A study of the useful plants of the Agtas of Camarines Sur, Bicol

• Main Authors: Brouhns, Marisse, Fabian, Joselito, Velarde, Maria Caridad
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1992
• Subjects: Plants, Useful; Agtas (Philippine people); Ethnobotany > Bicol; xx2 Aetas (Philippine Negritos)
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/9644
• Institution: De La Salle University

A study was conducted on the useful plants of the Agtas of Camarines Sur. Three sites were considered, namely Iriga City, Baao, and Ocampo. Interviews and observation were conducted to gather the information. Plants were collected and identified taxonomically. The plant specimens were grouped according to their use (food, medicines, building materials, etc.). There were 106 specimens collected and identified under 48 families. These plants proved to be very useful to the Agtas, especially for their basic needs. These plants also proved to be culturally important to them as it is used in their rituals like marriage, burial rites, pregnancy, and childbirth. Comparisons made with the study done by Robert B. Fox on the Pinatubo Negritos showed that there was no significant difference in the use of plants between the Agtas and the Negritos. A possible reason for the slight differences observed between the studies could be a result of the time difference, as well as the locations studied.