SAN FELIPE, Zambales -- At the heart of Sierra Madre lies a small village called Sitio Yangil. It is the home of approximately 30 Aeta families, living harmoniously with other indigenous inhabitants of the land— tall trees, rare birds and vibrant flowers.

In order to get there, one must cross three rivers and a couple of streams, not to mention the one-hour trek over the thick layers of lahar brought by the explosion of Mt. Pinatubo in the ‘90s.

Despite that, the trek is truly an exciting experience for any adventure seeker, especially to one who spends most of his time in an office desk.

As soon as you enter the village, you will notice small huts surrounded by shady trees and mini vegetable gardens, which is mostly composed of different types of root crops, corn, and edible vines. A small stream also surrounds the village, giving the natives a natural source of fresh water all year round.

While the absence of electricity seems unimaginable for the typical millennial, the people of Sitio Yangil live just fine. When they want entertainment, they play music, sing, and dance. Or they ask their elders to share stories of the good ol’ days when the village had vast resources.

Residents of Sitio Yangil don't have to use social media to communicate with each other and ask, "What's on your mind?" They just talk, and laugh a lot.

According to Doyong Ignacio, 74, one of the eldest members of the community, the absence of electricity and appliances is actually beneficial to their community.

Instead of spending the whole day watching television shows, the villagers work on the fields and interact with one another. "Mas masaya kapag sama-sama. Tawa lang ng tawa," he quipped.

The absence of refrigerator, he added, forces one to share excess food with his neighbors. "Hindi uso ang madamot dito. Kung mayroon, magbigay talaga."

But while Sitio Yangil seems to be an ideal village to live in, the Aeta community here is actually undergoing a tough time.

• READ: Aeta people 'beggars' in their own land

The cultural shift

For many years now, farming has become the major livelihood of the community. They heavily rely on planting rice, corn, banana and kamoteng kahoy. They are also domesticating pigs and chickens for their meat.

But this is actually far from their traditional way of life.

Before the Pinatubo eruption, most members of the community depended on the natural resources found in the vast forest of Sierra Madre. Then, no one had to toil the land and plant. When they want fruits, they just pick from the surroundings. When they want meat, they hunt in the forest.

The Aetas are originally hunters and foragers. They have centuries-old survival skills and knowledge, which are now doomed because of the Pinatubo eruption and the gradual deforestation of their natural habitat.

According to Miliang Dela Cruz, the only remaining skilled traditional dancer of the community, Aetas learned to adapt some of the practices of the so called "unat [straight-haired people]" during the diaspora that happened right after Pinatubo erupted.

Miliang claims that her husband Nardo used to be the most skilled hunter in his youth.

"Madami siyang nahuling baboy ramo, malalaki, nakakatakot," she told ABS-CBN News.

But sadly, those giant wild boars are now considered a myth in the community. Their history has gradually become fictitious narratives that elders use to scare their children with when they play in the bushy areas of the mountains.

From dancing and hunting, Miliang and Nardo have shifted to farming a small piece of land beside their home. And since they were not blessed with a child, the couple has no one to share their skills and knowledge with.

Indeed, lahar has not only buried their material culture-- bows and arrows-- it has also buried a huge fraction of their indigenous knowledge.

A glimmer of hope

In an effort to restore the culture of Aetas, Raf Dionisio, one of the founders of The Circle Hostel, attempts to rebuild the forest so the people can once again hunt and forage for food.

Since 2015, the Ateneo graduate and Gawad Kalinga volunteer has been doing regular visits to the community, bringing with him food, seedlings, tools, and friends who help in planting seedlings.

According to Dionisio, he was particularly concerned about creating a sustainable environment for the nine Aeta communities in San Felipe. He believes that reforestation will not only result in a safer and more abundant ecosystem, but it will also help in restoring the culture of the tribe.

Guided by the chieftains of the land, Dionisio is gradually educating the natives -- young and old -- on how to properly plant the right species that would bring them food and shelter someday.

"The rainforest brings regular rains during the dry season and keeps water in the ground for irrigation areas like waterfalls, streams and rivers to flourish and feed farmland. In the rainy season the forests manage the water and absorbs up to 2,000 liters of water in each tree root system. The forest prevents drought, flooding, landslides and protects man from strong winds," he told ABS-CBN News.

Recently, he brought some members of the community to Bukidnon, where they were exposed to the province's reforestation efforts. This, he believes, is the best way to show them that it can be done.

“The ultimate goal is to end poverty of people and the environment together. We want to create a model for social tourism that becomes a bridge for people that was to have fun and help. This bridge will create a platform for other disciplines - forestry, permaculture/agriculture, healthcare and education - which can help the communities we serve. The initial model will be to reforest 3,000 hectares,” he said.

Apart from giving off seedlings and tools, Dionisio and his peers from The Circle Hostel are also spearheading literacy programs in the communities. He believes that the younger Aetas have to understand the current condition of their environment for them to participate in the reforestation efforts.

Every week, Dionisio brings a group of young people in Sitio Yangil and its neighboring villages. Indeed, Christmas has arrived early in these Aeta communities.

To learn more about The Circle Hostel and Dionisio's advocacy, visit zambales.thecirclehostel.com