Hineleban Foundation

About us

Hineleban Foundation was founded in 2006 in Tuminugan Farm, which is in Bukidnon, the Philippines. We aim to reforest the buffer zones surrounding the Kitanglad and Kalatungan mountain ranges and to provide sustainable livelihood options for the Bangsamoro and Indigenous People (IP) of Mindanao. Rooted in the belief that neither the forest nor the people can thrive without the other, we approach our goal in three stages — first, through food security, followed by sustainable livelihood and finally, reforestation. Borrowed from the Talaandig-Higaunen language*, Hineleban is “the spirit of the gathering and giving Mother Tree of the rainforest that sustains the cycle of all life.” It is symbolized by an abundant Bagamumu (ficus) tree in the midst of the rainforest, swarming with bees gathering nectar. Just as the term defines a spirit that sustains all life, our foundation defines success as achievable only through a holistic approach that uplifts the lives of all of the individuals affected by the loss of the benefits once provided by these forests.