As groundbreaking initiatives go, the Bamboo Bootcamp and Hayag Farm School in Davao del Sur have emerged as catalysts for sustainable construction and community development.

The Bamboo Bootcamp, a workshop for builders, has not only birthed one of the tallest bamboo structures in the Philippines but is also revitalizing traditional building techniques and fostering a deeper connection to the environment. Its center of operations, the Hayag Farm School, has enabled Indigenous people to relearn fabrication skills and celebrate their connection to their land.

“The headquarters of the farm school and Bamboo Bootcamp in Baganihan, Marilog district is a living laboratory for sustainable living. We’ve established a bamboo village where we teach Indigenous people and anyone interested on sustainable building methods, such as bamboo construction and earth building, which uses clay, mud, and limestone as alternatives to cement. We’ve also incorporated permaculture principles into our curriculum,” says Rica Villanueva Gadi, CEO of Bamboo Bootcamp.