Palawan News January 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

DOH, PPC local aids council members develops roadmap for HIV prevention and control for Palawan

(PNA), FFC/LSJ/PR

MANILA (PNA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) – MIMAROPA (Oriental/Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) together with various members of the Local AIDS Council headed by local officials of Puerto Princesa City (PPC), Palawan said Friday that they had consolidated and established a sustainable program that will provide and implement quality HIV and AIDS program and services in the city during a recent two-day workshop activity held in Puerto Princesa City.

“A viable response system with coherent and collective approach at the local level for the prevention and control of the increasing HIV/AIDS infection in Palawan, particularly in PPC must be ensured to combat the spread of the disease in the community,” Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo said.

“The impact of HIVAIDS in the province will continue to increase and we need a coherent strategy that will bring together leaders of all sectors of the community, service providers and welfare organizations to prevent the spread of the disease and to provide care for people living with HIV and AIDS and their families," he added.

The workshop has developed a local AIDS response program for members of the council by recognizing their roles and responsibilities in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.

“Everyone must be involved - civil society, local government agencies, schools, churches and make sure that everyone works together to combat its spread through prevention and health education, care and support, treatment and care for children affected by the disease,” Janairo said.

The PPC Local AIDS Council was created through Ordinance No. 620 in August 2014 authored by City Councilor Roy Ventura. It is mandated to craft and recommend policies, propose budget requirements for the implementation of projects, programs and initiatives.

According to the August 2015 HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP), more 18-24 years old are getting HIV in Palawan Province. The basic knowledge on HIV is very low, especially below 25 years old. The start of initiation to sex is as early as 15 years old, first anal sex at 16 yo, first condom use at 17 yo and first HIV test at 21 yo.

From among the diagnosed HIV cases in the province of Palawan, Puerto Princesa City tops the list with 63 percent; municipality of Narra with 7 percent; Roxas 5 percent; with Taytay 4 percent; and the rest of the province with 18 percent.

Among the causes of new HIV infections are male to male sex with 44 percent, males who have sex with both males and females with 42 percent and male to female sex with 15 percent.

POEA to set-up a field office in Palawan?

By Jumong Ustares

The Provincial Board of Palawan finds it necessary and beneficial if the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration could establish a field office in the province considering the increasing number of overseas workers whose families are based in Palawan.

In a resolution approved recently by the provincial board authored by Board Member Eduardo Modesto V. Rodriguez, it is requesting Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz through POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac to set up a field office in Palawan.

This is to ease up the processing of documents of Palaweños planning to work abroad particularly in securing the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) which is currently being processed in Manila.

DSWD-MIMAROPA conducts hands-on training on food processing tech in Palawan town

(PNA), FFC/CARF/EDS

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 29 (PNA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-MIMAROPA in cooperation with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the local government of Cuyo, Palawan announced Thursday the completion of the three-day hands-on Training on Food Processing Technology for a Nutritious Economy Menu to beneficiaries.

Jason Eco Oliverio of the Social Marketing Unit of DSWD-MIMAROPA said the three-day training which ended Thursday had 120 residents, who participated, from 17 barangays in Cuyo town in southern Palawan.

The skills training is part of the social welfare department’s disaster rehabilitation effort in restoring livelihoods and helping people rebuild their lives from the destruction of super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

The DSWD-Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) provided starter kits, including cooking kits and ingredients to attendees amounting to PHP282,210.

The SLP is a community-based capacity-building program that seeks to improve the socio-economic status of the participants, he explained.

It is implemented using the Community-Driven Enterprise Development (CDED) approach, which enables participants to contribute to production and labor markets by looking at available resources and accessible markets.

The DSWD-MIMAROPA and its partners hope that after the three-day training, the participants would be able to use what they have learned to finally begin the process of gaining what they have lost during the onslaught of Yolanda.

23,000 Palaweños now registered as PhilHealth beneficiaries

By Jesus M. Ustares [(PNA), LAP/CARF/JMU/EBP]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) -- The number of beneficiaries enrolled by the Palawan provincial government to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for the years 2014 and 2015 has reached 23,000 residents, according to a data by the Pangkalusugan Para sa Pamilyang Palawenyo (KALINGAPPP).

Maridel Gajardo, senior administrative assistant of the provincial government, said Wednesday that the Health and Other Social Services (HOSS) is prioritizing to enroll them to PhilHealth free of charge, especially those who are confined in hospitals since they can immediately avail discounts.

Gajardo said their priority is based on the fact that regularly enrolled members have to wait until they can avail of the PhilHealth discount.

Gajardo is encouraging families that have relatives who are confined in hospitals to get in touch with them at the Provincial Capitol to enroll them in PhilHealth.

If the prospective beneficiary is in a distant location, all that must be done is to go to Southern Provincial Hospital, Northern Provincial Hospital, Coron Hospital and Aborlan Hospital to process the membership on their own since these institutions are authorized by PhilHealth.

This year, she said they expect to enroll more to PhilHealth, since it is one of the goals of the administration of Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez.

She furthered that the objective is that each family is enrolled in PhilHealth in 23 municipalities of the province.

Centre for Sustainability, gov’t agencies push for sustainable farming of groupers

(Palawan News)

As demand for grouper (lapu-lapu) in China is increasing, there is a need to ensure a sustainable source of live fish that will not deplete the volume of supply in the wild thus the Centre for Sustainability and other government agencies are pushing for good aquaculture practice.

The price of grouper is high when sold alive. In order to catch live fish from the coral reef, fishermen regularly use illegal fishing methods and this has a big impact on the health and productivity of coral reefs according to CFS.

An increasing number of fishermen catch undersize grouper, which they use for grow-out purposes. This means that less and less groupers reach maturity to breed and multiply. This has resulted to strong decline in the number of wild grouper and other important fish species.

CFS is an educational organization which bring academic and industry expertise to the wider community by providing sustainability education and training programs for individuals, organizations and communities.

CFS has constructed a nonprofit grouper hatchery and nursery facility in Palawan. It is working hand in hand with a number of partners including the City Government of Puerto Princesa, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development and BFAR. In their state of the art facility in Bgy. Sta. Lucia, Puerto Princesa, different species of grouper fingerlings are produced and dispersed at cost price to small-scale grouper farmers throughout Palawan.

As part of the endeavor to increase the sustainability of the grouper farming sector in the province, the agriculture office of Taytay town has teamed up with PCSD and CFS to organize a series of trainings to grouper farmers.

With an aim to improve the sustainability and profitability of grouper farming practices, a training was held recently in the town of Taytay with 30 farmers from different grouper farming cooperatives.

The two-day training was led by Municipal Aquaculturist Hedilisa D. Pacionela and Municipal Agriculturist Gaspar L. Pacionela. It was supported by the local government of Taytay through Vice-Mayor Christian V. Rodriguez.

The main speaker for the event was Palaweño Al Gonzales, a grouper hatchery and grow-out expert with experience in the Philippines and in numerous countries aboard who is now managing the Centre for Sustainability hatchery.

As the training course was received so well by local fish farmers, the organizers plan to organize more of such events in the future and the next training is already planned for fishermen from Balabac. Ultimately the organizers are hoping to create a truly sustainable aquaculture industry in Palawan that has the potential to lift thousands of coastal residents out of poverty.

Aside from CFS, LGU of Taytay and government agencies, the Interchurch Cooperative for Development Cooperation (ICCO) also supported the activity by providing financial support.

Palawan PDRRMO ready for long-term effects of El Niño

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

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 26 (PNA) -- The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) is prepared to provide support to farmers in Palawan, who will be affected by the El Niño long dry spell.

PDRRMO Chief Gilbert Baaco said over the weekend that the PDRRMO has readied PHP10 million to support farmers and families that will be affected by the El Niño phenomenon, particularly if a state of calamity is declared.

“We have PHP5 million for southern Palawan, and at the same time, we also have PHP5 million for northern Palawan in preparation for the El Niño. So far, we’re already experiencing the effect, and we are prepared anytime,” Baaco said.

Despite not receiving any report from farmers in the municipalities, the PDRRMO chief said the ill effects of the warm phase are descending on them, affecting farm crops, especially rice and vegetable crops.

“If we’re talking about the hotness of the weather that we are feeling right now, it’s even warmer in other provinces,” he said.

Baaco added that it’s not only the PDRRMO that set aside funds. Each municipality also prepared a 5-percent calamity fund for the El Niño.

He said too, that if farm fields are affected, families can, for the meantime, try the farming of seaweeds (tambalang) that the provincial government is supporting as an alternative livelihood.

SLP beneficiaries trained on mudcrab project in Busuanga

(PNA),FPV/PR/EBP

BUSUANGA, Palawan, Jan. 25 (PNA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MiMaRoPa thru the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) conducted Skills Training on Mudcrab Fattening and Culturing Project for about 100 beneficiaries in barangays Sto. Nino, Sagrada, Quezon and Old Busuanga.

DSWD has allocated Php754,000.00 under the SLP Post Yolanda Recovery and Rehabilitation Program (YRRP), to give livelihood support to Super Typhoon Yolanda affected communities.

Mudcrab pens are also constructed in mangrove areas in the municipality in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

SLP, a community-based capacity-building program that seeks to improve the socio-economic status of its participants, is implemented using the Community-Driven Enterprise Development approach which enables participants to contribute to production and labor markets by looking at available resources and accessible markets.

NFA assures Palaweños of enough rice supply amidst striking El Niño phenomenon

By Celeste Anna R. Formoso [(PNA), PGL/CARF/RSM]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY (PNA) -– The National Food Authority (NFA)on Thursday admitted that Palawan is beginning to really feel the effects of the El Niño phenomenon on the production of rice and other farm crops.

However, NFA-Palawan assistant provincial director Lilibeth Ignacio assured residents in local media interviews that they have nothing to worry about because they are on top of the situation.

“The biggest effect of the El Niño is on the rice yield… the average yield of the farmers will, of course, fall because of lack of needed irrigation on their rice fields. If we cannot produce palay, we cannot produce rice. That’s usually the problem during El Niño,” Ignacio said, adding most rice farmers only depend on the rain to supply their farms with water.

Ignacio explained that long before the phenomenon was felt, they have been implementing measures to coordinate for rice supplies from other provinces in the MIMAROPA region.

As of current, there are 84,000 sacks of rice stored in NFA warehouses in Palawan, and Ignacio said these can cover the need for one month.

“Even though the forecast of PAGASA is that there will be a long dry spell in Palawan, or drought as they categorized, we assure everybody that we have enough stocks. Let us not worry because even if palay production falls, the NFA is here and we will see to it that we will not run out of combined palay and rice supply enough to last for 29 days,” she said.

She assured further that they are also continuously monitoring stocks in their warehouses to ensure that there will be enough supply.

The assurance came as rice vendors and even consumers expressed worry over the long dry spell that is already being felt.

Rice vendor Geraldine Baguyo said that although there still seems to be supply, they can’t help but feel it getting scarce as each day comes.

“The supply is still good these days but our suppliers are beginning to increase prices as they too, said there is now an impending deficiency. When the prices are high, we are also forced to raise our prices per kilo,” she said.

In Puerto Princesa, the city government has created the Task Force El Niño to prepare to respond to any needs the whole dry season. It will coordinate with other offices to be able to accomplish measures.

The Puerto Princesa City Water District (PPCWD), on the other hand, said that if the long dry spell pursues, it might resort to water rationing.

Nido Petroleum Q4 net production up by 103.5% from Q3

By Juzel L. Danganan [(PNA), LGI/JLD]

MANILA (PNA) -- The net production of Nido Petroleum Ltd. from its interest in the Galoc, Nido and Matinloc blocks for the fourth quarter of 2015 jumped by 103.5 percent from the third quarter of 2015.

In a disclosure from the Australian bourse, the company bared its netted barrels from the Galoc, Nido and Matinloc oil fields increased to 409,112 barrels during the fourth quarter of 2015 from 201,003 barrels for the third quarter of 2015.

Its netted barrels from the Galoc oil field totalled 399,539 barrels for the fourth quarter, compared to the previous 194,414 barrels during the third quarter.

For its interest in the Nido and Matinloc oil fields, however, the production also improved from 6,589 barrels for the third quarter to 9,573 barrels during the last quarter of 2015.

Nido's sales, on the other hand, fell to US$ 8.8 million from US$ 21.38 million for the third quarter. It was mainly earned from Galoc's production, namely Cargo 48 and 49.

Cargo 48 was sold for US$ 47.04 per barrel to Singapore Petroleum Co. It was lifted on Oct 10, 2015.

The company also said Cargo 49 added to its earnings, despite at a lower price of US$ 37.59 per barrel to Thai Oil Public Co. Ltd in Thailand. The payment was received in January 2016.

However, Nido Petroleum bared it had not received cash receipts from the Nido and Matinloc oil fields for the fourth quarter.

The oil and gas firm also reported it ended the quarter with cash on hand of US$ 17.5 million and an outstanding debt of US$ 88.2 million.

Overall, the production from the Galoc oil field totalled 525,024 barrels for the fourth quarter, while the Nido and Matinloc oil fields had a production of 36,109 barrels.

The Galoc, Nido and Matinloc oil fields are located along the Palawan basin.

Nido Petroleum Limited is an Australian-listed company, engaged in oil and gas exploration and production projects in the Philippines and Indonesia.

Nido has invested in eight service contracts in the Philippines, holding and dominating shares in three of the service contracts.

38 hatchlings of endangered olive ridley sea turtles released in Puerto Princesa

By Celeste Anna R. Formoso [(PNA), RMA/CARF/RSM]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 22 (PNA) -- The Pawikan Conservation Project (PCP) in this city released Wednesday around 38 hatchlings of the endangered olive ridley sea turtles as part of its conservation efforts in Palawan.

Bon Tobias of PCP said in a local television interview Thursday that the release of the endangered sea turtle hatchlings in Barangay Simpucan on the west coast of Puerto Princesa was backed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of its forest, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems conservation efforts.

The olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a medium-sized species of sea turtle found in warm and tropical waters.

The sea turtle species is most known for its behavior of synchronized nesting in mass numbers.

“This species of sea turtle is actually very rarely seen now in Palawan,” said Vivian Soriano of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), who joined the afternoon release of the hatchlings in Simpucan.

The time of release in the ocean, she explained, was because the hatchlings were sensitive to extreme sun heat. It is also a strategy for the hatchlings not to be immediately detected by predators as only one in a 100 usually survives.

“The category of the olive ridley sea turtle is endangered that is why we need to conserve and protect them, or we will lose the species from our seas,” she said.

In the west coast, the PCP is monitoring at least 17 nesting areas of the olive ridley sea turtles with currently 1,000 eggs that need to be protected until they hatch.

El Nido, Palawan: Tips for the budget traveler

By Mark-Anthony Villaflor (Rappler.com)
Traveler Mark Villaflor and his wife Camille have packed up and moved to El Nido, Palawan. Here are his top tips for your budget trip to the beautiful island paradise

Of course, many of us have grown up with a negative misconception that vacationing in certain corners of our beautiful country isn’t doable. However, with the growing scene of backpackers and DIY travelers we are discovering that it is not only possible to travel to places, but possible to do so on a tight budget.

Slices of paradise we’re hearing about on travel blogs, magazines, and social media channels are within our reach.

Our focus today: El Nido, Palawan, a haven for 5-star island resorts and a town proper mixed with budget digs and moderately priced hotels.

For those with a smaller budget the sections below breakdown your options:

Getting there

You’re likely going to roll into Palawan via Puerto Princesa. From there walk two minutes out of the airport to the street and flag down a P50 tricycle to the bus terminal.

There are two bus companies, Cherry and Roro, that leave the bus terminal each hour for the 6-hour ride to El Nido. You can take a regular bus (P280) or an air-conditioned bus (P380).

Alternatively, you can get a van shuttle for P400 and save yourself an hour on the journey.

Tip: If you go to the bus terminal, you can negotiate your fare lower as van shuttles and buses are competing to fill up seats and leave.

Accommodations

Once you arrive, walk towards the street and then flag down a tricycle (P10 per person per way) towards town.

A few options about where to stay:

Check into OMP Hostel (P350 per person, including breakfast). In October 2015 I checked into El Taraw Inn for 400-500 php good for two people without breakfast. Both options were in El Nido town which can be a bit congested and noisy.

You can find rooms for P1000 - P1500 and might be able to squeeze in 4 people on two double beds. The Birdhouse, our glamping hotel (disclosure: this is a project of the author and his wife), is opening in the next few months and will have P2000 options for up to 4 people.

Orange Pearl Resort offers beachfront rooms but the bargain with them is in their tents. During 100% occupancy they rent out tents for people willing to sleep under the stars in front of the crashing ocean. These two options are located at Marimegmeg Beach.

Tip: Go directly to hotel’s websites and Facebook pages and contact the hotels directly. Many agents and online booking services get a 10-25% commission.

Island-hopping Tours

The standard tour price is P1200-1400 plus 200 for the environmental fee (good for 10 days). Alternatively, negotiate your own private banca ({2500-3000 Tour A/D; P3000-4000 Tour B/C) good for 6-8 passengers.

That averages to about P315-500 per person assuming you get 8 passengers on your boat. Keep in mind this doesn’t include any food. In preparation for your tour, pitch in P100 each and buy some fresh fish from any of the local fisherman or from the public market located across the bus terminal.

These are the tour options:

•Tour A: Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Simizu Island, Secret Lagoon and 7 Commandos Beach
•Tour B: Entalula Island, Pinagbuyutan Island, Snake Island, Cudugnon Cave and Cathedral Cave
•Tour C: Hidden Beach, Helicopter Island, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine and Star Beach
•Tour D: Bukal Island, Ipil Beach, Nat-Nat Beach, Cadlao Lagoon and Paradise Beach
Land Tours

If you're looking at discovering some of the mainland beaches you can hire a tricycle for as cheap as P1000-P1500 for the entire day, good for 4 people. Our recommendation would be to go to Nacpan Beach in the morning, do a hike up on the hill at the end of the beach for spectacular views of the twin beaches.

Come back to town for a cheap lunch and then have your driver take you to Marimegmeg Beach (Las Cabanas) for the rest of the day and walk down the beach for sunset.

Tip: For swimming, opt for Marimegmeg Beach rather than Nacpan as there’s a strong rip tide/current.

Kayak Tours

Kayak rentals start at P300 for half day or P500 for the entire day. From the town proper you can make your way to Cadlao Island (Bukal Beach or Pasandigan Beach) or Ipil Beach in about an hour.

From the Corong Corong area you can visit 7 Commandos Beach and Papaya Beach. If you go early in the day you’ll likely have some of these beaches to yourself as tours usually park themselves closer to town near the end of the day.

Tip: Ask for snorkel gear to be included or at least discounted.

El Nido on a budget

For a busy 3 days and two nights you can spend around P5000 per person with activities each day exploring the El Nido area:

Here's a sample itinerary for 3D/2N:

•Airfare: on a Cebu Pacific or Air Asia promo= P1500
•Bus round trip: {280 x 2 ways = P560
•Island Hopping Tour: P500
•Land Tour: P1000/4 people= P250
•Kayak: P600 full day/2 people= P300
•Food: P100 meal x 3 days x 3 meals= P900
•Lodging: 2 nights x P500 = P1000

Total: P5010

El Nido, once a sleepy town, has waken up to a huge boom in tourism. In the recent past El Nido was synonymous to a playground for the wealthy to vacation on private island resorts.

Things are changing and the backpacking scene is growing in the noisy, cramped town. These alternatives to the luxury hideaways are creating a huge market for the frugal to come in and island hop past the private islands and onto gorgeous beaches. However, with the increase of accolades El Nido and Palawan in general are receiving the best time to go is now. The prices increases are steadily happening and with the rush in development the charm may wear off.

Over 4,000 senior citizens in Palawan benefit from Local Social Pension

(PNA), FFC/CARF/EDS

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 20 (PNA) -- More than 4,000 senior citizens have received their local social pension (LSP) from January to June 2015 from the Palawan government.

Helen Bundal of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) said the number represents 22 of 23 municipalities with only senior citizens from the island town of Cagayancillo waiting to receive their pension.

Admitting the delay in the release of the senior citizens LSP's from Cagayancillo, Bundal assured these will be distributed in February to include those for July to December 2015.

The provincial government’s LSP program allotted PHP17-million for 2015, which is higher by PHP2-million from 2014 of PHP15-million.

She explained that each beneficiary undergoes examination by the PSWDO, the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) and the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs or OSCA.

The implementation of the social pension for indigent senior citizens is under Resolution 11305-2014 passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in 2014.

Under the resolution, each verified beneficiary will receive PHP250 every month as stipulated in Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

The Act orders all local government units (LGUs) to provide monthly pension to indigent senior citizens that can help defray medicine expenses.

Bundal added that senior citizens who have not yet avail of the program may get in touch with their office at the Provincial Capitol Building.

DOH, DepEd to implement Nat’l School Deworming Day in Palawan

By Celeste Anna R. Formoso [(PNA), RMA/CARF/SGP]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 18 (PNA) – - The Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DepEd) are set to implement in Palawan on the last week of January the National School Deworming Day in close ties with the Provincial Nutrition Office.

Provincial Nutrition Action Officer Rachel Paladan said Monday that in Palawan, they have called on parents to enlist their children between the ages 1-12 to participate in the national health campaign.

Called “OPLAN: Purga Kontra Bulate,” Paladan said the deworming program will be done twice in a year to ensure that children are free of worms.

On Jan. 27, she said all students from Kinder to Grade 6 in public and private schools would receive free medicines for deworming.

Children who do not go to school yet as they are between the ages 1-4 can be brought to rural health units (RHUs) and barangay health stations (BHS) to receive their free anthelmintic drug.

The deworming program will be assisted by community volunteer health workers (CWHWs) in the municipalities composed of Barangay Environment, Agriculture and Nutrition Scholars (BEANS), BHWs, and employees of RHUs.

Paladan said the national deworming activity hoped to bring down the cases of students with helminths parasites, such as roundworm, flukes and tapeworms, that cause them to lose energy, loss their appetites, and for having low intelligence quotients or IQ.

Based on a memorandum from the DOH, there are different kinds of worms that can occupy the human body – hookworms, whipworms, and also pinworms.

The worms enter the human body when children walk without slippers on soils where they have eggs, breathing in eggs of pinworms or when they eat with their unwashed hands.

Symptoms that manifest in a child who has worms inside his body are pale in color, malnourished, bulging stomach, stomachache, loss of appetite and sometimes, with blood in feces.

Palawan gov’t to participate in ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016

By Celeste Anna R. Formoso [(PNA), PGL/CARF/SGP]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 18 (PNA) -- The provincial government of Palawan is participating Monday in the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2016 that brings member countries together to discuss the fast-tracking of the growth of the leisure industry in the region.

Under the leadership of Governor Jose Alvarez, Palawan was chosen with Bohol to represent the Philippines’ tourism industry in the ATF until January 25 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Provincial Information Officer Atty. Gil Acosta Jr. explained that the ATF is a cooperation effort of member countries Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines to promote the region as a travel destination.

This year, the theme of the forum is “One Community for Sustainability.”

In the event, Acosta said Palawan is looking forward to participate in the three-day ASEAN Tourism Forum Travel Exchange (ATF TRAVEX), where business matching, product and tourism services exchanges will be done by participants.

“Sa pamamagitan nito ay mas mapapadali ang transaksiyon ng mga kalakal sa pagitan ng mga miyembrong bansa (Through this, transactions can be sped on trade and commerce too, among member countries),” he said.

On the third day of the event, Acosta said Alvarez is expected to participate in a media briefing with the international press to share Palawan’s success in winning as World’s Best Island in Conde Nast.

Meanwhile, Caesar Magbanua, coordinator of the tourism alliance cluster of the provincial government, said Palawan’s representation was prepared together by the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO) and the Palawan Tourism Council (PTC).

Magbanua said the booth showcases tourism products from the province, such as different destinations that are truly worth any visitor’s holiday.

As Conde Nast International Travel Magazine’s World’s Best Island, Palawan expects to draw attention from attendees of the forum that can be translated to more tourism visitors.

Just another day in paradise

By Bernard L. Supetran

RELIGIOUS leaders, philosophers, literary giants, musicians and even romantics have for ages immortalized the perpetual quest for the proverbial paradise on Earth and beyond. Countless pieces of literature and music have paid tribute to this mystical place of eternal bliss.

Down on Dimakya Island in Coron, Palawan, the perpetual search for heaven on Earth may have ended at an upscale resort hotel which embodies your vision of a tropical paradise.

Located within a Unesco Biosphere Reserve in northern Palawan, Club Paradise is a triple-A hideaway worthy of its name with its world-class facilities, luscious cuisine and exhilarating experience.

Bask in pristine white-sand beaches and crystalline water, diverse flora and fauna and a myriad of outdoor activities away from the madding crowd of the more popular beach getaways.

Yet, this dream destination is closer than you think, despite being in the middle of nowhere. This virtual paradise on a 19-hectare island is a scenic 60-minute land and sea trip from Busuanga airport which you will hardly notice because of the soothing sky of blue and sea of green along the way.

The resort does not only claim to being the Valhalla on this part of the country, it also claims to be your proverbial home away from home. You will be surprised at the effort they would exert to make every visit a homecoming.

Here are some of the sure-fire ways of spending just another day in paradise, with apologies to Phil Collins.

Explore the underwater world

The resort traces its genesis to being primarily a dive resort targeting the European market. And while it is undergoing a rebranding since being acquired by the Discovery World Resort group, it cannot simply say good-bye to its first love.

And how can you, when you are listed as among the world’s top best scuba-diving sites by Forbes Traveler Magazine no less. Club Paradise Divers, operated by its sister firm Discovery Fleet Corp., can satisfy your craving for the Neptune’s playground.

The island’s House Reef, which is touted for its abundant marine life and has been protected for the last 15 years, and boasts of a healthy profusion of marine life, as well as “critters” dear to macrophotographers. It has various reef systems filled with soft and hard corals, where cephalopods come to mate and lay eggs during the colder months. The reef also boasts of an array of reef fishes, such as damsel, parrot, flying gurnards, frogfishes and species of nudibranchs.

On a typical day the sighting of its school of jacks is a certainty and the probability of spotting and interacting with a seaturtles or dugong (seacow) is high. If you do not dive, worry not, as you can snorkel and view the thousands of jacks circling around a few meters away.

Half an hour away is the Kyokuzan Maru, one of 12 diveable Japanese World War II wrecks around Busuanga. If you like to take it to the next level, you can do a day trip to the Apo Reef Natural Park, the world’s second-biggest contiguous coral reef and a diving mecca in the Philippines.

Prestigious international travel magazine Condé Naste has named Palawan the world’s best island (or make that islands) for the past two years. Hence, every bit of land formation in the province is a world-class retreat and island-hopping an obligatory recreation.

Start off with the islets surrounding Club Paradise, that are mostly uninhabited. Isla Walang Lang-aw, literally island without trees, whose glistening powdery sand and crushed corals can be seen in the horizon, is the first stop. In between Dimakya, where the resort stands and mainland Busuanga, is a chain of islets, each with an interesting story to tell and activity to do. Dimalanta Island is top for snorkeling for its lush coral gardens and aquatic creatures just a few feet deep.

After leapfrogging around the mini-archipelago, you can foray into Coron town and swing by the usual tourist circuit—Hidden Lagoon, Siete Pecados, Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, CYC Island, Barracuda Lake, Mount Tapyas, and often ends with a dip at the Maquinit Hot Spring.

On the other side of Busuanga is the Calauit Wildlife Safari, a sprawling wildlife preserve for spotting exotic African animals, such as giraffe, zebra and deer, as well as the endemic pilandok or mouse deer, the smallest of its kind in the world.

Indulge in aquasports

Surrounded by water, engaging in aquasports is a must. Paddle around the resort or the neighboring Isla Walang Lang-Aw aboard a see-through kayak and see the amazing marine life beneath.

Go back-to-the-basics and cruise aboard the native paraw sailboat and be soothed by the seawind caressing your skin. For an adrenaline-pumping adventure, ride the waves on a banana boat with your family and friends.

And after all the physical activity, you can pamper yourself at Glow Spa with a rejuvenating therapeutic massage in an aromatic room.

Feast on a gastronomic treat

Despite the logistical challenges in the transport of food supply and ingredients, the resort’s Ocean Restaurant can remarkable whip up delectable dishes which are at par with its counterparts in the metropolis.

A typical day begins with a hearty breakfast spread of international and local delights to start on a bright note. At lunch, you can pore at the wide selection of à la carte tropical gourmet delights. Chefs have built dinner buffets around a theme cuisine for the day, such as Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Italian, Mediterranean and so forth, to make it more varied and exciting.

And if you want an out-of-the-box chowtime in a tropical setting, Club Paradise can go the extra mile to make lunch or dinner more creative by setting up a picnic by the beach, al fresco casual dinner or boodle fight at a nearby island. There is also the option of a sunset cruise with cocktails as the resort’s resident string cumbancheros serenade you.

In between meals are, likewise, special with their wide array of pizzas, pastas and sandwiches. In a recent taping for her Kris TV show, Kris Aquino sank her teeth on the Quattro Formaggi (four cheese) pizza cooked in the traditional brick oven, which became her staple for a couple of meals.

For a nightcap, the club has a bar where you can sip your favorite spirit and concoction.

Hike to Eagle’s Point

A terrestrial activity often recommended to guests is the trek to the island’s highest peak aptly called Eagle’s Point, which gives you a commanding view of Dimakya, the neighboring islets and the vast expanse of the sea within the 360° view. With the moderate ascend through the forestal area, the hike is a refreshing exercise with the whiff of crisp mountain air at the zenith.

While the natural setting is already paradise in itself, the resort has made its rooms worthy of being in the mythical place. The Garden View Cottages, Garden Suites, Sea View Cottages and Beachfront Cottages have designs and amenities which thoughtfully designed for utmost privacy and tranquility. The well-appointed rooms, which are undergoing a makeover, masterfully blend modern comfort, tropical allure and the warmth of a home, so it will be just another day for you and me in paradise.

PHO gives Palawan jail detainees HIV counseling, free testing

(PNA), FFC/CARF/EDS

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY (PNA) -- The Palawan Provincial Health Office (PHO) provided human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and testing to about 20 detainees of the Palawan Provincial Jail Management Division (PJMD) through the activity “HIV 101 Voluntary Counselling and Testing @ PJMD” outreach program.

Dr. Ma. Rebethia Alcala, head of the PHO outreach program and Detect TB, said Thursday in a press statement that the PHO's outreach program was done to provide the detainees with information on HIV and test them.

She said the detainees who were counseled are those who have been tested with tuberculosis (TB) in an earlier Detect TB outreach program.

Alcala said a detainee with TB has a big chance of acquiring HIV, stressing that this is the reason for the counseling and HIV testing.

She added that the activity is one way to encourage detainees to voluntary submit to HIV testing after providing them with several presentations and important data on HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Through the counseling, Alcala expressed optimism that the detainees would benefit from having knowledge about HIV.

Palawan to receive BP apparatuses, glucometers from DOH-MIMAROPA

(PNA), FFC/CARF/EDS

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 15 (PNA) -- The province of Palawan will receive blood pressure (BP) apparatuses and glucometers from the Department of Health (DOH)-MIMAROPA for health workers and volunteers to closely monitor patients with diabetes and high blood pressure problems.

In a press statement released Friday by the DOH-MIMAROPA, it quoted Regional Health Director Eduardo C. Janairo in saying “the two pieces of apparatus will be used by health workers in the community to consistently obtain accurate blood pressure readings and glucose levels for the management and control of patients with recurring high blood pressure and diabetes.”

Janairo said monitoring diabetes and high blood pressure patients is an “essential part of managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) because it allows a patient to acquire the required measures and take better control through diet or an increase in medicine intake.”

“That's why getting regular, accurate blood pressure and blood-glucose readings are vital to a person’s long-term health,” the statement quoted Janairo further.

Initial sets of the apparatuses have already been distributed in Oriental Mindoro and Marinduque.

For Oriental Mindoro, 85 BP apparatuses and 261 glucometers were provided and for Marinduque, 35 BP apparatuses and 45 glucometers.

The DOH-MIMAROPA director assured Palawan and Romblon will also receive their allocations before the end of the first quarter of the year.

Aside from this, the DOH-MIMAROPA will also be training health workers in the local level because of the increasing number of people with NCDs, especially in remote areas, where cost-effective interventions are not often accessible.

A total of 23 health workers from MIMAROPA, including municipal health officers, provincial health nurses and midwives, were duly trained to provide minimum standard interventions for the management and care of NCDs.

According to the World Health Organization, high blood pressure, and hyperglycemia (high glucose level) and hypoglycemia (low glucose level) are significant risk factors for heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and vision loss. They are known as “silent killers” because they rarely cause any symptoms until considerable organ damage has occurred.

Among the risk factors are tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets.

“Let us prevent the spread of NCDs by encouraging every member of the family to practice healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition for a longer, healthier and more fulfilling life and decrease the risk of developing chronic illnesses than can prevent many diseases,” Janairo was further quoted.

DOH-MIMAROPA gears-up for the National School Deworming Day

(PNA), FFC/LSJ

MANILA, Jan. 14 (PNA) -- The Department of Health (DOH)–MIMAROPA (Oriental/Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) said Thursday that it had completed the Orientation on Harmonized Schedule of Community and School-Based Mass Drug Administration for Selected Neglected Tropical Diseases for teachers and health workers in the region.

“This is to ensure a smooth and safe implementation of the deworming program and provide proper information dissemination and management and precautionary measures for possible serious adverse events following administration of the tablets,” said DOH-MIMAROPA Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo during Monday's opening of the three-day orientation program held at the Ramada Hotel in Manila.

Director Janairo said that they have directed teachers and health workers to encourage children to have full stomach before giving the medicines.

Janairo added that such was a preparation for some possible adverse reactions that may occur or experience by those that will be dewormed such as allergy, mild abdominal pain and diarrhea.

“These are common and could manifest within the first 10 hours after ingestion of the medicine. These are mild and transient,” the health official said.

He added that this year’s campaign will target three neglected tropical diseases namely soil-transmitted helminthiasis, filariasis and schistosomiasis.

The recommended drugs are Albendazole 400mg and Mebendazole 500mg tablets which will be given to school age children, 5-12 years old.

The drug will be administered as a single dose once every six months.

The start of administering of the said drugs among school children is set on Jan. 27, 2016.

After six months or by July 2016, the next schedule for deworming will be done for the effective elimination of all types of worms such as hookworms, roundworms and whipworm.

According to Dr. Janairo, it is still the cheapest, the safest, most effective and World Health Organization (WHO) recommended treatment against worms.

He assured that health personnel at the community level will be present and ready to provide emergency medicines and support in the event of any adverse events.

“We are encouraging all parents and guardians to participate during the mass deworming program and have their children dewormed and to protect them from being infected with intestinal helminth infections,” Janairo urged.

MIMAROPA ranked 9th during last year’s mass deworming activity with 422,543 (88%) children dewormed out of the 480,278 target children. Marinduque with 34,459; Palawan with 152,062; Occidental Mindoro – 65,087; Oriental Mindoro – 101,889; Romblon – 48,097; Calapan City – 4,487 and Puerto Princesa City – 16,462.

Deworming is recommended among school children to ensure that children will become active, alert and enjoy good health.

If children are dewormed, the nutrition that they take in will not be get by the worms and therefore the children will not be pale and anemic.

Another beneficial effect of deworming is increased in school attendance of children as children will not get absent.

This program which is done in school is part of the government’s investment on the health of children who are perceived to be tomorrow’s promising and competitive partners in economic growth and even great leaders.

It is said that health itself is already the wealth of the nation because no economic growth can emerge from a country whose workforce cannot compete because of sick population.

Delta P bags additional power supply deal in Palawan

(INQUIRER.net)

Delta P, Palawan’s biggest independent power producer, has bagged a new power contract to supply an additional 26.6 megawatts of electricity in the island province.

The firm was awarded the 15-year power supply contract after successfully passing the Competitive Selection Process and Swiss Challenge conducted by the Bids and Awards Committee of the Palawan Electric Cooperative (Paleco).

Paleco chairman Atty. Raymund Acosta issued the Notice of Award to Delta P. He said the additional capacity will address the current power shortage being experienced in Palawan.

The 26.6 megawatt power project is expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year at an estimated cost of P1.6 billion. Gigawatt Power Inc. (GPI), a major shareholder of Delta P, will supply the brand new bunker-fueled engines. These will be shipped to Palawan from their current storage area in Bauang, La Union.

Delta P is one of three independent power producers in Palawan. It operates a 16-MW bunker-fired power plant comprising four (4) units of 4-MW generator sets. However, growing consumer demand has led to a serious power shortage in the province.

“We will strive to provide our best service to Paleco and its customers and help solve the perennial blackouts. Consumers have suffered long enough,” Delta P said in a statement.

Paleco General Manager Ric Zambales said that with Delta P’s new project, Palawan will have sufficient generating capacity to meet increased demand in the next five years.

The Delta P plant is also expected to add stability, reliability and flexibility to the grid and complement other independent power producers. “We will have sufficient supply of power for the next five years with the addition of 26.6 megawatts,” he said.

In a pre-bid conference held September last year, two companies manifested interest during the pre-bid conference but did not appear during the formal opening and evaluation of comparative proposals. Thus, the BAC decided to award the project to Delta P, the original proponent of the proposed project.

Established in 1997, Delta P is 50-50 owned by GPI and Vivant Energy Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of listed Vivant Corporation.

Napocor grants 300 kWh genset to Rizal, Palawan

(PNA), JMC/JLD

MANILA, Jan. 12 (PNA) -- The National Power Corporation (Napocor) provided a 300 kilowatthour (kWh) generator-set to Rizal, Palawan province which will light up the area with electricity for 24 hours.

The state-owned corporation noted the area initially had power for 16 hours.

According to Napocor president Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta Rita, the operation extension was due to the high net reserve of the Rizal diesel power plant, which amounts to 480 kilowatthours (kWhs).

Earlier, the area had a power demand of 337 kWh, while its power supply from the existing diesel power plant was at 570 kWh.

Sta. Rita also said in a statement that Napocor expects the improved power supply will help boost the local tourism industry in the area.

The area is known for watersports, trekking and its clear beaches.

Rizal, Palawan is also near the entrance of Mount Mantalingahan, which is the highest peak in the province.

Aside from the area, Napocor also extended the operations of the following areas to 24 hours: El Nido, Taytay, San Vicente, Culion in Palawan; Caluya in Antique.

On the other hand, Siasi in Sulu increased its operations to 22 hours.

New 50-bed capacity medicare hospital up in Aborlan, Palawan by June

By Jesus M. Ustares [(PNA), RMA/CARF/JMU/EDS]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 11 (PNA) -- The Provincial Information Office (PIO) said Monday that the 50-bed capacity medicare hospital being constructed in the southern Palawan town of Aborlan might already be completed in June for use of residents.

Information Officer Atty. Gil Acosta Jr. said this to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Monday after receiving reports that the jointly funded medicare facility was almost 100 percent complete.

Funded cooperatively by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Health (DOH)-MIMAROPA, the Palawan government, and the local government unit of Aborlan, the hospital was part of 15 others being constructed in different municipalities in the province, including the island town of Coron.

The medicare is located in a 1.5-hectare property in Barangay Magsaysay, Aborlan, and costs around Php 50 million to construct.

Acosta said it would have upgraded facilities and equipment that would respond to the emergency and medical care needs of indigent residents of Aborlan.

Taking two years to construct, Acosta said Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez was happy that the medicare hospital can already start to serve residents of Aborlan, who, for the longest time, needed to travel to Puerto Princesa for medical emergencies.

“By June, the residents of Aborlan will already have a hospital that would take care of their medical emergencies,” he said, adding that having the facility will actually lessen the number of patients who seek medical help at the Ospital ng Palawan (ONP).

Aside from Aborlan, Acosta noted that the construction of the same medicare hospitals in Rizal, Cuyo, and Coron towns might also be finished soon.

“We are also looking forward to the completion of the construction of three other hospitals that would be a great benefit to the Palaweños,” Acosta said.

The project is implemented by the provincial government, on the other hand, under IHELP, or Infrastructure, Health, Education, Livelihood, and Protection of the Environment.

Eight Palawan towns to receive ambulance

By Jumong Ustares

Ten units of brand new ambulance were awarded to the Province of Palawan by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Friday, January 8, which will later be distributed to eight municipalities.

Among the beneficiaries of the ambulance units are the Provincial Health Office, City Health office while the towns of Taytay, El nido, Coron, Roxas, Española, Balabac, Bataraza and Magsaysay will receive one unit each. Each unit costs P 866,000.

The new ambulance units were requested by Governor Jose Chavez Alvarez from PCSO chairman Erineo “Ayong” S. Maliksi in a meeting.

Other towns that haven’t received an ambulance will be the next batch of beneficiaries.

Additional step board on PUV’s for PWD’s, senior citizens proposed

By Pia Cara Valdeztamon (PalawanNews)

The Provincial Board of Palawan will conduct a study on the possibility of adding step board on public utility vehicles for the convenience and safety of senior citizens, persons with disability and pregnant women.

According to Board Member Acosta, lots of senior citizens, PWD, and pregnant women expressed their struggles regarding high step boards of public transport vehicles. “So, with this resolution we request the barangay officials to take initiatives,” said Board Member Acosta.

Board Member David Francis Ponce de Leon clarified that there is a Republic Act concerning PWD’s. Establishments such as malls need easier access for PWD. He said that step board may cause accident because it might touch the ground. He suggested that other organizations may be asked to perform a study regarding the adding of step board.

The proposed resolution will be subjected to further study by the Committees on Rules and Social Services.

Puerto Princesa Underground River mulls entrance fee hike

By Raymond M. Almodal [(PNA), JMC/CARF/RMA/EDS]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 8 (PNA) -- The park management of the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) is mulling on increasing the entrance fee to the New 7 Wonders site here.

In an interview, park superintendent Elizabeth Maclang said they are proposing to increase the entrance fee from PHP175 to PHP250 for domestic tourists, and PHP350 for foreign.

The proposal is now with the Sangguniang Panlungsod for floor discussion, she said.

Maclang said the increase was proposed since times have changed, as there is a need to upturn fund resource for the maintenance of the caves, as well as the whole park where it sits.

If the proposal is passed and approved in the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the increase will also help the park management in implementing improvements at the Sabang Wharf.

The particular improvement being eyed is the turning of the Sabang Wharf into a world-class terminal.

“Since 2008, the PPUR has been self-sustaining. We’re not dependent on the IRA (internal revenue allotment) or national funding. Whatever the PPUR is earning, it is what we’re using for operation. Right now, we’re probably the only heritage site that’s collecting such a small entrance fee rate. The increase we’re proposing is just timely,” Maclang said.

If the Sangguniang Panlungsod approves the new rates, the PPUR management assures that all travel agencies in the city will be sent notices to prevent confusion among future guests.

The PPUR is a protected area located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of the city center of Puerto Princesa.

The national park where it is located is in the Saint Paul Mountain Range on the western coast of the island.

It is bordered by St. Paul Bay to the north and the Babuyan River to the east. The city government of Puerto Princesa has managed the national park since 1992.

The entrance to the subterranean river is a short hike or boat ride from Sitio Sabang, Barangay Cabayugan.

6.2-foot croc caught in Palawan

By TJ DIMACALI, GMA News

A crocodile bigger than a man was caught in Tigaplan River in Palawan late Saturday evening, January 2.

According to Facebook user Ton Abengoza, who took photos of the captured animal, four fishermen paddling down the river noticed something in the water following them. What they at first thought to be just a "bayawak" monitor lizard turned out to be a 6.2-foot-long (1.9m-long) crocodile.

The fishermen captured it alive and brought it the next morning to the barangay chairman for the latter to decide on if and how to safely release the creature back into the wild, according to Abengoza.

Although formidable, the crocodile is far from the largest ever recorded in the Philippines.

On February 23, 2011, residents of Agusan del Sur captured a crocodile three times as big as the Palaweños' catch: the 20.2-foot-long (6.17m-long) Lolong was one of the largest crocodiles ever recorded in the world. Sadly, however, Lolong died in captivity in 2013.

Palawan continues to flourish rattan production for handicraft industry

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

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Jan. 6 (PNA) -- The provincial government of Palawan is continuously flourishing the production of rattan from palm species of trees to encourage residents to venture into handicraft-making that can help deliver additional income-generating activities for their families.

Mary Rose Caabay, head of the Culture and Arts Office (CAO) of the Palawan government said exceptional furniture chairs, tables, and other home decors made of rattan had good markets as they were elegantly versatile but affordable, easy to create, .

Caabay’s statement on rattan came following the opening Tuesday of an exhibit that showcased all kinds of products made of it at the Palawan Heritage Center, Provincial Capitol.

“The exhibit aims to re-introduce and show to the public original rattan craftwork of skilled Palaweños. We expect that through this, there will be investors who might be interested to put in funds into it, like hotels and resorts,” she said.

She added that the exhibit was also put up because the provincial government fully supported the rattan-makers and weavers that could soon have a thriving industry.

Liezel Bacolod, a rattan weaver based in the northern town of Taytay, said participating in the exhibit was a dream come true for her.

She was thankful that the provincial government supported them, and made way to find markets for their products by connecting them with hotel and resorts in Palawan and other areas in the country.

Bacolod added that ever since, the provincial government had already been providing them funds for training-seminars to improve their skills on the weaving of rattan.

Aside from Taytay, training-seminars on rattan-making had also been provided to residents of Rizal in the southern section of the province. The area, Caabay said, teemed with indigenous peoples (IPs), who had talents in rattan-making that only needed to be enhanced.

“We encourage everyone to view the exhibit and help, in their own little ways, are rattan-makers and weavers,” she said.

Discovery World to open 166-key resort in El Nido

By James Loyola

Listed resort firm Discovery World Corporation (DWC) has invested P192 million to acquire 98.87 percent of sister company Cay Islands Corporation as part of plans to develop a new resort in El Nido, Palawan.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, DWC said it subscribed to, and fully paid for, 192 million Cay Islands shares at their par value of one peso per share. Both DWC and Cay Islands are majority controlled by Discovery Leisure Company Inc.

“This acquisition is in line with DWC’s business and will create opportunities for the expansion of the Corporation’s resort business,” the firm said adding that Cay Islands currently owns real properties in El Nido, Palawan which it intends to convert to a 166-key resort.

African wildlife thrives in Palawan

By ALAIN PASCUA (SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR)

SINCE 1977, herds of African wild life, notably giraffes, zebras, elands and waterbucks, freely roamed the savannas and mountains of Calauit Island of Busuanga in the Calamian Island chain that lies off the coast of Palawan, the Philippines’ last frontier. Almost four decades after, Africa is still in our midst.

There are four versions about the presence of African wildlife in Calauit.

The first one states that then president Ferdinand Marcos responded to the request of president Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya during a Third World conference for help in saving African wildlife threatened by war and drought.

The second account tells of the Kenyan government asking the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for assistance in the conservation of their wildlife. The late Marcos responded positively, and established the game preserve and wildlife sanctuary.

The third story tells about the establishment of the wildlife preserve, not for conservation, but for the president’s son who was said to be a keen hunter.

The fourth reveals that the former president and his friends wanted to start a tourism business. In 2011, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that Tony Parkinson, an Englishman who ran an animal “translocation” venture for zoos from Kenya in the 1970s and organized the Philippine shipment, claimed, “None of them were endangered.”

Island sanctuary

Some facts, however, are uncontested. On March 4, 1977, 104 heads of eight African wildlife species from Kenya landed in Calauit Island in Busuanga. There were 18 impalas, 15 giraffes, 15 zebras, 12 bushbucks, 12 waterbucks, 11 elands, 11 gazelles, and 10 topis that were brought to the island by MV Salvador ship.

Today, after almost four decades, the park guides claim that there are 34 zebras, 25 giraffes, 14 waterbucks, and 12 elands remain, but these are all island-born, as the original batch from Kenya are all gone. The gazelles, topis and impala antelopes have also died out because of infighting and poaching.

The sanctuary holds the single distinction as the first successful wildlife translocation experiment in Asia, and it is also one of the eight places outside of Africa that is hosts to African wildlife.

In 1980s, threatened endemic animals, such as the Calamian Deer, Palawan Pheasant Peacock, Balabac Mousedeer and Palawan Bear Cat were brought into the island under a conservation program. Twenty-five indigenous Calamian deer were all that was left in the island then.

As of 2005, the endemic animals already numbered 1,200 Calamian Deers, 22 mousedeers, four Palawan Bearcats, five Philippine crocodiles, and two wild pigs. The sanctuary has also been home to porcupines, sea eagles, wildcats, scaly anteaters, and pythons.

The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) reported that programs to rejuvenate and protect the island’s marine resources, forests, and mangroves have been implemented. In the island’s waters live dugongs, sea turtles, and giant clams. Calauit’s coral reefs, once badly damaged by invasive fishing practices, have recovered and are now rich breeding grounds for fish and crustaceans.

Calauit is also a haven for more than 70 species of birds, of which 10 are endemic. Though this record is still initial as official bird census has never been undertaken, and wild birds in the island remains virtually unexplored.

Management

Calauit Island was declared Calauit Game Preserve and Widlife Sanctuary (CGPWS) in 1976. By 1979, the government established the Calauit Project to propagate African animals and Palawan endemic wildlife species, preserve the entire sanctuary, including coastal and marine resources, develop the island as an education and conservation center in Asia, and to ultimately develop the island into self-sustaining operations.

It started under the Office of the President and the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), but by 1995, the management of the project was transferred to PCSD. There was a move to privatize the management of the project in 2000, but it fizzled out mainly because of the existing problem of former settlers resettling back in the island.

In December 2008, CGPWS was renamed as Calauit Safari Park and the management was turned-over to the provincial government of Palawan, which has been tasked to promote it as recreation and eco-tourism destination.

Earlier, on March 2008, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) issued a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) over the entire island in favor of Tagbanua Indigenous Cultural Community. The Tagbanuas have been long recognized as the main indigenous group in Palawan. The CADT enabled the indigenous community to have and to hold in ownership as their private but community property, to develop, control, manage and utilize collectively the said ancestral domain.

Currently, the “original settlers” are focused on brokering a deal with the provincial government that would enable the locals and animals to coexist peacefully.

Trade-offs

The establishment of Calauit has its trade-offs, however.

Calauit Island has been chosen for its isolation, which reduced the chances of disease and poaching, as well as its resemblance to the African wilds. Around 40 percent of the parkland is an extended plain, leading to undulating hills and then mountains, which make up another 40 percent.

The government had to clear the island of inhabitants to give way to the animals. About 250 families who were settlers in the island were relocated in Halsey and Burabod in the nearby island of Culion.

The AFP report in 2011 mentioned of the clearing of bamboo forests on the island to make the plains resemble the savannahs of Kenya.

Issues

After the EDSA People Power in 1986, the settlers formed the “Balik Calauit Movement,” and aired their collective grievances to the new government. Some of the settlers tried to return to the Island but were driven away. In June 1987, their efforts to return have finally succeeded. Their presence in the island though, now numbering about 1,000, has caused some problems to the sanctuary in terms of poaching, kaingin activities, high mortality of animals, and disturbance to surrounding marine area.

For the year 2015 alone, as of August 2015, three zebras have been killed, two of them from gunshot wounds. Park employees recounted giraffes dying of wooden spears sticking out of their stomachs. The park’s water system was also tapped by the community, which has already established a school in the area.

With the absence of official records, however, available online data are a bit confusing as to the actual population of African and Philippine wildlife that are presently roaming in the island. In the census of 2005, the park had 480 African animals and about 1,390 Philippine animals. But AFP reported in 2011 that there were just over 100 African animals that roamed the island. In 2013, however, visitors’ accounts indicate about 880, with 23 giraffes, 38 zebras, and around 1,000 Calamian deers.

If only the annual census of animals from 1977 to 2015 can be made available, the data can easily show the survival rates of the animals, which ones flourished and which ones died out and when. The data will also be able to show the possible causes of the increase or decrease of the animal’s population.

Inbreeding is also a concern because no new animals have been brought in since the first ones arrived almost 40 years ago. Mundita Lim of the Biodiversity Management Bureau was quoted in 2011 about the need to do some genetic infusion, which means bringing in more African animals, to ensure the continued existence of the animals. One would easily notice that the giraffes and zebras look small if compared to their African counterparts.

Meager funds have cut down personnel from 300 at its peak during the administration of Marcos to only 21 at present, no wonder park structures remained dilapidated, vehicles are left unrepaired and rusting, and improvements have long been halted.

Travel

Surprisingly, travel to Calauit Island is not so popular, and many are not aware of the existence of the herds of African animals roaming freely in the island. The relative inaccessibility, the lack of promotion, and the high cost of travel may have something to do with the low interest of the people.

To reach Calauit Island, one has to travel by domestic plane for less than an hour from Manila to Busuanga-Coron airport.

The island is about 80 kilometers away from Coron town proper. It used to take up to three hours to get to Calauit, through rough and uneven roads. But road improvement efforts have already been made so the travel time is now reduced to two hours. Only about 30 more kilometers remain to be paved. A van may be rented out for P6,000 and it can accommodate 10 to 12 persons.

A boat ride awaits the visitors at the end of land travel, but the ride is just about 25 minutes of smooth sailing. The boat ride costs P400.00.

Entry fee to the park is about P200.

For an individual, the travel and cost may be quite heavy, but for a couple, a family or a group, it’s exciting and affordable, and very cheap to have a taste of Africa right in the country.

Park tour

There used to be an open-sided truck that carried park visitors in and around the game preserve, but now the truck, like all other equipment, remained unrepaired and rusting. The park superintendent lends his private jeep, which can be rented for P1,000 by the tourists to go around the park. It is the only working vehicle in the island.

Park guides accompany the visitors to keep them at a safe distance from some animals, notably the giraffes and zebras who are known to throw sudden kicks from any side. So while the animals roam free, save for a few animals like the crocodiles, pythons, porcupines, etc., the visitors are hauled to a fenced area before they could feed the giraffes to keep them safe. From afar, the sight of tourists in a cage is a sight to behold as the usually caged animals are the ones walking freely in the park. The deers, however, can be touched while being fed.

The park guides are very much informed of the history of the island and the African wildlife, and can even answer all the relevant issues surrounding its establishment, including the conflict with the “original settlers.” Surprisingly, the park staff could even identify the giraffes by their names. They can say which giraffe is Mylene, Isabel, Hermina, Athena, Jacky, Gerald, Miller, Trisha, Beatriz, Troy, Ted, Jim, etc. One is even named JCA, and when told that the name sounds like the initials of the provincial governor, everybody laughed.

On the way out of the park, one can buy souvenir T-shirts emblazoned with zebras or giraffe graphics at the Information Center, but no receipt is provided. The absence of receipt was initially tolerated by tourists who thought that the sale is for the benefit of the park workers’ cooperative, but they were quite surprised when told that the souvenir store was owned by the park manager’s wife, and managed by the wife of his son, the jeepney driver.

Vision

The park does not lack for thrills, as the sight of real wildlife from Africa is as exhilarating as any theme park ride (even more!). And the Calauit Safari Park of today can have its long-deserved grandeur tomorrow.

The dream is to have safari-themed vehicles pick people up from Busuanga Airport, or from Coron proper, with safari-dressed drivers ferrying visitors to and from Calauit Safari Park—the Philippines’ own African Safari slash Jurassic Park.

The visitors are ushered to the Information Center to be briefed intensively as to what they can expect during their tour. A guided tour to a museum-cum-gallery follows where the guests are treated to a multi-media presentation of the park through photographs, videos, sounds and lights, and all other modern interpretations of the habitat and wildlife that are present in the island. The park’s history is presented, including the issues, concerns and challenges that are being encountered.

The visitors are then given safari-themed rides that gives them an up close encounter with African wildlife and Philippine wild animals. The vehicles glide through the savannah as zebras and giraffes come out in the open to graze and feed. Viewdecks and platforms will also be available for guests to gather around and observe the wildlife at a height, and also have an opportunity to take photos.

Appropriately, the park amenities will be safari-themed, such as concession stands, souvenir shops, photo booths; and everything can be found at the main area. Scopes and binoculars are rented out for bird and animal watching.

The park can also be a venue for conferences, seminars and workshops, especially if the events have something to do with wildlife, conservation and eco-tourism. It is a perfect venue where both conservation and eco-tourism are showcased, and where the rights of the state (which owns the wildlife and undertakes the project) and the rights of the people (who owns the island as their ancestral domain) are perfectly observed in harmony for the common good.

Not only the African wildlife is featured in the park, but also Philippine endemic wildlife, especially Palawan indigenous animals, not caged but roaming around freely.

The Calauit Safari Park can (and should) be one of the top destinations in the country’s last frontier, alongside the Puerto Princesa Underground River, and the Tubbataha Reefs in Cagayancillo. Nowhere else in the region can African wildlife flourish and provide concrete proof that there is hope for animal conservation.

It will not just be a taste of Africa. It will be wild Africa in our midst.

DOT reveals destinations for upcoming ASEAN Tourism Forum tours

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

MANILA, Jan. 3 (PNA) -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) has revealed a list of tourist destinations in the Philippines where it will be taking delegates and VIPs attending the ASEAN Tourism Forum this month.

According to the initial list, these places include Ilocos, Cordillera Central, South Luzon, Palawan, Bicol, Visayas (Bohol, Cebu, Boracay), and Davao Region.

DOT has not yet released a breakdown of which set of delegates/VIPs will be visiting.

The annual ATF is a cooperative regional effort to promote the ASEAN region as a single tourist destination and create and increase awareness of ASEAN as a competitive regional tourist destination in the Asia-Pacific.

DOT Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said that the hosting of ATF is rotated among the member countries each year. ATF 2016 marks the 35th anniversary of the event since its inauguration in 1981.

Tourism ministers of the 10 ASEAN-member states are expected to attend the event as well as heads of international organizations, representatives from dialogue partners, and heads of national tourism organizations (NTOs).

ATF will involve 200 government meetings, 450 travel exchange (TRAVEX) buyers from 60 countries, 1,500 sellers, 110 international and 50 local media practitioners.

Meetings of NTOs will be from Jan. 18 to 20, those of ASEAN tourism leaders happening simultaneously with the TRAVEX will be from Jan. 21 to 22, and post tours for delegates will start from Jan. 23 until 25.

While meetings will be held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, the TRAVEX will be held at the SMX Convention Center, both is Pasay City.

Malampaya natural gas field to remain highly productive

(PNA), JBP/SFM

MANILA, Jan. 2 (PNA) -- The Malampaya offshore natural gas field in northwest Palawan will remain highly productive for several more years but this early a senior member of the House of Representatives wants concerned agencies to plan ahead and identify possible uses for the two massive oil rigs in the West Philippine Sea once supply runs out.

“The Malampaya gas wells are bound to dry up, be plugged and abandoned, along with the platforms,” said LPG-MA Party-list Rep. Arnel Ty, a senior member of the House committee on energy.

Once vacated, he said, the rigs could be converted by the Philippine Navy into an outpost.

Ty, a deputy minority leader, has been urging government to invest in modern warships to secure the West Philippine Sea’s oil and gas deposits, amid the country’s long-running dispute with China over territorial waters.

At present, the Philippine Marine Corps is using what is left of the World War II vintage BRP Sierra Madre as a makeshift garrison 150 kilometers off northwest Palawan. The ship is grounded atop an atoll in the Spratly Islands.

The Malampaya rigs are two large adjacent structures with facilities to extract natural gas and oil from undersea reservoirs. The platforms are built to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. One of the rigs can house 60 workers and has a helipad.

“The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources could also use the rigs for a marine research hub. Even the Bureau of Corrections can opt to transform the platforms into a high security prison,” Ty explained.

The lawmaker prefers the eventual use of the rigs as a naval station and marine study center.

Besides its vast hydrocarbon deposits that could help assure the country’s long-term energy requirements, the West Philippine Sea is also home to 20 percent of the country’s fisheries catch, and serves as a breeding ground for high-value aquatic resources that have to be protected to sustain the local commercial fishing industry, according to Ty.

Discovered in 1991, the Malampaya gas field began commercial production in 2002. The field’s gas is conveyed via a 504-kilometer, 24-inch pipeline to Batangas City, where the fuel drives three power plants with a combined 2,700 megawatts in full generating capacity.

Located 80 kilometers off northwest Palawan, Malampaya has proven reserves of about 3.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, which is expected to last until 2024, depending on how aggressively the fuel is harvested.

Based on geological surveys, the United States Energy Information Administration estimates that the West Philippine Sea may contain up to 55.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 5.4 billion barrels of oil, “with the bulk of the resources likely located in the contested Reed Bank at the northeast end of the Spratly Islands.”

8 beautiful PH destinations to visit this 2016

By Rhea Claire Madarang (Rappler.com)

Whether they're off-the-beaten-path or timeless destinations, here are some places to add to your travel bucket list this 2016

MANILA, Philippines – A new year means new travel plans. Where to go this 2016? There are places whose beauty never gets old, while there are those whose beauty is yet to be discovered by many. Below are some destinations worth exploring.

Surigao del Sur

It is the other Surigao, Surigao del Norte, that is often well-visited, especially for its surfing spot Siargao, and later, for Bucas Grande, with its breathtaking lagoons and stingless jellyfish. (IN PHOTOS: Visit these 10 magical, beautiful lagoons in the Philippines)

Surigao del Sur, on the other hand, also has a beautiful, but not-so-well-known lagoon, with stingless jellyfish – the Blue Lagoon in the municipality of Cantilan.

Cantilan also has pristine white beaches, but it is San Agustin’s Britania group of islands that is arguably Surigao del Sur’s pride – 24 islands and islets, some of them unspoiled white beaches or karsts blanketed with lush greenery.

Inland, the province’s must-visit is Hinatuan’s mystical Enchanted River, a deep sapphire blue with a chasm said to be at least 80 feet deep. At night, it is believed that mermaids and fairies frolic in the waters.

In the neighboring municipality of Bislig, meanwhile, is the majestic Tinuy-an Falls, 95 meters wide and flowing down 55 meters in three tiers.

How to get there: If going to the southern part of the province (Enchanted River and Tinuy-an Falls), take a flight to Butuan from Manila then ride a bus to Surigao. If going to the northern part of the province, where Blue Lagoon is, take a flight to Surigao City and ride a bus to Surigao del Sur.

Quirino

To northbound travelers usually heading for Baguio, Sagada, and Ilocos, Quirino might not ring a bell. But this province, albeit relatively new to tourism, has much to offer especially to outdoor adventurers. Rich with mountains, rivers, caves, and karsts, Quirino offers activities like canoeing, tubing, and spelunking.

The municipality of Nagtipunan is particularly picturesque, with a viewpoint overlooking Cagayan River flowing through a verdant landscape.

Go river tubing or canoeing at Siitan, part of Cagayan River.

Canoeing, as well as whitewater rafting, is also perfect at the scenic Governor’s Rapids in Maddela.

For spelunking, there is Aglipay’s 37 connecting underground cave chambers, 8 of which can be explored.

How to get there: Ride a Maddela-bound bus (like Five Star and Northern Luzon Bus Line) in Manila. You can also take a flight to Cauayan in Isabela before commuting to Quirino.

Capiz

Accessible via a direct flight, Capiz is convenient to travel to, and has a laidback charm that is so far untouched by mass tourism. The quiet river cruise in the capital city Roxas is particularly a must-try. Don’t be surprised if you have the river to yourselves save for fisherfolk – that’s how beautifully quiet it can get.

And don’t forget to enjoy fresh and cheap seafood also in Roxas, dubbed the Seafood Capital of the Philippines.

Go island hopping in the city too, to see the white beach of Olotayan and the rock island of Mantalinga.

Outside Roxas City, go to the historical Santa Monica church in neighboring Pan-ay and climb up its bell tower to see the country’s biggest bell.

Go caving in Lahab Cave and Dumalag and take a dip at the turquoise Suhot Spring afterwards. Trek to waterfalls in Liktinon, President Roxas, and in Camp Peralta in Jamindan.

How to get there: Take a flight to Roxas. From there, other municipalities are accessible via bus or jeep.

Leyte

Felled by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) but slowly getting back on its feet, Leyte and its natural attractions remain beautiful. This is a good place to spend your tourism pesos for the province to stand with pride as a tourism getaway again.

While some of its facilities have been destroyed, Palompon’s breathtaking Kalanggaman Island retains its natural beauty with its two white sandbars and clear waters, and is perfect for day trips.

Meanwhile, the waters of Ormoc's Lake Danao remain tranquil and beautiful. While some of the trees surrounding the lake had fallen after Yolanda, tree-planting activities have since then been done enthusiastically by locals.

Meanwhile, for those wishing to see the historical MacArthur Landing Memorial Park, rest assured that the statue damaged by the typhoon has been repaired.

Tacloban residents also created beauty and hope with the Ginsiyaman Music Festival, held for the first time in September 2015 and envisioned to be a yearly event.

For more Leyte travel ideas, here is a list of things to do, written by a local over a year after Yolanda.

How to get there: Take a flight to Tacloban. From there, other places can be explored via jeepney or van.

Davao Oriental

While Davao City is the better known tourist destination, provinces in the Davao region like Davao Oriental have much to offer. Davao Oriental’s must-visit is the 1,110-feet high, 84-tiered Aliwagwag Falls in Cateel, which remains beautiful even after it was struck by Typhoon Pablo (Bopha).

In terms of white beaches, the province’s pride is its crescent-shaped, 7-kilometer long Dahican Beach in Mati, perfect for skimboarding.

Davao Oriental’s Mount Hamiguitan is also the newest recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site in the country. Its unique feature is its “pygmy forest,” which is made up of bonsai trees estimated to be 100 years old. It is also a habitat of the endangered Philippine eagle.

To know more about the province’s many attractions, check out a local’s blog posts on Davao Oriental.

How to get there: Take a flight to Davao City. From Ecoland Terminal, ride a bus to different areas of Davao Oriental.

Cebu

While Cebu is more known for its city attractions and beaches up north, the south also has a lot to offer, with its beaches, outdoor adventures, and heritage and culture. Moalboal is popular down south, not so much for its beaches, but for its snorkel and dive sites, but there are more beautiful white beaches in southern Cebu, like Alcoy’s and Aloguinsan’s beaches. l)

Aloguinsan also offers a scenic cruise through Bojo River leading outside to Tañon Strait.

Those who want a more extreme outdoor adventure can go canyoneering in Badian, where you scale rocks and jump off cliffs and waterfalls. Watch adventurers climb and jump off cliffs in Badian below.

For beautiful old houses and historical structures, visit Carcar. It is also famous for its chicharon.

How to get there: Take a flight to Cebu. Ride a bus from the South Bus Terminal to explore the province’s south.

Palawan

Voted as “World’s Best Island” by Condé Nast Traveler readers for two years now, Palawan is a must-visit, any year. Puerto Princesa’s Underground River, and Coron and El Nido’s white beaches, aquamarine lagoons, and gray-green limestone cliffs continue to be popular attractions.

How to get there: Take a flight to Puerto Princesa. This is the jump-off point to the Underground River and places up north like El Nido, San Vicente, and Taytay. Take a flight to Busuanga if you’re exploring Coron. You can also take a boat to Coron if you are coming from El Nido.

Batanes

Part of many people’s bucket lists, Batanes’ charm is timeless, with rugged landscapes of hills and cliffs pounded by waves, and beautiful stone houses.

Take the different tours in Batanes, and if you dare, brave the often-high waves and ride a faluwa to Itbayat, Batanes’ northernmost island that is closer to Taiwan than to the Philippines.

Be sure to try Batanes’ delicious seafood, but be mindful which ones you try. The popular coconut crab is a threatened species but is still served at some restaurants.

How to get there: Take a flight to Basco, the jump-off point to explore Batanes.

Excited to visit these beautiful destinations? Help keep these places beautiful too by traveling responsibly. Many of the destinations listed here are still developing in terms of facilites and are not besieged by mass tourism.

Where else would you like to go this 2016?

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