Photographed by Geric Cruz for the April 2025 Issue of Vogue Philippines
Photographed by Geric Cruz for the April 2025 Issue of Vogue Philippines
Kristel Quierrez and UGBON’s mission is to restore the mountain forests and advocate for indigenous knowledge.
When she is at Tinipak River, Kristel Quierrez truly feels her identity as an indigenous person. Kristel is a young environmentalist who has been advocating for the protection of her people’s sacred lands in Daraitan and across the Sierra Madre. She is a proud member of the Agta indigenous community, also known as the Dumagat-Remontado.
Having studied at the Sentrong Paaralan ng mga Agta (PSA), an elementary school for the Agta community built in 1988 in General Nakar, Quezon, Kristel came to value her identity early on. It soon pushed her to co-found youth organization UGBON: Katutubong Kabataang Umuugat sa Kabundukan ng Sierra Madre, along with other young advocates in the southern Sierra Madre region. UGBON’s mission is to restore the mountain forests and advocate for indigenous knowledge.
Her work with UGBON has earned Kristel recognition beyond our shores, recently named as one of the 2025 Restoration Stewards by the Global Landscapes Forum, the largest knowledge-led platform on sustainable and inclusive landscapes. Only seven stewards are awarded each year, making it a proud achievement for Kristel, her fellow youth advocates, and for indigenous voices.
“I believe that the most effective protectors of the environment are the indigenous people […] Wherever the indigenous people are, on whatever side of the world, that is where lush forests can be found,” she shares.
That sentiment has been recognized globally as well. A report by the World Bank Group states that 36 percent of the world’s intact forests are found on indigenous territories. The ancestral lands, along with all beings that inhabit them, are deeply linked to the identities of indigenous peoples, making these communities one of the forest’s most effective guardians.
This cements why Kristel and the rest of the young environmentalists at UGBON are pushing for indigenous voices in climate work. They want to assert rights for the forests, the same way humanitarians fight for the rights of marginalized groups, because these are all living beings in need of protection.
Kristel’s hope is that in the future, Indigenous wisdom and values such as these will be taught at the Senior High and the College levels. She and her colleagues are now working on keeping a record of their history and culture. So far, they have filmed indigenous ways to sow seeds, catch fish, and use leaves as a form of communication. They believe that these traditional practices from daily life will be sources of valuable knowledge for future generations.
“In my opinion, when you come from an indigenous community, it becomes natural for you to come back,” Kristel says. “Returning to your land is in your blood. And it should be natural to fight for your home, your culture, your ancestors, and your environment.”
Sitting in a kubo by the river basin, Kristel greets the Agta passing by who are working as tour guides. While she acknowledges that the work of a young environmental leader is challenging, she is sustained by the moments of beauty that come the longer she keeps at it.
Note: The personal views and opinions of Kristel Quierrez do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Dumagat/Remontado ICCs/IPs of Quezon and Rizal.
By PATRICIA VILLORIA. Photographs by GERIC CRUZ. Features Editor AUDREY CARPIO. Stylist: Neil de Guzman. Makeup: Kim Roy Opog. Hair: Mong Amado. Producer: Bianca Zaragoza. Photographer’s Assistant: Andy Cugon. Shot on location at Tinipak River, Rizal.
