Based on a study conducted by Ronica Valdeavilla (2018) Traditionally, Aetas are

hunting and gathering indigenous people.They’re actually among the most skilled
when it comes to jungle survival – they are even able to make use of plants as
herbal medicine and possess tools and weapons. While they’re nomadic, they are
able to build temporary houses made of sticks.

The purpose of this study is to explore the need to cope of Aetas for their
sustenance in everyday living in Tarlac City. The data has been collected by
observing and at the same time interviewing some Aetas in Tarlac City.

The similarity of this in our study is they are both about on how to sustain the
need of Aetas and it’s differences is all about on how Aetas sustain their needs
while our study is about the need to cope of Aetas for their sustenance in everyday
living in Tarlac City.

The Aetas of Northern Philippines are able to cope with this challenge. Foraging,
livestock and poultry production, farming and agriculture, making and selling hard
brooms, and being recipients of the Pantawid Pampamilya Pilipino Program of the
government are the major economic activities of the said group. Meanwhile,
fishing, paid labor, being hired by Government and Private Sectors to present their
Cultural Dance or Talip, tour guiding in the Callao cave, and being a recipient of
different outreach activities conducted by the Non-Government Organizations as
well as Schools and Universities in Tuguegarao City and Peñablanca, Cagayan are
the coping and seasonal activities of the Aetas that help them sustain their basic
needs. Their social interaction and immersion with the lowlands gave them
opportunities to do alternative activities to sustain their economic life. The present
paper shed lights to existing literatures on the current practices and activities of
Indigenous Peoples Groups in the Philippines. Possible extension of this study is to
look into the effects and impacts of their economic activities on their socio-
economic lives.

Majority of the researches on Aetas in the Philippines revealed that the Aetas still
rely on the natural resources as their major source for their economic activity such
as foraging, hunting wild animals, farming, and fishing (Ocampo and Ocampo,
2015; Malicsi, 1982; Gloria, 1997; Simon, 1988-1989; Headland, 2003; Tamanut,
1996). The result of the study of Nives, Katja, and Vesna (2012) revealed that the
Aetas of Zambales, Philippines are known for their particular method of farming;
they grow sweet potatoes, bananas and vegetables. They are also known for their
forms of alternative medicine. Meanwhile, Shimuzu (1989) stated that the Aetas
of Luzon are nomadic people. Their social activities revolve around hunting of
birds, frogs, and other animals, and gathering of fruits, insects, and mushrooms
(Shimizu 1989).

Aetas used to be very resourceful with their surroundings. Prior to their relocation,
they would resort to hunting, fishing, gathering, or foraging in getting their food,
generously possible in their area. The Aetas' basic strategy in food subsistence was
to acquire their food through different possible means and techniques. In fishing,
for instance, they could use the method of angtoko (water goggle) and biste (short
iron spear) type, or the mamalah type where Aetas built dams by putting big
stones in the stream, causing the stream branch out and making fishing easier
(Shimizu, 1992). In hunting for bird game, they used different kinds of arrows for
particular birds (Brosius, 1990). They would also search for wild yams, bananas,
insects, wild pigs and even bats; all of which became their main sources of food.
According to one Aeta interviewed by Shimizu (2001), "food was never hard to find
in the mountains".

When the Aetas were introduced to swidden agriculture or the "slashand-burn"

technique, they had become very knowledgeable in planting crops, to the extent
that they knew exactly the best time to plant and harvest the crops. A swidden
site, usually located near an Aeta village, was cleared first sometime between
January and February and then left to dry for two to three months before burning
(Shimizu, 1992). After the site was burned, the field would be planted with root
crops, sweet potatoes, yams, taros, cassavas, cornbeans, and rice (Shimizu, 1992).
In planting, they would consider the time of harvest and the demand of the plant
by the community.

The purpose of this study is to let our mind open on how Aetas cope their
sustenance in Tarlac City.
The objective of the study was to analyze the impact in Aetas on how they cope
their needs in Tarlac City through selling different root crops and do they beg for
money to sustain their needs.