofence by the IPs is aligned with its advocacies of protecting forests, mitigating climate change, promoting sustainable agriculture and preserving indigenous culture.