Difference between revisions of "Tawi-Tawi Province, Philippines"

From Philippines
Jump to navigation Jump to search
→ → Go back HOME to Zamboanga: the Portal to the Philippines.
Line 396: Line 396:


==[[Tawi-Tawi News]]==
==[[Tawi-Tawi News]]==
'''Tawi Tawi, on the world’s biggest coral triangle in PHL’s far south, sinking? (Feature)'''
'''MNLF linked to abduction of 2 foreigners'''
*Source: http://bayanihan.org/2012/02/10/tawi-tawi-on-the-worlds-biggest-coral-triangle-in-phls-far-south-sinking-feature/
*Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/02/11/12/mnlf-linked-abduction-2-foreigners
*FEBRUARY 10, 2012
*02/12/2012 12:22 AM | Updated as of 02/12/2012 12:22 AM
:by  Honor Blanco Cabie
:by  Honor Blanco Cabie






MANILA, Feb. 9 -– Leaders of the Philippines’ most southern province of Tawi Tawi have raised an urgent call, which sent disturbing ripples nationwide, on climate change watchers and environmentalists.
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines – Police said they identified a group of young members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) as possible suspects in the abduction of two Europeans in Tawi-Tawi more than a week ago.


Police Director Felicisimo Khu, Jr., director of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO), said there are indications that Ewold Horn and Lorenzo Vinciguerra were taken by third generation members of the MNLF in Tawi-Tawi.


The call, in the form of a plea, has been addressed to those who have the political will to save the island World, at the southwestern tip of the country, which has splashes of white sandy beaches and rock-bound coasts.
Khu said a possible motive is jealousy among the locals. "These foreign birdwatchers when they go to the area, hire locals to serve as their guides and security." Khu said. "One group was denied."


Not many know that Tawi Tawi, which has 107 islands and islets, sits at the center of the world’s biggest coral triangle. It shares the same seas with disaster-prone states Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomons and Timor Leste.
Khu said they are giving the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi time to negotiate with the abductors, who are said to be still hiding in Panglima Sugala town. "Governor Sahali is sending an emissary," Khu revealed.


The area comprises the South Base of the world’s biggest enclave of marine life representing only two per cent of the world’s ocean but contains 76 per cent of the world’s marine biodiversity.
The police officer also showed to the news team a copy of the email sent by a certain Mustapha Muallam, using Ivan Sarenas' hacked email address, to the group of birdwatchers, where Sarenas is a member.


Most of the people in Tawi-Tawi belong to the Sama cultural group, which has sub-groups and named based on the location of the speaker: Sama Sibutu from the Sibutu-Sitangkai Island Group, Sama Simunul from Simunul-Manuk Mangkaw Island Group.
Muallam, who identified himself as one of the abductors, demanded for the pull-out of police and military operatives in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. "But when he was asked to present proof of life of the victims, he was not able to comply."


The Jama Mapun are largely found in the Cagayan Mapun and Turtle Island Group. Many of the people from the Turtle Islands and Cagayan Mapun maintain daily commerce with Sabah, since it is only 14 kms away.
Khu believes Muallam is "someone who is merely trying to confuse things."
 
The Badjao (also called "Sama Dilaut") are widely dispersed across the country’s southernmost province. It has been observed the Badjao population is diminishing due to diseases and migration to other areas in the Philippines as well as neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia.
 
There is little wonder that recently Rep. Nur Jaafar filed House Resolution 1919 which underlines the need to set up Tawi Tawi and its sinking islands and islets as a National Laboratory with Climate Change Commission.
 
The Resolution identifies the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as lead agencies to undertake systematic monitoring of appropriate parameters.
 
The parameters must be raised with the use of scientific equipment for continued vulnerability assessment and piloting of mitigation and adaptation measures.
 
This is, as Rep. Jaafar said in his privileged speech, to check the Philippines “from becoming the next South Pacific archipelagic state to submerge and render its people refugees … not to be in the same fate as the sinking of Carteret Islands, Papua New Guinea and Tuvalu.
 
Filipinos have taken pride in the fact that Turtle Islands in Tawi Tawi is one of only 16 birth homes of the Green Sea Turtles in the world.
 
But with the obvious sinking of the smaller islands with high tides reaching even the plateau that hides the nests, experts are concerned there may be little chance for the turtles to hatch which would result in the dwindling of the already endangered species.
 
Leakage from container vessels and the resulting dumping of toxic waste also pose serious pollution threats to marine biodiversity in Tawi Tawi.
 
This is similar to the danger level of dying reefs as coastlines recede and warming oceans initiate dreaded diseases in fishes as well as fish mutants.
 
Migratory paths of large pelagic fishes would change as they look for cooler waters. This broadens the migratory path and eats up the smaller fishes.
 
While Tawi Tawi has been known to be the seaweeds capital of the Philippines, 10,000 families producing 75 per cent of raw harvests of the country’s carageenan exports may face bleak prospects.
 
Tawi Tawi also takes pride as being the land below the wind. But that may not be for long since storm surges have destroyed houses and left thousands of people homeless.
 
There have been storm surges that reduced stilt houses to matchsticks, according to Rep. Jaafar. This means serious repercussions on the already diminished ancestral domain of the Sama, Tausug, Jama Mapun and Badjao tribes.
 
Jaafar asks, rather pointedly: “Where else could they seek refuge as the sea rises to claim their homes without destroying their traditions and livelihood as seafarers who live close to the sea on stilts?”
 
What climate change means is that the 307 islands and islets in Tawi Tawi may dwindle and shrink, making the stilt houses unable to survive the sudden rise of the sea.
 
Climate change observers say Rep. Jaafar is on track in calling for action now, not tomorrow.
 
According to them, it would be very pathetic indeed if Tawi Tawi, home to almost 500,000 people and an enviable wealth of flora and fauna, would be allowed to sink because there are other concerns, definitely less in urgency, high in the priority list of the authorities. (PNA)


==[[:Category:Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Photo Gallery|Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Photo Gallery]]==
==[[:Category:Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Photo Gallery|Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Photo Gallery]]==

Revision as of 00:27, 12 February 2012

List of 11 Municipalities in the Tawi-Tawi province within Region XV - ARMM in the Republic of The Philippines
Bongao (Capital) | Languyan | Mapun | Panglima Sugala | Sapa-Sapa | Sibutu | Simunul | Sitangkai | South Ubian | Tandubas | Turtle Islands
Cities in the Province of Tawi-Tawi: NONE

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Create Name's page

Regions | Philippine Provinces | Philippine Cities | Municipalities | Barangays | High School Reunions

List of the 17 Regions in the Philippines
National - Capital Region ● I - Ilocos ● II - Cagayan ● III - C. Luzon ● IV-A - Calabarzon ● IV-B - Mimaropa ● V - Bicol ● VI - W. Visayas ● VII - C. Visayas ● VIII - E. Visayas ● IX - Zamboanga ● X - N. Mindanao ● XI - Davao ● XII - Soccsksargen ● XIII - Caraga ● XIV - CAR ● XV - BARMM

ARMM
GuestBook
Tawi-Tawi Photo Gallery
Tawi Tawi Realty
Philippine News
Ph seal tawi-tawi.png
Seal of the Province Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
Tawi-tawi locator map.png
Tawi-tawi map.jpg

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

Tawi-tawi provincial capitol.jpg
Provincial Capitol of Tawi-Tawi
Tawi tawi provincial capitol 01.jpg
Tawi Tawi Provincial Capitol Upclose
Sadikul a sahali.jpg
Gov. Sadikul A. Sahali
Sanga-sanga tawi-tawi airport.jpg
Sanga-Sanga, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi Airport
Notre Dame Church in Batu-batu.JPG
Church of Notre Dame in Batu-Batu Tawi-Tawi
Ruby tan - nickerson tan.jpg
Tawi-Tawi Vice Governor Ruby Sahali-Tan and Mayor Nickerson Tan of Mapun
Tawi tawi backyard swimming pool 01.jpg
Tawi tawi backyard swimming pool
Sheik Makdum Mosque Tubig Indangan Simunul Island Tawi Tawi 01.jpg
Sheik Makdum Mosque Tubig Indangan Simunul Island Tawi Tawi

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

Province of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

  • The province of Tawi-Tawi is within Region XV-ARMM
  • Bongao is the capital municipality of the province of Tawi-Tawi.

Geography and Location of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

The province has two seasons: dry and wet The climate is generally moderate. The wettest months are from August to November. The other months of the year are generally dry with occasional rain showers.

The Tawi-Tawi group of islands is located at the southwestern tip of the Philippine archipelago. It lies along the earth’s equatorial zone and is composed of 307 islands and islets, 88 of which are characterized by extensive reefs. The total land area is 114.9 square kilometers with terrain ranging from level to steep. The province has a population of 250,718 distributed in 10 municipalities. The general climate is cool and breezy along the coastal areas and hot and humid within the island. The rainy season begins in August and ends in November. Much of Tawi-Tawi’s resources come from the sea; from the rich fishing grounds to spectacular sceneries of white sand beaches and vibrant coral reefs.

History of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Tawi-Tawi was previously part of the province of Sulu. On September 11, 1973, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 302, the new province of Tawi-Tawi was officially created, separate from Sulu. The seat of the provincial government was established in Bongao.

The name of Tawi-Tawi is a projection of the Malay word "jaui" meaning "far." Prehistoric travelers from the Asian mainland would repeat the word as "jaui-jaui" to mean "far away" because of the distance of the islands from the continent of Asia. The word "Tawi-Tawi" was picked up to later become the official name of the province.

Below is an article about the history of Tawi-Tawi from the Government of Tawi-Tawi

The folklore of the Tawi-Tawi Samals holds that the seafaring people came from the Malay Peninsula. The links with the rest of Southeast Asia are very strong and these contacts have helped shape the culture and the history of the islands.

Tawi-Tawi claims the distinction of being the earliest home of Islam in the country. In 1380, Sheik Karim ul-Makhdum established the first mosque on Philippine territory, in Simunul. Makhdum’s tomb in Sibutu continues to be revered by Philippine Muslims. From the time of the Sulu Sultanate’s inception in the 14th century, Tawi-Tawi had traditionally been part of its realm.

During most of the Spanish period in the Philippines, Tawi-Tawi remained free of western intervention. In 1882, the Spaniards made their first attempt to control the island group by establishing a garrison on the island. They withdrew from the islands at the close of the century as a result of the Philippine Revolution.

The Americans established control over the islands and incorporated Tawi-tawi into the province of Sulu in 1914. Parts of the Tawi-Tawi islands were repurchased from Spain as a consequence of omissions in the Treaty of Paris. Sibutu and Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi were bought for an additional $100,000.

In 1948, when the Turtle Islands were returned to the Philippines by Great Britain, they were constituted as part of the island group. The islands remained part of Sulu until 1973 when the province of Tawi-Tawi was created through Presidential Decree No. 302.

Tawi-Tawi was incorporated into an autonomous regional government for Western Mindanao in 1979 following agreements with the Moro secessionist movement. In 1989, the province voted overwhelmingly to become part of an Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

People of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Indeginous People: Samal, Badjaos, Tausugs

Total (2007) census: 450,346

Below is an article about the people of Tawi-Tawi from the Government of Tawi-Tawi

This remote province of Tawi-tawi is called the southernmost pearl of the Philippines. This undiscovered beauty is a cluster of 300 islands scattered southwards off the Zamboanga Peninsula and derived it’s name from the Malay word jaui. It is the home of the Samals and Badjaos (commonly known as "Sea Gypsies" among the Western peoples ). They are part of the Sama ethnic group whose culture is closely linked to the sea.

Samals typically live in compact communities. Their houses are usually on stilts over shallow seas, linked by catwalks. The interiors of their houses are not partitioned and often displays a hanayan-- an ornate shelving. Their culture traits are very similar to the mainstream of Southeast Asia especially with similar groups with marine orientations. Their sustenance is largely associated with marine resources with cassava as the staple. The Samals are also known for their beautifully carved grave markers that are left on their burial plots on small, sandy islands. Traditionally a very peaceful Muslim group, they claim to have no weaponry. When confronted with aggression, the reaction of the Samal is generally to take flight.

The Badjaos are born and live on their houseboats-- the lepa. The lepa is one of the most beautiful of traditional boats, possessing an ancient type of boat architecture with a uniquely designed sail with a "mouth" which enables the boat to go almost directly into the eye of the wind. They are a non-aggressive people, and for centuries have lived on the perimeters of stronger societies, trying to avoid discord.

Tauti is Tawi-Tawi’s occupational dance, which vividly portrays the labors of catching tauti, or catfish. The first version is performed solo and depicts the trials of a lone fisherman attempting to catch the tauti. The second version has a principal dancer with two accompanying performers who assist in paddling the canoe and baiting. In both cases, the fishermen wrestle with the tauti en masse and ultimately get pricked by their poisonous spines. They ultimately catch a few fish, but not without suffering major pain.

Although Tawi-Tawi is not a popular destination, it has been a known trading center of Southern and Muslim Traders for centuries. It’s potential for eco-tourism remains untapped. Bongao, with its horseshoe shaped port is said to be the busiest in the Sulu archipelago. At the Turtle Islands, one can explore the sea and watch how turtles mate underwater and lay eggs in the sand. Sitangkai is said to be the "Venice of the Far East", with no roads and boats as the standard means of transportation.

The pride of Sibutu Island is the gayang—a long ,slender, single-edged blade with a wooden cylinder handle wrapped with cord, but at the butt end is a small jut carved with images of fish, frog, dog, or goat. The hardwood scabbard is carved in okir.

The marshland vegetation of Tawi-tawi produce pandan leaves and rattan needed for mat making. The mat makers of Ungus Matata, Tandubas although weaving only for home-use, produce mats that are considered to be superior in quality. The Tandubas weavers make their work tighter and softer with more intricate and varied designs.

Local Government Unit LGU of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Elected officials of Tawi-Tawi for the term of 2010-2013
Elected officials of Tawi-Tawi for the term of 2007-2010

Address: Provincial Capitol, 7500 Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

Businesses in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Agriculture, fishing, and agar-agar farming are the leading source of livelihood of the people of Tawi-Tawi, with quite a number engaged in the barter trade business. Copra is the top agricultural produce, followed by root crops, fruits, and vegetables.

Tawi-Tawi has an airport, a commercial seaport and a road network of 334 kilometers long. Electricity comes from the National Power Corporation through a local electric cooperative. The water supply comes from communal faucets, from deep wells and spring waterworks system. Taw-Tawi has 2 radio stations, a television station, 2 telegraph stations, 2 telex stations, a post office and a telephone system.

The trade and investment opportunities in Tawi-Tawi are in tourism and aquaculture. Tawi-Tawi can boast of unique tourist attractions peculiar to its location. Its white sand beaches are certified to have pristine waters while the coral reefs are guaranteed to be world class. Nature lovers and environmentalists would have a grand time in the bird sanctuary in Sibutu as well as in the protected areas of Turtle Islands. Tourist accommodation facilities would complement the splendid sites in the islands. Production and processing of marine products are also potential business ventures in Tawi-Tawi

  • We invite you to list your business located in Tawi-Tawi.
    • If you have a bakery, hotels, motels, you can list it here.
    • If you have a resort, tourist guide business, manufacturing or industrial business, you can list it here.
    • If you have a pharmacy it can be listed here too.
    • Hardware stores, Agrivets, salon, spas, restaurants, pension houses, etc. are welcome to be listed.
  • We do not allow external links. If you have an external site for your business you may not link to it in Z-Wiki but you can point to it. e.g. www.mytawitawibusiness.com - this tells the people of your website but it does not link to it.

Real Estate or Properties for Sale or lease in Tawi Tawi, Philippines

  • If you have real estate property, whether its commercial, residential, farm land, or just an empty lot in Tawi Tawi, you can list that property for free. Click to VIEW, EDIT, or ADD Realty Listings.
  • You can list your House and lot or farm land for sale or lease for free here.
  • If you are a real estate developer, you can list your subdivision, condominiums, high rises, apartment complexes, shopping strips or malls, open market developments here for Free.

Churches, Mosques, or Places of Worship in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

The name of your church, mosque, or place of worship can be listed here. We can even provide you with a free webpage for you. We can help you.

  • List the Mosques or Masjid in Tawi-Tawi here.
  • List the Catholic churches and chapels in Tawi-Tawi here.
  • List the Methodist churches in Tawi-Tawi here.
  • List the Iglesia Ni Cristo churches in Tawi-Tawi here.
  • List the Seventh-day Adventist churches in Tawi-Tawi here.
  • List the Church of Jesus Christ Latter day Saints (Mormons) churches in Tawi-Tawi here.
  • List the Presbyterian churches in Tawi-Tawi here.
  • List the Baptist churches in Tawi-Tawi here.

Religions in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Majority of the people are Muslims.

Schools in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Public High Schools In Tawi-Tawi

  1. Balimbing National High School : Balimbing, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Balimbing NHS: Abdulwahab M. Sangkula
  2. Banaran National High School : Tonggusong, Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Banaran NHS: Aminkandra U. Lajarani
  3. Batu-Batu National High School : Batu-Batu, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Batu-Batu NHS: Juana M. Sahali
  4. Bintawlan National High School : Bintawlan, South Ubian, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Bintawlan NHS: Mohammad Nur A. Tidal
  5. Ligayan National High School : Ungus-Ungus, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Ligayan NHS: Amparo C. Usman
  6. Mantabuan National High School : Mantabuan, Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Mantabuan NHS: Elmah A. Ballabato
  7. Manukmangkaw National High School : Manukmangkaw, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Manukmangkaw NHS: Jaafar Ali Y. Usman
  8. Sanga-Sanga National High School : Sanga-Sanga, Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Sanga-Sanga NHS: Hadji Saberin J. Ulama
  9. Sipangkot National High School : Sipangkot, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Sipangkot NHS: Nurpatta M. Basa
  10. Sitangkai National High School : Ungus-Ungus, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Sitangkai NHS: Rustam A. Mohammad
  11. South Ubian National High School : East Talisay, South Ubian, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The South Ubian NHS: Hja. Juihaida N. Kayting
  12. Tandubanak National High School : Tandubanak, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Tandubanak NHS: Idris J. Asakil
  13. Tandubas School Of Fisheries : Sallangan Hiya, Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Tandubas NHS: Abdulhamid A. Napii
  14. Tawi Tawi Pilot. Opp. SOF : Bongao Poblacion, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The School: Abdulmuin T. Annuddin
  15. Tawi Tawi Sat : Pag-asa, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The School: Mohammad Nur A. Tidal
  16. Tawi Tawi West Coast Agricultural High School : Jakarta, Mapun, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The School: Hja. Massaat P. Sangogot
  17. Tubig Indangan National High School : Tubig Indangan, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Tubig Indangan NHS: Rosalinda A. Montes
  18. Turtle Island High School : Poblacion, Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Turtle Island NHS: Ryan H. Satal
  19. Ummat National High School : Mongkay, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Ummat NHS: Abduraja S. Jahama, Al. Haj.
  20. Ungus Matata National High School : Ungus Matata, Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines
    Principal Of The Ungus Matata NHS: Wahed K. Ladja-Kahal

Colleges:

  1. Abubakar Learning Center Foundation College (ACLC)
  2. Mahardika Institute of Technology (MITI)
  3. Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography
    • Tubig Sallang, Sanga-Sanga, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
  4. Tawi-Tawi State Agricultural College (TSAC)
  5. Tawi-Tawi School of Midwifery
    • PC Compound, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
  6. Tawi-tawi Regional Agricultural College
    • Bongao, Tawi-Tawi


USAID Activities in Tawi-Tawi Province as of March 2009:

  • Under the Computer Literacy and Internet Connection Program (CLIC), which was launched on July 11, 2003, in Bongao, Tawi-tawi, GEM has provided the Mindanao State University (MSU) Preparatory High School with five computers, basic software and peripherals, and installed a local area network server. The computers are connected to the Internet service at the college department. The turnover was witnessed by US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone and Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin AA/ANE, USAID.
  • GEM has provided Internet access to 18 schools in the Province. GEM has also provided computers and printers to 15 of these schools. These CLIC packages benefit around 9,600 students:
  • One (1) elementary school has been connected to the internet. This Teacher CLIC package benefits about 524 students and 18 teachers.
  • GEM-CLIC also provides training for Parent-Teacher-Community Association (PTCA) presidents, teachers and principals of CLIC recipient schools. Training courses attended by PTCA members of CLIC schools in Tawi-tawi Province are the STI’s Training on Basic Computer and Internet Literacy, MS Office Specialist (MOS) ICT Literacy Training, Training on Basic PC and Internet Maintenance, Troubleshooting and Repair, and IBM E-Mentorship Program. A total of 92 teachers from the Province participated in these training sessions.
  • Under the Education Awareness Support Effort (EASE), GEM has provided 44 matching grants to 38 schools in Tawi-tawi Province. These grants benefit 20,000 students.
  • To date, there are twelve (12) grants for various schools in the province are underway.
  • In addition, GEM-EASE organized a training program on the use of IBM KidSmart software, conducted in partnership with EduQuest, Inc. participated by a teacher from Panglima Annao Elem. School, an EASE-MGP school recipient in the Province.
  • Under the Congressional Internship Program for Young Muslim Leaders (CIPYML),GEM, in partnership with the Philippine House of Representatives and the Mindanao State University (MSU), provides a 4-month internship program and introductory Governance course to qualified young professionals from ARMM and other conflict-affected areas in Mindanao. Nineteen graduates of this Program are from Tawi-tawi Province.

Economy of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Possible Tawi-Tawi oil field to propel economy
By NONOY E. LACSON
January 26, 2010, 3:40pm

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/node/240361/function.unserialize

BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi – The possible oil find in Mapun, Tawi-Tawi will bail out from poverty the people of the province and eventually give the provincial government here the needed socio-economic and infrastructure development in the coming months.

This was the statement issued by Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali after visiting the Exxon Mobile oilrig site off Mapun municipal group of islands in Tawi-Tawi on Monday.

Exxon Mobil chief executive officer Ian Fischer and other top executives invited Sahali to an inspection tour at the oilrig site off Mapun town Monday.

The Exxon Mobil oilrig site is located southeast of Mapun – northeast of Taganak and southwest of Turtle Island, employs about 165 highly technical and trained personnel composed of Filipinos, Indonesians, Malaysians and even American.

The oil exploration company, Fisher said, had just closed the first oilrig drilling site and recently opened a new site in the area for another possible oil deposits.

“I am convinced they found oil deposits in their first oilrig site in Mapun but not of commercial quantity, though they have not told me that they found such during their oilrig activities in the area,” the governor said.

“What I am hoping now is for the company to find the oil deposits in the area in order for the province to also benefit from their finds in term of employment, infrastructure development and most importantly for needed socio and economic development for the province,” Sahali disclosed.

He also described the Exxon Mobil oilrig activities in Mapun as using the most “sophisticated state-of-the-art facilities and guided by Global Positioning System or GPS.”

GPS is a navigational system involving satellites and computers that can determine the latitude and longitude of a receiver on Earth by computing the time difference for signals from different satellites to reach the receiver.

Arroyo vows to spark Tawi-Tawi revival
Thursday, 19 June 2008 22:27

President Arroyo has vowed to spark a revival of Tawi-Tawi, the country’s poorest province, as the national government has started to increase its investments in the province and in the region.

It was the President’s sixth visit to Tawi-Tawi and this time around she brought her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo and her daughter Evangeline Lourdes with her as well as some "blessings" for the poor families in the province.

The President spearheaded the launch of a modified mariculture development project in Sibutu, the sprucing up of the madrasah or Islamic school in Bongao, the ground­breaking of the P324-million Tawi-Tawi Bridge road partnership project in Bongao, the distribution of conditional cash transfer certificates to 3,000 of the poorest families in the province, and the repacking of National Food Authority rice for the government’s food-for-school program.

"These investments in people and in physical infrastructure will in turn attract more private investment and create more jobs, ultimately improving the lives of the people of Tawi-Tawi," the President said.

"Rep. (Nur) Jaafar has already mentioned the 2006 figures that say that Tawi-Tawi is the poorest province in the country. It has a poverty incidence of 7.89 percent and we must do something together to bring that percentage down," she added.

The President acknowledged that she is aware that the benefits of the growing economy have yet to fully reach a lot of people in Tawi-Tawi and that they are "struggling mightily."

Apart from the investments coming from the national government, the President said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has also been supportive of efforts to bring development to Mindanao.

The President said Saudi Arabia has provided a $20-million loan for this purpose and that the Philippine government is already implementing projects funded by it.

On her way to Bongao, the President said Saudi Arabian Ambassador Mohammed Ameen Wali has informed her that his country has committed another $80-million loan to finance priority projects in Mindanao.

To ensure that the Saudi-funded projects are implemented efficiently, the President said only those with feasibility studies and are already in the pipeline should be considered.

The President directed Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap to submit his department’s projects for Saudi funding, including the four phases of the mariculture project in Tawi-Tawi.

She also directed the Commission on Higher Education to conduct a full-blown feasibility study and come up with a proposal to use the Saudi fund to double the number of enrollees in agriculture and fishery schools in Muslim Mindanao.

The President has asked her daughter to help Tawi-Tawi and the rest of Mindanao come up with project proposals on sustainable fisheries to be financed by Saudi Arabia.

According to the President, her daughter is an environmentalist and is the policy officer of the Coral Triangle for the World Wildlife Fund.

"Investing in the vital infrastructure also includes building up our environment as a reflection of our commitment to our quality of life," she said.

"To all of you, congratulations. Ngayon ang simula ng pagbangon ng Tawi-Tawi (This is the start of the revival of Tawi-Tawi)," she added.

Local, foreign investments boost Tawi-Tawi economy
By NONOY E. LACSON
September 29, 2009, 4:02pm
BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi – Economic activities continued to flourish in the entire province after local and foreign investments, including funding support from donor countries, kept pouring in, Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali said during his State-of-the-Province Address (SoPA) over the other day.

Sahali said the province is fast- moving forward to attain the needed socio-economic development as infrastructure activities can also be found in almost all the 11 towns of the province.

“Signs of economic growth and development are evident in all the other municipalities of Tawi-Tawi,” he said. He cited the newly renovated and expanded Sanga-Sanga Airport and some major infrastructure activities here as good proof that the province is moving forward to achieve socio-economic development.

The improved airport can now accommodate bigger aircrafts, like the 737 airbuses, Sahali said.

“This is good and promising for local travel and tourism. We are fully aware that without an airport, tourism is merely a dream. We are now effectively linked with the country’s major cities, and those of neighboring countries,” he said.

He also thanked the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program for helping in the construction of roads, boat landings and footbridges in many villages of Tawi-Tawi.

The chief executive also guaranteed the people here that their living condition will soon be uplifted as a result of the province’s gains in economic and infrastructure activities.

He proudly reported during his SoPA that the recent global economic downtrend that have hit the Philippines have not disrupted the economy of Tawi-Tawi.

“As your governor, I was jubilantly surprised to know that the global crisis had not affected our people, neither has it dramatically disrupted our local economy,” he said.

He also praised and thanked the seaweed farmers here for their role in keeping the province economy afloat.

“Tawi-Tawi continues to be the leading seaweeds producer of the country and it has tremendously helped our economy to stay afloat. I wish to extend our deepest thanks and admiration to our seaweeds farmers and entrepreneurs,” the governor said during his speech.

The phase of economic activities in Sitangkai, known as the Venice of the South, can be considered very bullish and stable due to its being the biggest producer and exporter of seaweed and other marine products in the country,” the governor told the provincial and local government officials in attendance at the SoPA

Natural Resources of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Tawi-Tawi aims for environmental sustainability
(The Philippine Star) Updated May 10, 2009 12:00 AM

Tawi-tawi Vice Governor Ruby Sahali-Tan and Mayor Nickerson Tan of Mapun have launched a movement to achieve environmental sustainability through education.

“We aim to strengthen our leadership role in education for environmental sustainability by promoting local system-wide change through greater coordination and collaboration with territory and local governments,” said the vice governor who is an exponent of environment.

The two will be also focusing on achieving a culture of sustainability in which teaching and learning for sustainability are reinforced by continuous improvement in the sustainability of local management.

“We will be fostering sustainability in business and industry and will build capacity in business and industry to plan for sustainability, adopt appropriate frameworks and tools, and harness incentives for change such as improved efficiencies, cost savings, governance reputation, and staff morale and retention,” said Mayor Tan of Mapun Island.

The aim of these moves is to make Tawi-Tawi a major destination for tourists. They have noted that many travelers now ignore the most popular destinations and continue to search for new ones.

This opens up potentials for Tawi-Tawi which, unknown to many, offers beautiful white sand beaches, majestic limetone cliffs and clear turquoise waters surrounding hundreds of islands belonging to the Tawi-Tawi archipelago.

The two officials are hoping to make Tawi-Tawi as the next great beach destination in the Philippines. It will take about one hour to get to Bongao, Tawi-Tawi from Zamboanga City while the flight from Manila To Zamboanga takes about an hour and 20 minutes

Hydrocarbon deposit found in Tawi-Tawi:

Scott Spradlin, operations manager of ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Philippines, said in a briefing here Thursday 1/21/10, that they found deposits of either oil or gas some 16,000 meters deep in the waters of Tawi-Tawi. With the discovery, ExxonMobil sought a partnership with the Department of Energy to ensure the protection of its exploration in the area.
“This is a good discovery for the Philippines and with it, more people will be interested in the area,” he said.
To address the security aspect, Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino said the Department of Energy had requested the defense department to provide security in the exploration area.
On Thursday morning, Dolorfino and Naval Forces Western Mindanao Commander Rear Admiral Alexander Pama signed a memorandum of understanding with ExxonMobil to secure the exploration site.

Tourists Attractions of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

  • Seaweed Festival from Sept. 27 to Oct. 7

Tawi-Tawi readies tourism master dev’t plan
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 by (Bong Garcia)
BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi -- Governor Sadikul Sahali said they are readying a tourism master development plan to lure domestic and foreign tourists to visit this southern tip province.

Sahali said the tourism master development plan is being prepared by a committee he created comprising of all department heads and representatives from the private sector. Sahali is optimistic that Tawi-Tawi will become one of the country’s tourist destinations, citing the province has a great potential in as far as eco-tourism is concerned.

The province of Tawi-Tawi, which comprises of 11 towns, has more than 300 islands and islets within its political jurisdiction. It boasts pristine beaches that are ideal spots for scuba diving.

Sahali said traveling to Tawi-Tawi would soon be easier, citing plans are afoot by the two giant airline firms to open routes from and to the province following the upgrading and improvement of the Sanga-Sanga airport.

At present, the province is being served by an airline that operates a 19-seater plane.

Ambassador Kristie Kenney inaugurated Monday the just completed upgrading and improvement projects of Sanga-Sanga airport.

The two officials also foresee that there would be an increase in business activity with the completion of the project.

Fiestas and Traditions of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Since the majority of the people in Tawi-Tawi are muslims, fiestas are not celebrated in the barangays. The muslims celebrate the Festival of Sacrifice (Hari Raya), Muslims worldwide sacrifice sheep, goats, cows or camels for the sake of religion and community. It is done in remembrance of the sacrifice undertaken by Prophet Ibrahim, who was ready to sacrifice his son Ismail, but a ram appeared in his place at the last moment.

Philippine News

Updated: February 5, 2024

Unity and Progress: Philippine City Mayors Advocate for Collective Advancement

In a compelling call to action, the head of the Philippines’ 149-member city mayor’s association emphasized the critical need for unity to foster continued national progress, peace, and prosperity. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, serving as the national president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, voiced the association’s support for the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s vision of a harmonious country, one that maintains its trajectory of achievements in vital societal areas.

>>> READ MORE

Sports News: updated 11/10/21

Kaya Iloilo sweeps Group B in Copa '21

MANILA – Kaya Iloilo pipped Mendiola with a 6-0 beating on Wednesday night to complete a sweep of Group B action in the Copa Paulino Alcantara at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona.

A Jovin Bedic brace in the first half set the tone for the inaugural tournament champ even as the club netted three goals in each of the two halves to seal the top seed in its group ahead of the semifinals next week.

Bedic capitalized on an erroneous Mendiola attempt to keep the ball out of his reach and quickly raced inside the penalty box to open the scoring for Kaya Iloilo in the 11th minute.
PNA

Tawi-Tawi Zip Codes

Source: Philippine Postal Corporation
  • This table is Sortable by City/Municipality or by ZipCode
Click on Icon to Sort
ZipCode 		Click on Icon to Sort
City/Municipality 		Province
7500 Bongao Tawi-tawi
7501 Balimbing Tawi-tawi
7502 Tandu Bas Tawi-tawi
7503 Sapa-sapa Tawi-tawi
7504 South Ubian Tawi-tawi
7505 Simunol Tawi-tawi
7506 Sitangkai Tawi-tawi
7507 Taganak (Turtle Island) Tawi-tawi
7508 Cagayan de Sulu Tawi-tawi
7509 Languyan Tawi-tawi

Tawi-Tawi News

MNLF linked to abduction of 2 foreigners

by Honor Blanco Cabie


ZAMBOANGA, Philippines – Police said they identified a group of young members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) as possible suspects in the abduction of two Europeans in Tawi-Tawi more than a week ago.

Police Director Felicisimo Khu, Jr., director of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO), said there are indications that Ewold Horn and Lorenzo Vinciguerra were taken by third generation members of the MNLF in Tawi-Tawi.

Khu said a possible motive is jealousy among the locals. "These foreign birdwatchers when they go to the area, hire locals to serve as their guides and security." Khu said. "One group was denied."

Khu said they are giving the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi time to negotiate with the abductors, who are said to be still hiding in Panglima Sugala town. "Governor Sahali is sending an emissary," Khu revealed.

The police officer also showed to the news team a copy of the email sent by a certain Mustapha Muallam, using Ivan Sarenas' hacked email address, to the group of birdwatchers, where Sarenas is a member.

Muallam, who identified himself as one of the abductors, demanded for the pull-out of police and military operatives in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. "But when he was asked to present proof of life of the victims, he was not able to comply."

Khu believes Muallam is "someone who is merely trying to confuse things."

Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Photo Gallery

  • Do this so your photo upload will be properly categorized for Tawi-Tawi.
  • Copy and paste the code below in "green" to the body or "Summary" of the image file that you are uploading.

{{zadheader pictures}}
[[Category:Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Photo Gallery]]
*[[Tawi-Tawi Province, Philippines]]

Retrieved from "http://zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Tawi-Tawi_Province,_Philippines&oldid=279521"