Palawan News December 2016

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Palawan - Archived News
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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.

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Undergroud River in Palawan
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Underground river in Pureto Princesa, Palawan
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Baracuda Lake, Coron, Palawan

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.
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U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie A. Kenney and USAID/Philippines Environment Office Chief Daniel Moore witness the safe and sustainable collection of ornamental fish by certified Marine Aquarium Council collectors in Palawan

Puerto Princesa's 'Santa' brings happiness to 200 kids

By Cherry Camacho (ABS-CBN News)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan - A businessman from the United Kingdom dressed up as Santa Claus to bring holiday cheer to almost 200 children in Barangay Binduyan.

Garry Folly even brought his own version of Santa's sleigh and elves as he went around the barangay to give gifts and food to the children.

The children expressed their excitement by singing Christmas songs.

According to Folly, dressing up like Santa is his way of sharing joy to the children and giving back to the community.

Folly and his family have been making Christmas Day in Barangay Binduyan special since 2014.

Palawan eyed as eco-tourism hub

By Ben R. Rosario

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – The three congressmen representing Palawan want the province to be declared the country’s ecological tourism capital.

In House Bill 4273, co-authors and Reps. Gil Acosta, Frederic Abueg, and Franz Josef George Alvarez called for more government support in helping Palawan leaders continue programs to sustain ecological protection and improvement programs for the province.

Immediate approval of the HB 4273 or “An Act Declaring the Province of Palawan as the Ecological Tourism Capital of the Philippines” has been sought by the lawmakers and provincial officials.

The bill also proposes the creation of an Eco-Tourism Office that will be administered by the Eco-Tourism board composed of the governor, congressmen representing the three congressional districts of the province; and representatives from the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Tourism, and the private sector.

Palawan, authors said, is an “exotic paradise in Southeast Asia that had been twice voted the world’s best island.

“With crystal clear blue waters, sandy shores, and a phenomenal underwater river, the idyllic Palawan archipelago easily claimed the top spot in Travel and Leisure magazine’s award,” the three lawmakers said in the explanatory notes of the bill.

The Conde Nast Travel and National Geographic Traveler have also given the province the same prestigious title as the best in the world. Palawan is considered the Philippines’ “Last Frontier.”

Ecological awareness is at high level throughout the province. Puerto Princesa City being the capital considers its critical role as a “steward of biodiverse resources and as the active promoter of the balance of its total economy,” Palawan congressmen noted.

Palawan gov orders environment council to check on suspended Citinickel

By Keith Anthony S. Fabro [(PNA), LAP/CARF/KASF/EDS]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Dec. 22 (PNA) –- Governor Jose Alvarez, who chairs the multi-sectoral and inter-disciplinary body Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), has instructed its technical staff to look into allegations that the indefinitely suspended Citinickel Mines and Development Corporation (CMDC) remains operating.

Alvarez particularly ordered PCSD Staff Executive Director Nelson Devanadera to check closely a video submitted by the Palawan NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI) which shows the CMDC still operating in the southern Palawan town of Sofronio Española despite a suspension order issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

In a regular meeting Tuesday, Alvarez told Devanadera to evaluate the video that shows CMDC trucks loaded with earth aggregates and going down to its stockpile area in the said town.

The instruction came after Alvarez gave opportunity for a PNNI representative to narrate what it supposedly found in Sofronio Española.

The governor said that if the technical staff can prove the veracity of the PNNI’s video claim, Devanadera should write CMDC to inform them of the possibility of rescinding their Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) clearance issued by the PCSD.

The CMDC was the subject of a complaint of the PNNI, which recently accused the company of operating despite its indefinite suspension.

In a letter-complaint dated November 28, PNNI executive director Robert Chan claimed that the backhoe of CMDC was caught in photos and on video digging and extracting nickel ore directly from the mountainside “in an apparent bid to pass it off as part of their preset stockpile.

"Validation made by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Region IV-B (DENR-MGB 4B) on November 30, however, attested CMDC’s claim that the activity is part of the mining firm’s rehabilitation of a mined-out area.

Alvarez said that since he became the governor and assumed the chairmanship of the PCSD, he did not even issue a clearance to any mining company in Palawan.

“I want to close them, and then after closing them, I want to do rehabilitation in the areas so, they’ll turn lush again,” he said.

According to company information in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), the CMDC “is a subsidiary of Oriental Peninsula Resources Group, Inc. (ORE), “which is primarily engaged to prospect, explore, locate, acquire, hold, work, develop, lease, operate and exploit mineral lands for chromite, copper, manganese, magnesite, silver, gold and other mineral products.”

Accordingly, CMDC operates in two mining tenements in Palawan, the Pulot Mine and Toronto Mine situated in Sofronio Española and Narra towns.

US destroyer docks in Palawan

By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain arrived in Puerto Princesa yesterday for a brief routine port call.

During the visit, the crew of McCain will participate in a series of community service projects and sporting events in the country.

The McCain is forward deployed to the US Seventh Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia Pacific region.

The Philippines is a longstanding treaty ally of the United States with a more than 70-year history of partnership.

Both the American and Philippine militaries have worked closely together on areas of mutual interest such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counterterrorism, cyber security and maritime security.

Almost 400 scorpions found abandoned at Palawan pier

By Rie Takumi (RT/KBK, GMA News)

Philippine Coast Guard officers have found almost 400 Malay scorpions abandoned at a pier in Taytay, Palawan, Unang Balita reported Tuesday (December 20).

Worth half a million pesos, the scorpions were found in sardine tin cans and plastic containers with holes on top, the report said. The containers were found stacked inside two huge yellow crates.

According to the PCG, the scorpions were about to be brought to Manila before they were abandoned at the pier.

The scorpions have been left in the care of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development while authorities investigate the origin and owner of the scorpions.

BEMAC, Puerto Princesa to pilot electric tricycles

(Manila Standard)

BEMAC Electric Transportation Philippines Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding with the City Government of Puerto Princesa for a pilot operation of two electric tricycles within the city.

BEMAC is giving the e-Trikes to Puerto Princesa for free and shall operate them until the end of 2016. Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron signed the MOU with Yvonne Palomar-Castro, Bemac Electric Transportation Philippines vice president for Sales, Marketing and After Sales.

Puerto Princesa has a history of undertaking projects to promote environmental sustainability and preservation. The United Nations declared the city as a “Biospheric Reserve,” and is acknowledged to be the country’s last ecological frontier.

As early as 2010, Puerto Princesa has been in the vanguard of local government units spearheading the use of electric vehicles, with the deployment of electric jeepneys or e-Jeeps. Six years later, the city continues its initiatives through this collaborative project with BEMAC.

The e-Trike BEMAC model 68VM was designed to meet Japanese standards of quality and reliability, while introducing innovations never seen before in the local EV industry.

BEMAC will also train drivers and operators of e-trikes in Puerto Princesa, and “its assistance in instilling technical expertise with the local government unit will be a strong foundation for any future endeavor of the city with electric vehicles,” the company said in a statement.

“The operation of these e-Trikes will serve as crucial data-gathering for the deployment of [more] e-Trikes in the city, as they will ply strategic routes servicing the commuting public,” BEMAC added.

Both the firm and the city government hope that findings from this data “may be beneficial for the further implementation of more e-Trikes throughout the country.”

PHA raises P800M for Puerto Princesa project

By Keith Richard D. Mariano

PREMIERE HORIZON Alliance Corp. (PHA) said it raised P800 million in a private placement for the development of a mountain and beachside lifestyle community in Puerto Princesa City.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Thursday, the company announced it has completed selling a 15% stake in the project called West Palawan Premiere (WPP) to strategic investors.

PHA, whose ownership in WPP accordingly decreased to 85% after the transaction, unveiled earlier in June the development spanning several destination white sand beaches in the Bacungan-Napsan area in Puerto Princesa.

On Thursday, the listed company also disclosed it has finalized the purchase of an additional five hectares of beach front property in Nagtabon Beach. It is now putting together a tourism development plan for the area.

Nagtabon Beach is 40 minutes away, through cemented national roads, from the Puerto Princesa International Airport, which is expected to open in March 2017, according to PHA.

The WPP project covers 576 hectares. When it announced the project in June, PHA owned 512 hectares in Bacungan and set aside P50 million from the P400 million raised in a placement of exchangeable notes in October 2015 to initially develop the property.

“The full implementation of the WPP Phase 1 plan has already started and more visible developments will be seen by the first quarter of 2017,” PHA noted in the disclosure, with WPP currently identifying road networks within the property.

The company has tapped engineering, consulting and project management service provider AECOM to master plan the project. The blueprint is slated for completion by January next year.

Meanwhile, the environmental scanning and best land use study undertaken by Vertex Land Development management Consultancy, Inc. and Leechiu Property Consultants will be completed this December.

PHA divested its 32% stake in First Ardent Property Development Corp. in March to focus its core businesses toward the countryside. In this light, the company has invested in businesses addressing gaps in mineral resource development, food security, tourism and housing.

In the first nine months, PHA booked a 52% increase in net income to P150.4 million from the P98.8 million recorded for the comparable 2015 period, following a 33% jump in revenues to P879.4 million from P660.1 million.

Shares in the company closed half a centavo or 1.11% higher at 44.5 centavos apiece on Thursday.

Breakwater made of dead corals and rocks earns ire of Palawan NGO

By Keith Anthony S. Fabro [(PNA), LAP/CARF/KASF/EDS]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Dec. 22 (PNA) -- A breakwater built out of dead corals and rocks has enraged a non-government organization (NGO) in this city.

Palawan NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI), a mainstream NGO in the province, is infuriated that the loose stones used to form the foundation for a breakwater on Velasco Island, San Vicente were dead corals.

The said island is owned by Governor Jose Alvarez, who also chairs the multi-sectoral and intergovernmental body Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).

Alleging that the breakwater was made for “tourist purpose,” the NGO described it further as "a snake-like structure, composed of rocks and corals, emerging from" Velasco Island in Barangay Port Barton of the said town.

PNNI executive director Atty. Robert Chan said he made this known to the PCSD through a letter-complaint dated December 7.

Alvarez, during the 230th PCSD meeting on Tuesday, December 20, admitted he owns the said structure on Velasco Island, which he bought from its previous owner, who occupied it for about 30 years.

“I believe it’s not illegal to secure your own property,” said the governor, who is also a business tycoon, explaining further that it was built as a shoreline protection for the said island.

But he clarified it was made of carefully piled limestone and not dead corals as claimed by Chan, whom he said is his fierce critic.

"What he (Chan) is saying is I am using corals, it’s wrong; they’re limestones. If they’re corals, they’re dead corals,” he said.

“If I harvested corals out of the sea and used them, then that’s wrong. But they’re dead corals, and I did not kill those corals,” Alvarez enlightened.

However, NGO representative to the PCSD, Atty. Jansen Jontilla, elucidated that whether it is living or dead corals, it is against the law.

Using corals as material in any structure is prohibited under Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code, which provides a coral ban provision.

Section 96 of the Act states that: “It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation to gather, possess, commercially transport, sell or export ordinary, semi-precious and precious corals, whether raw or in processed form, except for scientific or research purposes. It shall also be unlawful for any person, corporation or entity to commit any activity that damages coral reefs.”

Meanwhile, Chan claimed the project is "bereft" of any permit, such as Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) clearance from the PCSD.

He narrated that it was first chanced upon by PNNI's Community-Based Forest Management Agreement (CBFMA) partners in early October 2016.

"In order to authenticate this report, our network required the reporting community to Geo tag the structure to aid subsequent investigations," he said.

He furthered that the PNNI's letter-complaint came with photo attachments - one is "a close shot revealing the corals used as foundation, and topped with rocks designed to deceive would-be investigators."

It was learned that the PCSD Staff inspected the structure on December 9, however it has yet to release a report as of press time.

Alvarez, meanwhile, challenged Jontilla to visit the area with him to prove that “there are many dead corals” within the vicinity of Velasco Island.

The governor further lambasted Chan for always pointing him out. “My concern here is that if I make a mistake, don’t single me out. What about the poor people, who also do it, are we going to prosecute them all? Okay, prosecute us all,” Alvarez said to Jontilla.

San Vicente, the northern Palawan town where Velasco Island is located in Barangay Port Barton has been described by a television travel show as a “rising paradise” in the province because of its 14.2-kilometer beach front that is now being transformed as a tourist destination, and appealing island getaways.

Specifically, Port Barton is considered a top destination in the municipality, where foreign and domestic guests very often visit.

Weather 101 trainings in Palawan

(Manila Standard Lifestyle)

Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. (PSFI), the social development arm of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, recently organized a series of Weather & Tropical Cyclone 101 trainings conducted by Weather Philippines Foundation in the municipalities of Aborlan and Taytay, and the sitio of Sabang in Palawan.

These supplementary trainings were conducted to educate community residents on handling weather information coming from the Automated Weather Station (AWS) units provided to each municipality of Palawan.

To ensure maximum participation from the municipalities, the trainings were strategically organized to cover the South, North and Central areas. In Aborlan, 133 participants from Española, Narra, Brooke’s Point, and Quezon joined the training. In Taytay, there were total of 130 trainees with residents also coming from Dumaran, Araceli, San Vicente, Roxas, and El Nido. Lastly, in Sabang, a total of 86 community members participated.

The trainees were from different sectors such as agriculture, fishery, tourism, and business; and from different agencies such as the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO), Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Palawan, Western Philippines University (WPU), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP), and Philippine National Police (PNP). Other partners include the Municipal Government of Taytay, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), and Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).

Along with Shell’s campaigns geared toward community concerns such as driver education, fuel efficient driving and saving fuel, conducting the Weather 101 training for the communities have been effective in imparting knowledge on handling data derived from the AWS units considering the effects of global warming and climate change in prevailing weather conditions.

Dr. Lita B. Sopsop, dean of the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Environmental Sciences of WPU emphasized its use for the academe, and the agriculture and fishery sectors. “This training will reinforce our lectures for our students and what we learned here simplifies the impact and use of weather information. For example, since we can now predict when it will rain, for the agriculture sector, we can now know when to plant and harvest rice. This seminar is very helpful and significant to the agriculture and fishery sectors,” she said.

Romy Salvame, Municipal Mayor of Taytay, highlighted its use for disaster preparedness given the reality of climate change, adding that they could use this weather knowledge in creating appropriate preparedness action, and plans in making practical decisions to reduce the impact of weather-related disasters.

The different MDRRMOs also stated that they are developing different strategies for information dissemination on the weather condition to barangays and to their municipal residents. In San Vicente, they conduct 24/7 monitoring of weather information from the AWS, then they distribute the information to the different barangays each day through handset radios. After this training, they are planning to tap their radio station in San Vicente to reach more people.

In his closing remarks, PSFI Program Manager Aquino Veran said, “I hope and anticipate that this training would be of immense help to you, especially the moment you go back to your respective work and municipalities. I hope this would really help you in some way, and that you could share the knowledge you gained from this training so that more people could benefit from this project.”

Batak community patronizes ‘Merits Store’ in Roxas, Palawan

Batak community patronizes ‘Merits Store’ in Roxas, Palawan

By Catherine Santos

The concept of a ‘merits store’ where students can exchange ‘study points’ for school supplies and other products gains more traction in the province as a community of the indigenous group Batak in Sitio Tagnipa, Barangay Tinitian Roxas, Palawan shows more patronage for the project. Launched in 2003 by a religious school focusing on Indigenous People (IP), the ‘Merits Store’ in Roxas, which was conceptualized to encourage students to appreciate the hard work needed in acquiring valuables, has been officially adopted by the Department Education and is now converted into Balaya Paadalan Kat Katutubo Elementary School.

Shyne dela Cruz, alumna and now a teacher in the said school, had the concept broken down for Palawan News: under the Merits Store project, every good deed or good performance in school allows a student to earn corresponding points or merits.The merits serve as ‘money’ in exchange for a certain item from a store provided by the school. For example, a student able to memorize a certain Bible verse will earn 10K points, while a student who showed initiative in doing tasks without being told to do so can get 3K points. These points can then be exchanged for items like pitchers (worth 2K points) or some school supplies (worth 300 points).

“Ang nakakatuwa sa mga bata, karamihan ng binibili nila hindi personal, gamit ng nanay o tatay nila…ganyan,” dela Cruz added.

According to Pastor Ricky dela Cruz, School Administrator and the brain behind the project, they originally launched the store to teach students to appreciate more their school supplies, which were initially given for free. “Noon una kasi, binibigay lang namin lahat. Pero napansin namin, halimbawa sa lapis, tasa lang ng tasa ang mga bata, nasasayang tapos manghihingi uli. Kaya naisip namin na kailangan, paghirapan muna nila,” dela Cruz explained.

A few months after implementing the project dela Cruz said they have observed that the students learned to value their belongings better. “Yun nga napansin namin, kahit pudpod na pudpod na mga lapis nila, tinitipid pa rin nila, kasi masasayang ‘yung mga points o merits na pinaghirapan nila,” the pastor added.

Lynette Cayao, a product of the said school, is now a college student and serves as a cashier in the store.

“Nakakatuwa, kasi dati alam ko ‘yung feeling na excited kami makakuha ng points para makapapalit ng gamit, ngayon ako na yung tumutulong mamahala sa store, hindi ko ma-explain yung feeling basta masaya,” she shared.

Pagbelngen Edilberto Madeja, a Batak tribal leader/elder, expressed delight for the said project, and for the existence of the school in general. “Malaking bagay ito, ang school, nakakatulong kasi para mapanatili ang aming matatandang kultura at kaugalian,”

The school caters to students from Kindergarten to Grade IV, currently numbering to around 42 with most coming from the Batak tribal group.

Those who are interested to support the project and would like to extend some donations may contact Pastor dela Cruz at 09479944051.

Local gov’t inaugurates water system project in El Nido

By Melba P. Daganta

The local government unit of El Nido, spearheaded by Mayor Nieves Rosento, held a blessing and inauguration ceremony for its newest water system project on Friday, December 17.

The water project will be operated by the LGU in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), specifically through the Salintubig program.

Municipal Administrator Rene Jay dela Calzada said in an interview that the Level III water project is expected to start actual water distribution by January or February 2017. Initially, the water project targets to benefit the barangays of Masagana, Maligaya, Buenas Seurte and Corong-corong.

“Nasa proseso kami ngayon ng pag-purchase ng mga meters. Papahiramin muna kami ng water district (Puerto Princesa) ng 500 units para makapagsimula lang kami,” dela Calzada said.

Based on a recent study, the water demand in El Nido rests at around 5,000 cubic meters per day, but as of press time, dela Calzada said the two ground water sources are only capable of producing 2,400 cubic meters per day. “Magso-zoning lang muna talaga o rationing, pero pinag-aaralan pa kung ano ang sistema,” he explained.

Dela Calzada also added that they are targeting surface water in Bgy. Bulalacao in the near future to be able to meet water demand in the town, both for residential and commercial purposes.

Dela Calzada also clarified that they have not yet finalized the water rates. “Hindi pa namin matukoy, pero binabasehan po namin ‘yung sa Puerto Princesa, pero most likely mas mataas konti siguro no, pero hindi muna ako pwede magbigay ng figures,” he said.

DILG already downloaded around PhP 21M for the project and is expected to release another PhP 4M. DOH also shared its financial counterpart for the water system. The Puerto Princesa City Water District, on the other hand, extended technical support to the project.

APO members hold naked run to emphasize call for waste segregation

By Catherine Santos

Fifteen members of the fraternity and sorority group Alpha Phi Omega or APO (Theta Gamma Chapter) in Palawan conducted a naked run, dubbed as the ‘Run of the Valiants’, on Thursday, December 15, at PSU Road in Tiniguiban, Puerto Princesa City, to call for the effective implementation of waste segregation policy in the province, as well as the general protection of the environment.

Laxh Valdez, president of APO members in Palawan State University, said in an interview that their group is calling for the public’s support in abiding by the policy on waste segregation and its implementation.

“Nananawagan kami na sana i-support natin ang solid waste management, City ENRO sa waste segregation,” he said.

Valdez also explained that today’s activity is part of their 91st anniversary celebration tomorrow, December 16.

APO already conducted four times the ‘oblation run’ in Palawan, the latest to assert the country’s ownership over Kalayaan (Spratlys).

Palawan fishermen prepare for reef fishing open season

By Cherry Camacho (ABS-CBN News)

PALAWAN – Fishermen in Palawan are preparing to go reef fishing for food, which will open on December 16.

During the open season, fishermen are allowed to catch groupers with sizes ranging from 32 to 47.5 centimeters.

The second closed season for reef fishing in Palawan started on October 16 and ends Thursday.

During this period, fishermen were not allowed to catch, transport, and sell live and fresh fish as stated in Administrative Order No. 5 implemented by Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).

This policy helps authorities ensure sustainability of the fish population in Palawan, including the red coral grouper or suno, green grouper or loba, and brown marble grouper of laping baboy.

According to PCSD spokesperson Jovic Fabello, implementing seasonal control, such as the open and closed season for fishing, regulates the overexploitation of marine fish species.

Closed seasons prevent people from fishing at certain times of the year.

PCSD, however, admitted that they have been receiving negative reactions because of the implementation of closed and open seasons.

The PCSD will again implement a closed season from June 16 to August 31, 2017.

Establishment of a school-based feeding program in Palawan pushed

By Catherine Santos

As a bid to address the malnutrition problem in Palawan, Board Member Eduardo Modesto Rodriguez, in today’s session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, December 13, proposed a legislation enjoining all local government units to establish a school-based feeding program in the province.

In his sponsorship speech, the legislator emphasized that Palawan is still among the provinces in the MIMAROPA region with high malnutrition cases, despite all the effort of the provincial government to combat the said problem. Rodriguez particularly called for municipalities with high malnutrition prevalence rates to respond to his proposal.

A suspension of the House Rules for the immediate approval of Rodriguez’ proposal was initially floated, but Board Member Ola suggested that instead of suspending the said rules the issue should be thoroughly discussed first at the committee level.

Further, according to Ola, it is better to invite first personnel from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) to know the effectiveness of programs implemented to address the problem. The legislator also added that doing so will help in assessing what further support the legislative body may extend to the PHO.

As of press time, the matter is now being studied under the Committee on Health.

VIVANT-DELTA P gives technical assistance to Palawan National School

By Alliae Alexie Garcia

The Vivant Corporation, in coordination with the Vivant Foundation and Delta P. Inc., has recently awarded Palawan National School, the province’s biggest highschool, with electrical materials and equipment as support for the infrastructure of the school’s K to 12 program. In a program held on Monday, December 12, VIVANT-DELTA P officially turned over the said technical assistance to the school, highlighting the company’s focus on “Empowering the future by providing EIM Education Today.”

Grant Clark, Vivant Assistance, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Shem Jose Garcia, Vivant CSR, Sr. Manager, Vivant Foundation graced the said event.

Palawan National School, in behalf of its students, faculty and members, extended its gratitude to VIVANT- DELTA-P for granting them such assistance, adding that it hopes for the partnership to grow continuously and productively.

'Santa' docks in Palawan on handmade boat

By Chinee Sanchez Palatino (ABS-CBN News)

This American, who sometimes dresses up as Santa Claus to minister to children, is on a mission to sail around the world using only his handmade boat.

Jonathan Selby has been travelling by boat for two years now, trying to get back to home to America. In his every stop, he teaches kids some Christian songs and shares the gospel with them.

He started sailing in 2014 and has been to Singapore, Manila, Leyte, Boracay and Mindoro. His boat is currently docked in Dumaran, Palawan.

Palawan fire protection bureau issues prevention tips this Christmas

By Archie T. Barone [(PNA), LAP/CARF/ATB/EBP]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Dec 12 (PNA) -- Twelve days before Christmas, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Palawan issued Monday several useful tips to keep the annual celebration safe for all Palaweño families.

BFP Senior Inspector Herald Castillo said one of the most important tips is for the public to ensure that the Christmas lights they are using as ornamentation bears the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) certification sticker to avert any possibility of their homes going up in flames.

Castillo said so far, no fire has been recorded by the BFP to have been caused by substandard Christmas lights in this city and the province, and they hope the trend will continue.

Palaweño families should also be reminded that leaving electrical gadgets, such as laptops, on top of their beds while they are plugged for battery charging because the heat can cause fire.

Smoking in bed should be avoided too, especially when the smoker is under the influence of alcohol.

Other tips that Castillo reminded are replacing broken LPG gas hoses, turning off gas valves when the LPG is not in use, unplugging cellphone chargers when batteries are already full, and not leaving candles unattended during power outages.

Castillo said that if a fire happens in any home, get out, stay out, and call for help.

Cuyo wins National Literacy Award anew

By Catherine Santos

For the third time, the municipality of Cuyo in Palawan has been selected as ‘Most Outstanding Local Government Unit’ in the prestigious National Literacy Award, particularly under the Fourth and Fifth Class municipality category. Mayor Andrew Ong, with Vice Mayor Jake Tan, Provincial DepEd Supt Servillano Arzaga and DepEd MIMAROPA Regional Director Lorna Dino received the award in a ceremony held on Thursday, December 8 in Diliman, Quezon City.

The National Literacy Award is a program of the Department of Education through the Literacy Coordinating Council and is held every two years to recognize the effort of organizations or agencies in combating illiteracy in the country. The Outstanding LGU award is given to government units whose environmental policies, programs and projects have direct impact to people in the community.

“Masaya kami. Kasi kahit malayo kami sa city, kaya naming mag-implement ng sustainable na mga proyekto para [sa] edukasyon, para labanan ang illiteracy,” said Ong in an interview.

Cuyo first won the said award in 2012, followed by another win in 2014. According to Ong, they have consistently implemented all the programs they have started since 2012, which included a number of literacy programs. One of the unique projects that scored points in the competition is the “Layag” project, a floating and mobile learning center, which regularly goes to remote island barangays and sitios specifically those with no high schools. In cooperation with other offices, the Layag goes to these hard-to-reach areas so that out-of-school youths (OSYs) and other marginalized sectors can access literacy programs through alternative learning systems or ALS.

For this year, the newest and considered unique among Cuyo’s programs is the ‘PADYAK’ (Partner Agencies Driven for Youth and Adults Knowledge) sharing program, through which the municipal government provides bicycles to students in far-flung areas to encourage them to go to school and study.

The other literacy programs of the municipality include are I-Kalye, Purongitan Festiva;. E-Swekal, Project RAC, Pista I Ang Enasan, Pa-adalSkewela, Oplan Adal Kalsada, Punla, Community E-center, Project Suba, Lakbay-Barangay, Bantay-Dagat Program, Live fish Buhay-buhay isang hanapbuhay and Cultural Literacy. Ong said they have submitted a total of 16 literacy programs for this year, which contributed to them winning the said award.

Supt. Arzaga said that the achievement of Cuyo will serve as inspiration for other local government units to intensify their support to literacy programs in their respective municipalities.

PH local, nat’l government commits to country’s largest ‘critical habitat’ designation in Palawan

(Palawan News)

One of the world’s most critical and irreplaceable areas for unique and threatened wildlife—in addition to the home to the last 200 – 300 members of the indigenous Batak tribe—has received the largest critical habitat designation in the Philippines.

The newly declared Cleopatra’s Needle Critical Habitat, which protects more than 100,000 acres of forest on the lush island of Palawan, is the culmination of a three-year project led by the Centre for Sustainability, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, City Environment and Natural Resources Office of Puerto Princesa and the Batak tribe, with support from Global Wildlife Conservation, Rainforest Trust and the Amphibian Survival Alliance.

“This landmark achievement is a collective effort among government and non-government institutions—government agencies, NGOs, academic bodies, local communities—that have poured their time and resources to see this initiative push through,” said Jessa Garibay, Centre for Sustainability project manager.

“The overwhelming support from the government agencies, in particular, demonstrates their commitment to balancing development with conservation. We laud the commitment to this important cause,” she added.

Of the more than 100,000 acres of land the government has committed to Cleopatra’s Needle Critical Habitat, 17,290 acres came from several barangays (communities of indigenous peoples) that agreed to include the additional acreage from their ancestral lands in the critical habitat designation. Palawan is the last frontier for conservation in the Philippines, boasting half of its original primary forests, which are some of the oldest and most diverse in Southeast Asia. About 85 percent of the long list of mammals and birds that live only in Palawan live in Cleopatra’s Needle Critical Habitat, including the Palawan hornbill, Palawan forest turtle, Palawan bearcat, seven-foot long Palawan monitor lizard, and Palawan pangolin, the critical habitat’s designated mascot.

In a 2015 survey of Palawan, researchers rediscovered two amphibian species thought lost to science for 40-50 years. “There are very few intact places left in the world like Cleopatra’s Needle, which is home to a unique and veritable treasure trove of biodiversity,” said Don Church, GWC president and director of conservation.

“This critical habitat designation is going to help put Palawan on the map as a leader in wildlife conservation and ecotourism, a model we hope inspires the protection of other irreplaceable places throughout the world.”

The last 200 – 300 members of the Batak tribe of hunter-gatherers have played a critical role in the establishment of the new critical habitat, which provides an opportunity for the tribe to build a sustainable livelihood through ecotourism. The Batak tribe have traditionally lived in balance with the forest. But illegal logging, charcoal production, land conversion for agriculture, quarrying, and infrastructure for unsustainable tourism have led to a decline in forest cover and influx of outsiders that has threatened the Batak way of life and the wildlife species the tribe shares its home with. “Palawan’s forests harbor incredible concentrations of endemic and endangered wildlife and are under immense threat from deforestation,” said Paul Salaman, Rainforest Trust CEO.

“This project demonstrates the unique ability of international and local conservation groups to mobilize to protect some of the world’s most critical biodiversity and indigenous peoples.” The Centre for Sustainability has already started training eco-tourism guides to move individuals away from livelihoods that involve resource extraction, forest destruction or wildlife poaching and have launched the Eco-Tourism Livelihood Program Dec. 1. The organization will also be leading the implementation of a forest management plan and, in January of 2017, working with forest enforcement patrols in the critical habitat.

El Nido ranked 6th in TripAdvisor’s top rising destinations

By Azer N. Parrocha [(PNA), JMC/ANP]

MANILA, Dec 9 (PNA) -- The world’s largest travel site TripAdvisor has ranked El Nido in Palawan as sixth top “Destination on the Rise”, the only Southeast Asian country on the list.

El Nido became TripAdvisor’s sixth Travelers’ Choice for the category for being dubbed as the Philippines' last frontier.

TripAdvisor also described the town to be home to “magnificent beaches in an unspoiled setting.”

“Why settle for a beachfront hotel when you can stay right over the ocean in a cottage on stilts? And why settle for any old dive site when you can snorkel in an orchid-walled lagoon?” the TripAdvisor article read.

A rundown of destinations on the rise is as follows:

(1) San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

(2) Whistler, British Columbia

(3) Jericoacoara, Brazil

(4) Kihei, Hawaii

(5) Baku, Azerbaijan

(6) El Nido, Philippines

(7) Eilat, Israel

(8) Las Pamas de Gran Canaria, Spain

(9) Tbilisi, Georgia

(10) Jodhpur, India.

Meanwhile, El Nido’s Nacpan Beach ranked 10th under TripAdvisor’s “Best Beaches in the World” category for its "long coastline, golden sand, beautiful crystal waters and a completely virgin landscape.”

A rundown of best beaches in the world area as follows:

(1) Grace Bay in Providenciaies, Turks and Caicos

(2) Baia do Sancho in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

(3) Playa Paraiso in Cayo Largo, Cuba

(4) Anse Lazio in Praslin Island, Seychelles

(5) Cayo de Agua in Los Roques National Park, Venezuela

(6) Flamenco Beach in Culebra, Puerto Rico

(7) Playa de Ses Illetes in Formentera, Balearic Islands

(8) Ngapali Beach in Ngapali Myanmar

(9) West Bay Beach in West Bay, Honduras

(10) Nacpan Beach in El Nido, Philippines

The Department of Tourism (DOT) meanwhile welcomed El Nido’s recent accolade as an affirmation of the agency’s efforts to create quality destinations.

“We are very happy with the recognition of El Nido as a destination on the rise, especially as this is based on the unbiased reviews and opinions submitted by TripAdvisor users all over the world,” DOT said in a statement.

“The initiatives to enhance tourist experience is reinforced by recognitions like this,” the agency further said.

DOT meanwhile expressed hope that more destinations throughout the Philippines would make the best choices for the travelers.

In 2015, El Nido was the top destination in the 20 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World according to US travel magazine Conde Naste.

Palawan has also consistently reaped awards such as being recognized as Conde Naste’s Best Island in the World list in 2014 and 2015.

TripAdvisor’s 2016 Travelers' Choice ranks hotels, all-inclusive resorts, destinations, destinations on the rise, beaches, islands, landmarks, attractions, museums, and restaurants.

Various IPs’ costumes in BIMP-EAGA on display at Palawan Heritage Center

By Celeste Anna R. Formoso [(PNA), LAP/CARF/EDS]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY (PNA) –- Colorful attires and traditional garbs from indigenous peoples’ (IP) dwelling in countries that compose the BIMP-East Asean Growth Area (EAGA) are currently on display at the Palawan Heritage Center (PHC) as part of the “Budayaw” textile exhibit.

Budayaw, an exhibit of traditional costumes made of special textiles of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines (BIMP)-EAGA, has a collection of traditional dresses from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in cooperation with the embassies of the member countries, PHC chief Mary Rose Caabay said Wednesday.

Caabay said Budayaw is a project under the BIMP-EAGA, where traditional costumes are put on display to increase knowledge about the member countries’ unique history and culture.

Adelina Suemith, chief of the Program Monitoring Evaluation Division of the NCCA also said Wednesday that the exhibit is one of the “strategic pillars” of the member countries that is included in the Socio-Cultural and Education Program.

“We launched this in Palawan to strengthen the socio-cultural relationship among the member countries, as well as business and tourism,” Suemith said.

Budayaw came from the Indonesian word “budaya,” which means “culture;” and the Filipino word “dayaw,” which means “celebration” or “festivity.”

Put together, Budayaw means “celebration of culture,” explained Caabay. The exhibit is open at the PHC from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.

All students from elementary to college in Puerto Princesa may enter the PHC and view the exhibit free of charge.

Palawan targets 2 M tourists in 2017

By Mary Grace Padin (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines – Palawan tourism stakeholders are confident tourist arrivals will increase by as much as two million next year with the expected opening of the Puerto Princesa International Airport and other gateways in the province.

In an interview with The STAR, Debbie Tan, president of the Palawan Tourism Council, said industry players in the province are anticipating the opening of the international airport in Puerto Princesa City in the first quarter of next year.

“We’re optimistic that tourist arrivals will increase with the opening of the Puerto Princesa International Airport. We are targeting two million arrivals in 2017,” Tan said in a phone interview.

But aside from the gateway, Tan said the growth would also come from the opening of the San Vicente Airport, which is targeted in the second quarter of next year, as well as the improvement of the Busuanga Airport in Coron, Palawan. Close Ad X

To gear up for the expected surge in tourists, Tan said the private sector in Palawan has started to invest more in hotels and accommodation facilities.

“A lot of properties have been opening up in preparation for the entry of tourists,” Tan said.

However, Tan said most of the new hotels were small with only 100 rooms.

She admitted the province still lacked investors who are willing to infuse big investments to open hotels with 300 to 500 rooms.

The Palawan Tourism Council, for its part, is also developing new destinations, activities and tour packages within the province.

In 2015, about one million tourists visited the province of Palawan. For Puerto Princesa, alone, around 820,000 tourists stayed overnight.

In an earlier interview, Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron said he expected tourist arrivals in the city to jump to 1.5 million in 2017 due to the opening of its international airport.

He said the airport, once operational, would be positioned as one of the gateways of the Philippines to Asia.

“Next year, when the airport opens, and we solve the traffic problem, I think it would not be hard to attain 1.5 million visitors next year,” the official said.

Sea turtle from Malaysia reaches Puerto Princesa

By Chinee Sanchez Palatino (CSP, ABS-CBN News)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan - A huge Green Sea Turtle was found stranded in a fish trap in one of the villages here, Tuesday.

Residents who discovered the sea turtle immediately coordinated with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) to ensure that the turtle will be properly rescued and released back into the wild.

The Wildlife Traffic and Monitoring Unit of PCSD identified the animal as an adult male Green Sea Turtle that is four-feet long and three-feet wide. Based on their estimate the turtle weighs between 80 and 100 kilograms.

The sea turtle's tag showed that the turtle came from the Turtle Islands Park in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia.

The government intends to bring the sea turtle to Honda Bay where it will be released back into the wild.

Green Sea Turtles are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as people poach their eggs and kill them for their meat and fat that are used as exotic stew ingredients in some countries.

HIV awareness in Puerto Princesa takes higher level, says advocates

By Catherine Santos

The level of awareness and “acceptance” among people living with HIV (PLHIV) and HIV/AIDS-related conditions in general has increased, said Joshua Adam Nuyda, Area Coordinator, Save The Children.

In relation to World AIDS Day celebration Thursday, December 1, Nuyda said that the support group for PLHIV have already been established thru partnerships among the City Health Office, Ospital ng Palawan’s Redtop Center and Save The Children.

“They [PLHIV] have not publicly disclose it, but at least among themselves magkakakilala na sila, mas naiintindihan nila ang pinagdadanan nila like if they are already adhere to taking anti-retro viral [drugs], ganyan,” Nuyda explained.

Nuyda also pointed out that no one said yet if they are already willing to “come out” but the establishment of support groups is already a good start. He, however, explained that PLHIV entitles confidentiality and coming out to advocate for HIV prevention is definitely a patient’s personal choice.

Relatedly, with the hashtag SAVESEXY, the City Health Office, Save The Children, DOH, RedTop center and volunteers for the HIV/AIDS awareness have conducted interactive campaigns at three pit stops namely NCCC Mall, Mendoza Park and Western Philippines University in Puerto Princesa, in connection with worldwide AIDS Day on December 1.

Aside from students and young professionals from all walks of life, some celebrity HIV awareness advocates, which included Sanya Smith, Orion Tamayo, Katarina Rodriguez, Jay Gonzaga, Daiana Meneses, Charlie Sutchliffe and Nicole Asensio, also helped in conducting the #SaveSexy event in Puerto Princesa.

Both local and celebrity HIV ambassadors committed themselves to reach out more people to encourage them to know their status, be tested, and be healthy as they redefine the word “sexy.”

Palawan’s Wildlife Receives Protection in Philippines’ Largest Critical Habitat Designation

(Global Wildlife Conservation)

One of the world’s most critical and irreplaceable areas for unique and threatened wildlife—in addition to the home to the last 200 – 300 members of the indigenous Batak tribe—has received the largest critical habitat designation in the Philippines.

The newly declared Cleopatra’s Needle Critical Habitat, which protects more than 100,000 acres of forest on the lush island of Palawan, is the culmination of a three-year project led by the Centre for Sustainability, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, City Environment and Natural Resources Office of Puerto Princesa and the Batak tribe, with support from Global Wildlife Conservation, Rainforest Trust and the Amphibian Survival Alliance. The project is also receiving generous support from Andrew Sabin and the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation, Sangreal Foundation and Fund II Foundation.

“This landmark achievement is a collective effort among government and non-government institutions—government agencies, NGOs, academic bodies, local communities—that have poured their time and resources to see this initiative push through,” said Jessa Garibay, Centre for Sustainability project manager. “The overwhelming support from the government agencies, in particular, demonstrates their commitment to balancing development with conservation. We laud the commitment to this important cause.”

Of the more than 100,000 acres of land the government has committed to Cleopatra’s Needle Critical Habitat, 17,290 acres came from several barangays (communities of indigenous peoples) that agreed to include the additional acreage from their ancestral lands in the critical habitat designation.

Palawan is the last frontier for conservation in the Philippines, boasting half of its original primary forests, which are some of the oldest and most diverse in Southeast Asia. About 85 percent of the long list of mammals and birds that live only in Palawan live in Cleopatra’s Needle Critical Habitat. Its wildlife residents include include the Palawan Hornbill, Palawan Forest Turtle, Palawan Bearcat, seven-foot long Palawan Monitor Lizard, and Palawan Pangolin, the critical habitat’s designated mascot. In a 2015 survey of Palawan, researchers re-discovered two amphibian species thought lost to science for 40-50 years.

“There are very few intact places left in the world like Cleopatra’s Needle, which is home to a unique and veritable treasure trove of biodiversity,” said Don Church, GWC president and director of conservation. “This critical habitat designation is going to help put Palawan on the map as a leader in wildlife conservation and ecotourism, a model we hope inspires the protection of other irreplaceable places throughout the world.”

In 2015, officials confiscated nearly 4,000 Critically Endangered Palawan Forest Turtles from a smuggling ring on Palawan, destined for the pet trade. Thanks to the swift work of the Katala Foundation and Turtle Conservancy, almost 90 percent of those confiscated animals were returned safely to the wild.

The last 200 – 300 members of the Batak tribe of hunter-gatherers have played a critical role in the establishment of the new critical habitat, which provides an opportunity for the tribe to build a sustainable livelihood through ecotourism. The Batak tribe have traditionally lived in balance with the forest. But illegal logging, charcoal production, land conversion for agriculture, quarrying, and infrastructure for unsustainable tourism have led to a decline in forest cover and influx of outsiders that has threatened the Batak way of life and the wildlife species the tribe shares its home with.

“Palawan’s forests harbor incredible concentrations of endemic and endangered wildlife and are under immense threat from deforestation,” said Paul Salaman, Rainforest Trust CEO. “This project demonstrates the unique ability of international and local conservation groups to mobilize to protect some of the world’s most critical biodiversity and indigenous peoples.”

The Centre for Sustainability has already started training eco-tourism guides to move individuals away from livelihoods that involve resource extraction, forest destruction or wildlife poaching and will launch the Eco-Tourism Livelihood Program Dec. 1. The organization will also be leading the implementation of a forest management plan and, in January of 2017, working with forest enforcement patrols in the critical habitat.

PH assumes chairmanship of BIMP-EAGA

By Catherine Santos

The Phillipines have officially took over the chairmanship of the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) durng the 25th Senior Officials meeting held in Palawan, November 27-29, 2016.

The country’s senior official to the BIMP-EAGA, Arturo Boncato Jr, who also serves as an Assistant Secretary in the Department of Trade and Industry, accepted the responsibility from Malaysian Senior Official Dato’ Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid. The turn-over of responsibility commenced the year-long chairmanship of the Philippines to all EAGA-related activities.

“It is a challenge and opportunity for the Philippines to take this chairmanship during the pilot year of the implementation of BEV 2015 [BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025,” Boncato said.

BEV 2015 aims to shape EAGA’s future as a more relevant sub-grouping that is fully integrated into the ASEAN Economic Community.

“I hope the Philippines will look into the progress with our partners and continue the good relationship that we have managed to establish,” said Abdul Majid.

The Philippine chairmanship of the subregion coincides with the country’s chairmanship of the ASEAN in 2017, which is also the 50th founding anniversary of the 10-member regional bloc.

The BIMP-EAGA was organized in 1994 as a sub-regional cooperation primarily intended to spur development in the lagging sub-economies of the member countries by enhancing trade, tourism, and investments. Mindanao and Palawan are the two focus areas of the Philippines in the sub-regional grouping.

Health dept conducts tests in Palawan's malaria-stricken IP communities

(PNA), CVL/DOH-MIMAROPA-PR/LSJ/EDS

MANILA, Dec. 1 (PNA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) in the MIMAROPA region, together with provincial and local health officials, has conducted anti-malaria activities among indigenous communities in Palawan province following a spike in the incidence of the disease in one of its municipalities.

The anti-malaria activities were done in Sitio Cabangaan, Barangay Imulnod, Brooke’s Point, Palawan as Malaria Awareness Day was celebrated last Nov. 29, the DOH said in a release issued Thursday.

The anti-malaria activities during the one-day event included blood smear test, Rapid Diagnostic Test, Immunochromatographic Test for Filariasis, and deworming. Long-lasting insecticide nets were also given to 1,000 families. Garantisadong Pambata T-shirts were distributed to children and hygiene kits to every head of the family.

MIMAROPA consists of the island provinces of Oriental/Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan.

“Malaria must be diagnosed and treated promptly to keep the illness from progressing and prevent further spread of infection in the community. The regional office continues its massive malaria prevention and control, such as the continuing misting/spraying complemented with indoor residual spraying and clearing operations in endemic areas, in cooperation with LGUs, to significantly reduce the spread of cases,” said DOH Regional Director Eduardo Janairo.

Janairo urged everyone, especially those in areas where malaria is endemic, to submit themselves for blood tests to confirm their status and provide timely care and treatment.

“Malaria is everyone’s responsibility and the cooperation of every member of the community is vital in elimination efforts,” he added.

According to the DOH-MIMAROPA Regional Epidemiological Unit (RESU), from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31 this year, malaria cases in Brooke’s Point reached 1,275, up 17 percent compared to 1,092 cases in the same period last year.

The barangays with the highest number of cases were Imulnod with 386; Mainit (153); Aribungos (139); Amas (132); and Salogon (99).

In Palawan, a total of 5,068 confirmed cases were recorded from Jan. 1 to Oct. 30, and the top five municipalities with malaria cases were Rizal, Brooke’s Point, Bataraza, Balabac and Quezon.

Malaria, the ninth leading cause of death in the country, is caused by a parasite called plasmodium which is transmitted by the anopheles mosquito that thrives in hard-to-reach areas such as hills, mountains and coastal areas. Malaria transmission is perennial and is usually higher during the rainy season.

High-risk groups include upland farmers, forest workers, indigenous people and settlers in mountainous areas, such as migrant agricultural workers; and children below five years old and women.

The increase in malaria cases was attributed to insufficient knowledge about the disease, shortage of Random Drug Tests, itinerant habits of the IPs, wrong beliefs and customs about the disease, and poverty.

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