Isabela State University (ISU) officials and representatives attend the pre-release launching of an Agta Book organized by the Human Evolutionary Ecology (HEE) Group of the University of Zurich (UZH) on June 12, 2024 held at the Philippine Embassy in Bern, Switzerland.

The event organized by HEE and UZH aims to invite attendees to explore the Agta hunter-gatherer culture and appreciate all HEE projects in the Philippines, some of which involves ISU both in a technical and leadership level.

ISU’s attendance to the launching signifies its continued mission to form and strengthen academic linkages between UZH and its Department of Evolutionary Anthropology to scout possibilities on anthropological studies.

The ISU delegation was headed by Dr. Ricmar P. Aquino (University President), with special attendance from Dr. Marita R. Canapi (Commissioner, Commission on Higher Education) who delivered a message, and HE Bernard Faustino M. Dy (Ambassador, Philippine Embassy in Switzerland).

For more information, the said book to be released in the pre-launching is an initiative to safeguard the Agta People cultural heritage for future generations. This includes the Agta People of the Palanan region, where ISU continues to conduct its projects and services. The book combines Agta stories with Western science, aiming to offer a glimpse into the Agta world for both children and adults worldwide.

The book has three (3) sections – the first section of the book brings together scientists. The Agtas and experts from different agencies and institutions have explored various intriguing facets of the Agta culture and lifestyle.

The second section brought in a great collection of photos of the Agta People, which visually shows their lifestyle and their shared experiences during the last 15 years. In the third and last section, the Agta stories were presented. They were available in four (4) languages (Agta, Tagalog, English, and German) to hopefully be enjoyed by Agta children and other readers around the world.