Alab Pagarigan was born on June 28, 1985 in Antipolo City, Philippines. Coming from a family of artists, his early exposure to art made him a scholar at the Philippine High School for the Arts, where he started his formal training and discipline. He initially started out with painting bas relief. He eventually grew fond of the tactile experience of art, with the idea of being able to literally feel the growth of his artworks exciting him. He decided to further hone his skills by entering the University of the Philippines, College of Fine Arts and pursuing his dreams of becoming a sculptor.