The Team Behind Katuturo
As designers and storytellers, we share a common goal: to use our craft as an instrument to empower communities and bridge social gaps through creativity and empathy.
Meet Habi Studios!
Habi Studios is a creative group composed of four members: Michael Aspan, Mika Bernabe, Czarina Gargallano, and Cristina Unay. Our name, Habi, means “weaving,” symbolizing the work we do as storytellers and designers. Our team brings together different skills to bridge gaps in education and representation. Through our projects, we help weave the stories, culture, and learning tools of the Ayta Sambal community.
Our journey began with field research and on-site visits to Botolan, Zambales, where we listened to the stories and insights of local community members — tribe leaders, elders, teachers, and students. Through these conversations, we learned about their perspectives, aspirations, and their challenges in education, particularly the lack of learning materials and the struggle to preserve their cultural identity within formal education.
Through this process, we realized that bridging the gaps in Indigenous education cannot be achieved by design alone. It requires empathy, sensitivity, and the willingness to listen and participate. These experiences taught us that every detail of this project must meaningfully honor the Ayta Sambal’s culture and beliefs, not to modernize or replace them, but to preserve and celebrate them through education.
Our Advocacy Pillars
Mission
We envision an educational system that values culture as much as literacy — where every Ayta Sambal learner grows proud of who they are and confident in what they can achieve.
Vision
To make education more inclusive and meaningful for Indigenous learners by developing creative tools, amplifying community voices, and calling institutions to uphold equitable and culturally relevant learning for all.