About

The Pitak Project site is located in Pideg, Tubao, La Union, Northern Philippines (Photo by Cye Reyes)

Please click the image to watch our video in youtube.

The Pitak Project is our practice to promote sustainable and regenerative living through natural building and permaculture.

We are women activists with different backgrounds.  We’ve been friends for years and lived in Baguio City, a tourist destination located in the mountains of the Cordillera Region in Northern Philippines.  Our exposure to economic and social injustice bounded us to choose a path that can show that it’s possible to care for the people, the earth and share its bounties without exploitation. This is The Pitak Project.

The word “pitak” is an Ilocano term for mud.  Ilocano is the main language spoken in Northern Philippines.  Its Filipino translation is “putik.” We chose the word “pitak” to symbolize the bond of the rich soil and water that gives life.  It also embodies our aspiration to build naturally and produce food the permaculture way.

We started the project in March of 2013.  The project site is located in Barangay Pideg, Tubao, La Union, Philippines.  It’s about four hour-drive north of capital Manila, one hour from Baguio City, and just a few minutes from the La Union towns of Agoo (coastal town), Pugo and Rosario.  It’s at the southwestern edge of the Cordillera Region.  Its elevation is 250-300 feet above sea level.  It’s less than a hectare with a gentle uphill slope on the southern part.  It’s bounded by two creeks, one on the northwestern side, and another on the northern side.  A third of the property, located on the lowest part on the north side, is an existing rice field, and on the upper south side is a forested area covered with bamboo locally called “bolo,” and some other hardwood trees like narra, acacia and other assorted trees with different ages.

Our Vision:

In 2018, The Pitak Project will be known as a site that displays an ecosystem in symbiosis with its human occupants, has become a school that promotes permaculture, and has improved the quality of life of all living creatures on site.

Our Mission:

• To practice and promote sustainable living through permaculture and natural building;
• To serve as a demonstration site that will focus on teaching the local community and enthusiasts; and
• To be sustainable and to provide abundant yield for resiliency and capital that shall be reinvested for site development and the ecosystem.

Our Goals:

Must

• Be self reliant in terms of food production, to produce most if not all of the food requirements on site;
• Catch, recycle, source out and store water for all living creatures on site;
• Showcase alternatives for the community (permaculture and natural building);
• Become an alternative school – engage people and instil regenerative principles on agriculture; and
• Pay for its own operation.

Should

• Be 100% off the grid (electricity and water);
• Be disaster resilient; and
• Have internet access for knowledge and information exchange.

Could

• Provide income for the local people through exchange of goods and skills; and
• Be used for national and international enthusiasts for hands on learning on sustainable and regenerative living.

We don’t have the experience, the skills and money.  But we have the support of our families, friends and the community.  The people of Pideg welcomed us and we dedicate this project to them. But we have a long way to go.  And we need more support.

This is our story.  So we hope you enjoy our blog.  But most of all, we hope we’ve got you thinking that there’s an alternative way of living and we can do it NOW!

For more information, you can contact us at thepitakproject@gmail.com.

Thanks so much from The Pitak Project family.#