about LOKAL

Our ethos has always been to work with the community.

In 2017, our vision was to create a snackbar tucked away in a quiet village away from the touristic area of Siargao —a place where a visitor could feel the laidback island culture and at the same immerse themselves in the community

Our goal was to create food that felt like home while locally sourcing at least 80% of the ingredients.

It was only when we began to source ingredients did we realize that the majority of the produce sold in the market was not grown by the local farmers. We learned that 97% of produce was imported to the island.

“buyers and sellers couldn't easily connect because there was no marketplace.”

As we got to know the community better, we realized there was a problem: buyers and sellers couldn't easily connect because there was no marketplace.
After their morning harvest, the farmers would “suroy suroy” around the town to sell their produce hoping that they’d find a customer to buy their produce.

so, we built the Lokal Tabo—our very first community project.

Eventually, to address the gap of the misconnect between the farmers and the market, we built the Lokal Tabo, our very first community project.

We converted an old ancestral house in Burgos to become a zero waste marketplace for farmers and artisans & at the same time use the space as a community hub.

lokal lab was born as an ngo in 2019.

As we listened to the stories of the local community members and shared our own, we couldn't help but be inspired by them. It became clear to us that with the right tools at their disposal, we would be able to co-create solutions towards a self-sustainable island.

After 2 years of running community projects, we realized we had to formalize as an NGO to get more grants and funding thus LOKAL LAB was born in 2019.

our vision is a self-sustainable island crafted by an empowered community.

Our mission is to serve as a platform for the local community to explore their potentials by…

we envision that in a few years time, our NGO disappears as we are able to successfully hand off all the projects to the community.

our pillars

social development
Capacitate local communities on nature-based and climate adaptive knowledge, methods and practices.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Advocate for regenerative design and approaches with stakeholders for sustainable development and livelihoods in Siargao.
sustainability
Co-creating nature-based solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges of Siargao.
culture
Promote localized knowledge and practices as a catalyst of systemic change in favor of island communities.

MEET THE team

OG Founder, Executive Director

Mark Pintucan

OG Founder, Farm Consultant

Analyn Dulpina

Co-Founder, Public Relations Director

Kara Rosas

OG Founder, Social Enterprise Director

Iris Aroa

Board of Trustees Member

Nicole CuUnjieng-Aboitiz

Board of Trustees Member

Gloria Paredes

Board of Trustees Member

Vina Concepcion

Board of Trustees Member

Sam Wilson

Tropical Academy Manager

Ciara Venezia

Community Building Program Manager

Robeen John Gerodiaz

Project Manager for Grants and Internal Initiatives

Kate Louise Ariate

Finance Associate

Mary Joy Dua

Administrative Assistant

Erika Jean Sulapas

Lokal Experience Manager

Mika Fellner

Marketing & Communications Manager

Ella Alvarez

Ihayas Farm Assistant

Adelaido Nogaliza Jr

Composting Coordinator

Arbien Domagtoy

Community Liaison/Farmnet Coordinator and Artisans Coordinator

Jolina Mecate

Lokal Tabo Market General Luna Coordinator

Jay Ann Camingue

Farmer, Ihayas Farm

Christopher A Romano Jr.

Ihayas Farm Lead

Ronnabelle Vertudazo

Maintenance Team Member, Tropical Academy

Rosalyn Tormento

Tropical Academy Coordinator

Jann Bryan Lubino

Community Coordinator

Jelyn Sulapas

Lokal Snackbar Burgos Team Leader

Margarita Salvacion

Farmer, Ihayas Farm

Lucy Luspe

Maintenance Team Member, Tropical Academy

Jampol Arlan

Tropical Academy Cook

Helen Clavis Vertudazo

Latest Program

TROPICAL KNOWLEDGE

9.8482° N
SIARGAO, PH
126.0458° E