Palawan News March 2013

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

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

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

Palawan - Archived News
Nophoto.gif
Seal of Palawan
Please upload
Interactive Google Satellite Map of Palawan Province, Philippines
Palawan philippines map locator.png
Map locator of Palawan
Palawan map.jpg
Map of Palawan Island
Map of Palawan
Palawan provincial capitol 01.jpg
Provincial Capitol of Palawan

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.

Palawan underground river.gif
Undergroud River in Palawan
Palawan underground river.jpg
Underground river in Pureto Princesa, Palawan
Palawan baracuda lake.jpg
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.
Palawan 001.jpg
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

Province of Palawan, Philippines

El Nido a finalist for prestigious tourism award

(Philippine Daily Inquirer)

EL NIDO Resorts, in the municipalities of El Nido and Taytay, Palawan, was recently named one of 12 finalists worldwide in the 2013 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards (TTA), one of the most prestigious accolades in global travel and tourism.

It was chosen among 133 destinations and businesses from more than 46 countries on six continents. The group of four eco-resorts that carry the El Nido brand was nominated for the Community Benefit Award.

It is one of only three finalists in this category.

Other categories in the awards aimed at recognizing best practices in sustainable tourism are: Destination Stewardship Award, Conservation Award and Global Tourism Business Award. El Nido Resorts was also a TTA finalist in 2007.

Organized by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), a forum of business leaders, including multinationals, airlines, hotel chains, the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards is deliberated on by 15 to 20 judges from a wide range of professional backgrounds and expertise in the industry.

Three finalists are shortlisted for each category. The final four will be announced in April at the WTTC’s 13th Global Summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The municipality of El Nido is a small archipelago composed of 45 islands. In 1981, Miniloc Island Resort was established by Ten Knots Development Corp. A second resort with 51 rooms was constructed in 1998 in Lagen Island, while the third was opened in 2010 on Apulit island in the municipality of Taytay, with 50 rooms.

The fourth resort with 42 villas on Pangulasian Island opened last month.

Laurent Lamasuta, president of Ten Knots, explained the company’s commitment to environmental protection: “We safeguard the vital resources upon which our business is founded. In so doing, we create long-term value for our shareholders and our host communities.”

The group of resorts, operating for 30 years now, works toward sustainability. As a result, snorkeling in Miniloc Island, where its oldest property is located, remains a spectacular experience, given the biodiversity.

Mariglo Laririt, El Nido Resorts’ director for sustainability, says: “That can only have been made possible by the fact that we have a well-maintained sewage treatment plant and a solid waste program that is uncompromising.”

The harmonious relationship between the operators of the four eco-resorts and the locals, she says, “has enabled us to continue with business unhindered, purchasing, recruiting and promoting from among them.”

Ninety percent of employees are locals.

Employees go through a program on environmental conservation called Be GREEN (Guard, Respect, Educate El Nido). This program has been adopted by some elementary and high schools.

El Nido Resorts supervisors are required to run programs for locals on food and beverage, kitchen and housekeeping skills.

El Nido Resorts offers a more sustainable menu to guests, using as many local organically grown ingredients as possible to contribute to the growth of the local economy. Today, as much as 58 percent of ingredients used by the resorts are sourced from locals.

For inquiries and bookings, visit www.elnidoresorts.com.

USS Guardian removal from Tubbataha Reef completed

(LBG, GMA News)

The salvage work on the grounded minesweeper USS Guardian was finally completed on Black Saturday with the removal of the last part of the hull, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

PCG Palawan head and Task Force Tubbataha chief Commodore Enrico Evangelista said salvage crews cut and lifted the stern at 1:50 p.m.

"(T)he second phase which is the assessment and recovery phase (now) begins," a report on state-run Philippines News Agency quoted him as saying.

A report on Agence France-Presse quoted PCG spokeswoman Lieutenant Greanata Jude as saying, "the stern of the USS Guardian was lifted off the Tubbataha Reef after the 68-metre (223-foot) vessel was sliced into portions for easier removal."

With this, the operation was finished ahead of the April 1 timetable set by the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO).

Initially, the salvage crew planned to remove the vessel's main motor room on Saturday, but it cut and lifted the part on Friday.

Last Wednesday, the TMO said the bow and the auxiliary machinery room had been removed Tuesday and Wednesday.

The TMO said that if sea conditions remain calm, the entire ship may be lifted off the reef as early as Monday, April 1.

The USS Guardian ran aground on Tubbataha Reef last Jan. 17, with the TMO estimating some 4,000 square meters of the reef may have been damaged.

DOTC: 4 flights canceled on Good Friday due to 'marketing requirements'

(KBK, GMA News)

Four domestic flights were canceled on Good Friday due to "marketing requirements," the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said.

In a post on its Twitter account, the DOTC said the affected flights all belong to local air carrier Zest Air. The flights included:

Z2-360: Manila to Cebu Z2-361: Cebu to Manila Z2-426: Manila to Puerto Princesa (Palawan) Z2-427: Puerto Princesa (Palawan) to Manila

The DOTC, however, did not elaborate on what the "marketing requirements" that caused the flight cancellations were.

Cebu and Palawan are popular tourist destinations during the summer.

"Catch-all" for canceling flights?

The DOTC said airlines usually use "marketing requests or considerations" as a "catch-all for marketing-related reasons for canceling flights."

The Facebook page of "Tao Po," a non-government organization, said a flight cancellation due to "marketing considerations" is considered valid only "for planned cancellations (made ahead of time) when the concerned airline exerts all efforts to attend to affected passengers." (https://www.facebook.com/taopo.org/posts/551744684859105)

It added an abrupt cancellation "is not at all valid."

To know more about passengers' rights on airline flights, get in touch with the Civil Aeronauatics Board (CAB) through the numbers 0998-128-5717 and 0927-354-9515 or email apbr1@cab.gov.ph.

Another section of stranded USS Guardian to be lifted March 30 - PCG

(PNA), PDS/PFN

MANILA, March 28 (PNA) -- With the cutting and lifting of the bow and "AMR" (Auxiliary Motor Room) sections of the grounded USS Guardian (MCM-5)completed, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday said that the next major salvage step for US Navy salvors will be the final cutting and lifting of the vessel "MMR" (Main Motor Room) section.

"The next major milestone of the salvage operation is the final cutting and lifting of the 'MMR' planned for March 30," said PCG Palawan District head Commodore Enrico Efren Villanueva.

He added that salvage-related activities for Thursday include the continued non-structural hull cuts for the "MMR" and rigging of "MMR" and stern sections for hull lifts.

That part of the hull weighs around 200 to 300 tons.

On Wednesday, the "AMR" section of the USS Guardian, weighing around 200 tons, has been successfully cut and lifted around 1: 20 p.m.

"AMR successfully cut and lifted then transferred to barge, S-700 around 1:20 p.m.," he added.

On Tuesday afternoon, the bow of the grounded US minesweeper was lifted around 2:45 p.m.

Evangelista stated that work will continue all Holy Week.

The Coast Guard officer added that the US Navy expects all cutting work to be completed by the first week of April and lifting of all cut parts by the second week.

The USS Guardian weighs approximately 1,300 tons. with the lifting of the two sections, only 900 tons of grounded ship is left for salvors to retrieve.

The US warship has been stuck for over two months at Tubbataha Reef and caused damage to the reef, considered a World Heritage Site.

Palawan Healh Office starts conducting DetecTB with WHO, Korean Foundation for International Healthcare

(PNA), PDS/CARF/PJN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, March 27 (PNA) -- The Palawan Provincial Health Office (PHO) has started conducting the DetecTB Program again for tuberculosis in close cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Korean Foundation for International Healthcare (KoFIH) for employees of the local government and the residents of the province.

DetecTB is Diagnostic Enhanced Tool for Extra Cases of Tuberculosis in Palawan, said Pamela Lucero Garcia, unity head for infectious diseases of PHO.

Garcia said that in January, they started the program on 872 inmates at the Palawan Provincial Jail (PPJ), and on 219 employees of the provincial government in February to the first week of March.

On the second week of April, the DetecTB team will travel to the municipality of Aborlan to conduct examination on residents there to ensure that those suffering from the ailment will be given proper medical assistance, and can be referred to an expert in case the problem is more than expected, she said.

From Aborlan, the DetecTB team will proceed in schedule to the towns of Narra, Sofronio Española, Rizal, Brooke’s Point and Bataraza in southern Palawan, and in the municipality of Taytay.

DetecTB was launched in 2012 with the support of the Center for Health and Development (CHD)of Region IV-B under the Department of Health (DOH), WHO, KoFIH, and provincial government of Palawan through the PHO.

She said it aims to travel all over Palawan to examine and detect residents who are suffering from TB, particularly those located in distant areas, who have no access to medical clinics and health professionals.

Under the agreement between the WHO and KoFIH, a special bus will be donated to support the program, equipped with state-of-the-art contraptions, such as digital x-ray machine, LED FM, operation funds, and health servers.

The local government on the other hand, will take charge of the place where the examination can be done, provide power for the equipment in the bus, and aides to help during the detection.

Choose the cockatoos over coal, environmental groups in Palawan pleads

(PNA), PDS/CARF/TRIB/PJN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, March 26 (PNA) -- As the debate on whether or not to allow the establishment of a coal-fired power plant in Palawan rages on, a new group of old hands in environmental advocacy has emerged to appeal to residents of Barangay Panacan, Narra: “choose the cockatoos instead.”

The group, a loose coalition of environmental advocates pushing for renewable energy, which goes by the name Palawan Alliance for Clean Energy (PACE), has renewed the call to oppose the proposed coal plant as it may pose danger to the already threatened endemic species of the Philippine Cockatoo.

Several group members of the alliance, like the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) and the Palawan NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI), have been opposing the plan from the beginning as the proposed site of the coal plant is only approximately two kilometers from Rasa Island, a bird sanctuary that was declared a protected area.

PACE was formed, according to Lawyer Grizelda Mayo-Anda of the ELAC, to raise awareness among the Palaweños of the dangers of allowing coal power to operate in the province and to elevate the group’s calls to the national level.

Meeting with residents of Panacan in Narra town, PACE pointed out that once the plant has been constructed and operated, it will stand directly in—and, therefore, could block-- the flight path of the Philippine Cockatoos inhabiting Rasa Island.

The presence of the coal plant in the area also carries danger of this endangered birds getting electrocuted.

Dr. Lita Supsup, Dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences of the Western Philippine University (WPU), said there are only approximately 200-300 cockatoos taking sanctuary in the Rasa Island.

Disaster risk reduction management office of Palawan receives new trucks

(PNA), PDS/CARF/EBP

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, March 25 (PNA) -- The Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) has acquired four new trucks which will help in its disaster management activities.

Lawyer Winston Gonzales, the head of the PDRRMO, said the four trucks were purchased using funds from the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) of the national government through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

He said the fund was given to the provincial government of Palawan after it received the Seal of Good Housekeeping Award in 2011, which recognized the satisfactory administration of Governor Baham Mitra.

Gonzales added one truck will be deployed to northern Palawan, and another to the south, while two will be used for the general operation of the PDRRMO.

The trucks will be used to transport and deliver relief goods to victims of calamities and for the speedy operation of evacuating people, livestock and other domesticated animals to evacuation centers if necessary, and other operations of the PDRRMO.

The trucks will be marked with the Seal of Good Housekeeping and the PDRRMO logo. They were blessed by Fr. Juan Felipe Torrecampo Friday following a simple ceremony at the Provincial Capitol.

Lifting of USS Guardian bow section to be done on March 26

(PNA), DSP/PFN

MANILA, March 24 (PNA) - Saying that the salvage plans for the USS Guardian (MCM-5) is still on schedule, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday said that the lifting of the bow section of the grounded minesweeper will be done this coming March 26.

PCG Palawan District head Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista said that this is based on the salvage plan submitted by US Navy salvors.

However, he cautioned observers from thinking that this is the exact time line as "salvage activities are very dynamic" and effected heavily by external conditions like the weather.

Evangelista added that the US Navy expects all cutting work to be completed by the first week of April and lifting of all cut parts by the second week.

He clarified that there is no deadline imposed on the removal of the American minesweeper.

"March 23 is the target date based on the salvage plan considering a continuous favorable weather condition. However, during the salvage operation, unfavorable weather conditions were experienced due to strong northeast monsoon (Amihan) and Tropical Depression 'Crising' causing some setbacks," the Coast Guard official emphasized.

Evangelista also added that removal operations are still ongoing and being done safely and carefully so as not to create further damage.

CA ruling in Ortega slay case dismays bishop

[CBCPNews]

MANILA (23-Mar-2013) – A Catholic bishop expressed dismay with the Court of Appeal’s decision to clear former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes of murder charges for the killing of a broadcaster in 2011.

The court stopped the indictment of Reyes for failure of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to observe due process in investigating Dr. Gerry Ortega’s murder.

But Palawan Bishop Pedro Arigo criticized the decision in favor of Reyes, who has been in hiding since a warrant for his arrest was issued in March 2012, for allegedly masterminding Ortega’s murder.

“We are very saddened and dismayed by the ruling,” Palawan Bishop Pedro Arigo told Church-run Radyo Veritas yesterday.

“Our group and the Ortega family are only asking to have a day in court, to really have a trial and study the pieces of evidence if they are guilty or not. So this is really frustrating,” he said.

The bishop believed that there is enough evidence that would link Reyes to the killing of Ortega, also a known environmentalist in Palawan.

Last year, the government offered P2 million reward for information that could lead to Reyes’ arrest and another P2 million for his brother, Mario Reyes, who is also tagged as brain behind the killing of Ortega.

Tubbataha task force sets 2nd week of April as new timeline for completion of salvage operation

(PNA), LAP/CARF/PJN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, March 22 (PNA) -- The Task Force Tubbataha (TFT), which leads and manages the ongoing recovery operation of the grounded USS Guardian minesweeper on the South Atoll of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP), has set the second week of April as new timeline for the completion of salvaging activities in the area.

Ens. Greanata Jude, spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Palawan District, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Friday that the task force will not be able to meet the March timeline that it has first set to complete the salvage operation due to problems in weather condition in the area in the past.

“If all goes well, by the second week of April, the task force would be able to complete the salvage operation, and then conduct the post-assessment on the damages to the corals in Tubbataha,” Jude told the Philippines News Agency.

Currently, crewmen of Jascon 25 and other salvor vessels by the Philippines and the U.S. governments in the Tubbataha are clearing out remaining pipes, vents, and other wreckages on the remaining hull of the minesweeper to be able to incise it into four sections for lifting.

Cut markers, she explained, will be placed Monday on the bow, the auxiliary machinery room, main machinery room, and the stern to serve as guide of Jascon 25 and the other salvors when they finally commence “structurally cutting” the mine sweeper.

“After the hull, which is the only remaining part of the USS Guardian in the area, has been lifted, the crewmen will begin taking off debris from the area where it got stuck stranded to ensure not a single wreckage is left behind,” Jude explained.

Holes have also been bored on different parts of the hull to be used as channels for cable wires when lifting becomes possible.

She added that as soon as the operation is completed, a major meeting involving all stakeholders will be called by the task force to explain all past activities, and to proceed in the discussion of how the post-assessment will be conducted.

From the Philippine government side, the post-assessment team will be composed of experts from the Tubbataha Protected Areas Management Board (TPAMB), Tubbataha Management Office (TMO), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), the PCG, and others, whose expertise are required.

Meanwhile, Jude said diving tourism activities in Tubbataha still continue despite the presence of the salvage operation following the imposition of a 500-meter exclusion zone (EZ).

The imposition of the EZ, she furthered, was an agreement made with the TMO to avoid any tourists from being affected by the salvage operation.

Puerto Princesa Underground River online booking to commence April 15

(PNA), LAM/CARF/PJN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, March 21 (PNA) -- The city government and the Protected Areas Management Board (PAMB) of the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) are ready to implement on April 15 the online booking system to remedy the problem of overcrowding and difficulty in getting permits to enter the New 7 Wonders of Nature site.

In a public hearing Monday, City Tourism Department (CTD) head Rebecca Labit and James Albert Mendoza, PPUR park manager, presented to nearly 200 members of the Association of Travel and Tour Operators in Puerto Princesa and Palawan (ATTOPP) the online booking model created by iMAP Web Solutions, Inc.

iMAP advertises itself as the country’s top web hosting company offering secured and reliable web hosting and development services from personal to corporate website designs.

Mendoza said the launching date was picked because it is the anniversary of the PPUR and the park where it is located.

Under the online booking project, 500 permits will be available to Puerto Princesa tour operators, 300 for individual clients in the Philippines and abroad, 100 for the resorts at Sitio Sabang, Barangay Cabayugan, and 20 for VIPs (very important people), for a total of 920, which is the carrying capacity of the underground river by UNESCO standards as a World Heritage Site.

Mendoza said the city government through the PAMB has proposed the fee going to the underground river as P300 for children and P400 for adults.

Discounts for students, senior citizens, and children, on the other hand, Mendoza said, will appear on the online booking when it is launched on April 15.

Labit is optimistic that as soon as the online booking has been launched, order will happen in the issuance of permits to enter the world-famous subterranean river.

“As much as we like to allow everybody to enter the underground river, it’s not going to happen because it is a World Heritage Site and a carrying capacity has been imposed in order to protect it,” she said, adding travel and tours, and other tourism industry stakeholders need to cooperate to ensure their businesses.

Labit said the online booking project will also ease the problem of disappointment of tourists who fail to enter the park because no more permits are available.

The declaration of the underground river as a New 7 Wonder of Nature has resulted to a sharp increase in the arrival of visitors to the park since January this year, said Labit.

With the impending take off of the online booking system, members of the ATTOPP are compelled to revise the travel and tour packages they have introduced to their partners in Manila, said Farah Marie Torres, owner of Bulwagang Princesa Inn and a travel agency.

“We will have a little problem with our travel and tour partners in other areas because we’ve given them our tour packages earlier, and they are until 2014. But this is a change that we will all have to accept to improve conditions in the subterranean river,” Torres said.

She agrees, however, that the online booking is the best solution all can agree on to settle the problem of overcrowding in the park, and disappointments because people can’t obtain permits.



Ortega lawyer: CA ruling does not clear ex-Palawan governor of murder

By Tetch Torres-Tupas (INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines—The Court of Appeals decision upholding a petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes does not clear him of murder, the lawyer for Gerry Ortega’s family said.

Noting that the appeals court did not recall the warrant of arrest issued against Reyes, lawyer Alex Avisado Jr. said “the ruling does not in any way absolve the Reyes brothers [Joel Reyes and Coron Mayor Mario Reyes] nor it is final and executory. This is purely legal issue.”

Reyes’ petition questioned Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s order creating a second panel of prosecutors that reviewed and filed the case after an earlier panel ruled to dismiss all evidence against the former governor and most of the accused, including his brother, Coron Mayor Mario Reyes.

In ruling on the petition, the CA invalidated the second panel as well as its finding of probable cause against the Reyes brothers and reinstated the findings of the first panel created also by the DOJ chief which absolves them of criminal liability.

But the appeals court noted that there is a pending petition for review with the DOJ filed by Gerry Ortega’s wife asking for a reversal of the findings of the first panel and file a case in court against the brothers which still needed to be resolved.

“We will file a motion for reconsideration and expect this to reach all the way up to the Supreme Court,” Avisado said.

He also said that any motion for reconsideration they file on the ruling “is not prejudicial to the petition for review” filed by Ortega’s widow. “What remains to be seen is the action of Secretary de Lima.”

Young professional org in Puerto Princesa launches “Boto ko Sagrado!”

(PNA), FPV/CARF/CIC/PJN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, March 19 (PNA) -- In an effort to participate in a sensible election in May for leaders who deserve to be in public service, the JCI Palawan Region in this city recently launched the “Boto ko Sagrado!” campaign to encourage young people to choose their candidates wisely.

On Sunday, the JCI Palawan Region composed of four local organizations: JCI Puerto Princesa Peacock, Inc., Oil, Kiao and Narra Grains, implemented the launching with a motorcade around the city lead by Regional Vice President Susanne Lacson, who is a lawyer.

Lacson told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the JCI Philippines, Inc., the mother organization of the regional chapter, wishes its 6,000-strong membership nationwide to help other young professionals in the country use their votes wisely on candidates who are worthy to serve them.

“Young professionals like us have a lot of say if they want their voice to be heard. Boto ko Sagrado was not launched to favor any politician; this is independent, and this is to encourage them to hold their votes sacred and only give it to the candidate whom they think deserves to be in the position,” Lacson said.

She added that under the project, the JCI Palawan Region will begin engaging in voter’s education for the young people with key messages on “not selling votes just because of utang na loob, to vote according to their conscience, and not to sell their votes.”

Lacson also stressed that they are willing to work with other non-government organizations (NGOs) that has the same goal to educate the public in order to ensure an election that will deliver deserving leaders.

“We are very much willing to work with other NGOs, and we also want to stress that we will not be coming out with a list of candidates for voters to consider. Our primary purpose is to educate the young people to exercise their rights to vote, and use them intelligently,” Lacson furthered.

Birder and travel agency owner promoting Palawan in Hong Kong

(PNA), LAM/CARF/UTB

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, March 18 (PNA) -– For Ken S. H. Ching, a resident of Hong Kong who owns an eco-education travel agency and has devoted himself to environmental conservation, Palawan is a “treasure island province” in the Philippines that must be protected and has to be showcased to the world as a model of sustainable ecological protection.

Ching, who is currently in this city for the Sunday opening of his one-man photo exhibit “Colors of Palawan” at Robinsons Place, said Palaweños should be proud because they “live in a place with vibrant colors and amazing wildlife collection.”

“I was first here seven years ago, and this place is just breathtaking, I made sure I come back to document them and hold an exhibit for residents of Palawan, who have not seen them yet,” said Ching.

The Hong Kong national, whose passion also includes bird and marine photography, traveled all over Palawan to collect the stock photos he showed in his exhibit.

Among those he exhibited are photos of a trio of flameback woodpeckers, clown fishes traipsing around colorful corals, rare muti-colored nudibranchs, the threatened Philippine cockatoo, the Palawan mousedeer, spinner dolphins found at Puerto Princesa Bay, Palawan macaque monkey, and common and rare snakes, among others.

Ching said he will also hold the Colors of Palawan exhibit in New Territory, Hong Kong, where he is based and runs his travel and tours agency, Eco-Education and Resources Centre.

“Hong Kong is a big place, and it is very busy. People there are also busy that is why not so many are busy to engage in environment conservation. We have a lot to learn from our friends here in the Philippines, and especially from Palaweños, who care so much for their environment,” he said.

Working as a special researcher too for the Peking University Chongzou Biodiversity Research Insitute, he said many Hong Kong residents who are into birding and ornithology are interested to visit Palawan province to have a chance to appreciate its avian and marine treasures, and other wildlife.

“You know, while Hong Kong residents are busy working and working, many are also interested about appreciating other places’ environment, and their birds. Diving is also interesting in Palawan,” he added.

The Colors of Palawan exhibit will run for four days, said Rommel Cruz of Birdwatch Palawan Ornithological Society (BPOS) that closely partnered with Ching and will help him bring enthusiasts to Palawan for birding tours.

Cruz said meeting Ching is an interesting opportunity to promote the protection, conservation and preservation of the avian collection of Palawan, and at the same time educate people from different places to put a stake in the conservation of their own environment.

A holy Week retreat, summer break in Palawan’s Hotel Centro

(The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Are you making last-minute plans to maximize the Holy Week break? Do you want to experience not just meaningful holidays but also holy days? Are you looking for a place that affords an escape from the big-city crowd and buzz? Do you want to make sure you’re getting an out-of-town vacation that is equal parts peaceful and packed, stress-free and fun?

Think Palawan. Imagine lounging on a paradise-island, feasting on the freshest seafood, communing with a world-famous wonder of nature, savoring precious time with dear family and friends, or just feeling the essence of the season.

You can stop dreaming and start making it happen by booking a room at Hotel Centro, which is located at the heart of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. There are plenty other reasons to head off for Puerto Princesa and stay at Hotel Centro for the fast-approaching Holy Week break, but these are the Top 10 that make it absolutely worth it.

1. You are treated with style. It is, after all, Puerto Princesa’s top-notch hotel. The hotel is known for its cheerful staff and prompt service, making you feel right at home even if you are away from home.

2. Puerto Princesa is home to the world-famous Underground River, one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Travel by boat into this massive cave of jaw-dropping limestone formations.

3. You can have your share of peace and quiet as the Honda Bay, for your island-hopping pleasures, is not as teeming with people as the beaches of Puerto Galera and Boracay. Take your pick from among the three to five islands, with Pandan Island and Cowry Island as the main stopovers where you can buy fresh seafood and relish them right off the grill. There’s no empty stomach in Palawan. Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

4. Have a holy day and join devotees at Mt. Calvary where there are Stations of the Cross. It is believed that many people who take the Mt. Calvary pilgrimage experience healing. In-house guests of Hotel Centro can sign up for the Mt. Calvary pilgrimage on Good Friday.

5. Hotel Centro lines up weeklong kiddie activities, as supervised by the kid-friendly staff, so that parents can also enjoy a moment to themselves.

6. Movie nights at the Sicily Club Lounge allow you to watch your favorite classics with the family, with the convenience of restaurant service and comfortable lounge chairs which you won’t even find in commercial movie houses.

7. The hotel is also whipping up a “Spa-rty” on Black Saturday by its beautifully lit swimming pool, with changing mood lights in the evening. Have your foot and back massage over cocktails after all the thrill and excitement of the day’s tour.

8. Be part of the annual Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday, which has become a much-awaited yearly event among the locals because Hotel Centro is the only hotel with vast open spaces for kids to run freely and safely.

9. You can spend part of your Puerto Princesa stay at the Kamia Bay Resort, the spanking-new attraction in the city and also Hotel Centro’s sister property (under Greenmountain Philippines Corp.). A mountain resort that opens to a cove, it features non-motorized activities and water sports like kayaking, kite boarding, snorkeling, diving, fishing and island-trekking. You can also enjoy a scenic lunch on a floating cabana, a unique attraction that you can find only at Kamia Bay.

10. Finally, the city is just the place to visit when you want a little bit of everything, from island-hopping, underground river, mountain resorts, river/bay cruises, extreme outdoor activities, jungle trekking, diving and snorkeling, spa and wellness, dining, to arts, culture and heritage. Hotel Centro looks forward to any request for arrangements and will provide ready assistance for your exciting travel plans. As they say, a little bit of everything makes a great outing and Hotel Centro is going to make it happen for you.

--

Hotel Centro is located along the San Pedro National Highway in Puerto Princesa City. For inquiries or reservations, call Manila at (02) 556-5656, Palawan at (048) 4341110 or 0917-5991912, e-mail at customercare@hotelcentro.ph or visit www.hotelcentro.ph.

PCG confident salvaging on USS Guardian up by March 23

By Evelyn Macairan (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is confident that salvaging operations on a US ship that ran aground at Tubbataha Reef last Jan. 17, will be finished by March 23, as the salvors’ work is more than halfway finished.

“We are right on schedule. We can still meet the March 23 deadline,” said Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista, PCG Palawan District commander and head of Task Force Tubbataha.

Evangelista said good weather has allowed the salvors to proceed and make progress in their job. “We will continue to have favorable salvage operations for the next five days or until Wednesday next week,” he said.

He added that the salvors have almost finished removing the engines from the US Navy ship USS Guardian and would soon start working on the hull.

“We would not be touching the gas turbine generator right now. We would wait until we start cutting the hull because it is a difficult procedure… The salvage team would also start preparing for the cutting of the hull,” he said.

The USS Guardian’s hull measures 68 meters long and 12 meters wide. Nation ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

The cut-off sections and debris have been transferred to the Archon Tide via the crane ship M/T Jascon 25. The Archon Tide has been bringing the parts to a second crane ship, M/T SMIT Borneo which, in turn, transfers the materials to a waiting barge, S-7000.

Parts removed from the USS Guardian, according to Evangelista, would be brought to a US naval facility in Sasebo, Japan.

PAF commanding general eyes Palawan as center of disaster response, humanitarian aid

(PNA), PDS/CARF/JEIB/PJN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, March 15 (PNA) -- Philippine Air Force (PAF) Lt. Gen. Lauro Catalino dela Cruz said the Department of National Defense (DND) is keen on improving human assistance and disaster response facilities in Palawan to make it the center of its relief operations in the country.

Speaking before the wingmen of the 570th Composite Tactical Wing Thursday on the occasion of its 40th Foundation Day, Dela Cruz said part of the accomplishment targets of the PAF this year are towards improving human assistance and disaster relief response services due to the frequency of calamities taking place.

He said among those the PAF is looking forward to implementing soon are the rehabilitation of its radar system on Mount Salakot in Puerto Princesa to assist in the detection of any air activity over the province; and the deployment of two W-3A Sokol Helicopters from Poland.

The W-3A Sikol Helicopter is the first to be fully designed and serial-built in Poland. Dela Cruz said it is conventionally designed and constructed to perform a typical range of missions, including passenger transport, VIP cargo, medical evacuation, firefighting and search and rescue.

He added the helicopters will come from a batch of eight that the PAF will purchase, and will be further enhanced to serve in searches and rescue missions, as well as disaster response.

Aside from these, the PAF commanding general also announced that two additional hangars will be constructed at the Camp Antonio Bautista Airbase, the home of the 570th CTW, for other arriving air assets.

He added that PAF is also contributing to the plan to speed up the rehabilitation and repair of Rancudo Airstrip in the Kalayaan Chain of Islands to cater to the air assets of the Philippines that are deployed to monitor the countries territorial waters in the South China Sea.

Globe's Palawan-Coron fiber optic system paves way for West PHL net superhighway

(KDM, GMA News )

As part of its US$700 million modernization, Globe Telecom Inc. has landed a 400-kilometer submarine fiber optic cable in Palawan, the first fiber optic backbone linking the province to the rest of the country and the world.

The fiber optic backbone will serve as a “superhighway”of telecommunications services between Puerto Princesa City to Luzon, the rest of the country and the world via San Jose, Mindoro and support growing tourism and business in Western Philippines.

The telecom superhighway will be equipped with ultra-long haul dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) transmitting 40 wavelengths at 40-gigabits per second (GBPS) capacity per fiber pair, scalable to 100 GBPS per fiber pair.

This translates to 19.2 Terabits per second of capacity, which will provide more than enough bandwidth to serve transmission requirements to enable evolved high speed packet access (HSPA+) and long term evolution or LTE in the area.

It is capable of providing the required bandwidth for subscribers to have high-speed internet surfing, seamless video streaming, fast uploads of photos and videos to social media sites and a more reliable network for text and voice calls.

The cable rollout now forms part of the fiber optic footprint of the company, currently at 27,000 kilometers spanning the archipelago — from Aparri to the Zamboanga region — and will extend further as modernization progresses.

This landing was simultaneously rolled out with the Southeast Asia-Japan international submarine cable system in Nasugbu, Batangas, intensifying the fiber optic footprint of Globe in Southern Luzon and the MIMAROPA region.

In late November 2012, a similar fiber cable facility was installed in Boracay which interconnected the island hotspot with the rest of the archipelago, forming a major part of the company’s fibering of the Philippines.

Following the Coron FOC landing in May will be El Nido before yearend, providing triple fiber strength to the island.

Globe Chief Network Architect Emmanuel Estrada stressed the fiber optic inter-island connectivity will bring about richer mobile experience for residents and bring more business activities.

Top riders vie in Asia Moto Championship

(The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Top motocross riders brace for another down-to-the-wire showdown as they vie in the FIM Asia Motocross Championship beginning March 21 in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Defending champion Arnon “Turbo” Theplib from Thailand and perennial Japanese rival Tomoya “Kamikaze” Suzuki headline the elite cast that includes Kenneth San Andres, the Philippines’ reigning Motocross Rider of the Year.

After its successful maiden outing in 2004, the annual gathering of Asia’s top motocross riders gained a strong following, turning it into a much-awaited event in the succeeding years.

For the 10th year in a row, Mayor Edward Hagedorn and his constituents from the City of Puerto Princesa are again playing host and benefactor to the Philippine leg of the Asian continental championship.

Other sponsors of the event, supported by the Department of Tourism and recognized by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, are Repsol, HJC Helmets, Shakeys, Du Ek Sam Inc. Puerto Princesa and Honda Prestige Puerto Princesa.

Puerto Princesa’s world-class motocross racetrack is being readied in time for the big four-day event expected to draw hundreds of riders and teams from various cities and provinces across the country to battle in 15 categories of NAMSSA’s 2013 National Motocross Development Program. Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Mark Reggie Flores, 14, of San Pablo City will be a marked man in the Asian Junior 85cc category where he will defend the back-to-back titles he bagged during the 2011-2012 seasons. Out to foil Flores’ three-peat are Mongolian Khisigmunk Munkbolor, Sri Lankan Jacques Gunawardena and compatriot Gabriel Macaso from Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija who claimed the Philippine National Junior 85cc title in 2012.

Flores and Kenneth San Andres will be feted in the 2013 PSA Awards Ceremony set on Saturday. Flores is one of the young athletes who have been handpicked to receive the Tony Siddayao Award, an honor conferred to athletes who have made major accomplishments in their sport at a tender age. San Andres on the other hand is being cited for his achievements in motocross.

Guam’s Stanley Yasuhiro is similarly expected to encounter some rough sailing when he defends the Asian Veterans crown against runners-up Mike Zolin, Gimo Gonzales and Junjun San Andres.

Sumitomo to build scandium recovery facility in Palawan

By Orti Despuez(InterAksyon.com)

MANILA - Japan’s Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd (SMM) on Monday said that it will construct a scandium recovery pilot plant through its majority-owned subsidiary, Coral Bay Nickel Corp. (CBNC), in Palawan.

In a statement, Sumitomo said the scandium oxide pilot plant will be built by the end of this year and for trial production to get under way at a level of 10 kilograms per month in 2014.

Scandium (Symbol:Sc), a silvery-white metal with a density of 2.99, is a rare earth element discovered in 1879.

It is used as an additive to enhance the strength, heat resistance and corrosion resistance of aluminum; as an electrolyte used in solid oxide fuel cells; and as an electrode used in metal halide lamps and alkaline batteries.

SMM said that small quantities of scandium are contained in the ore used at CBNC to produce nickel-cobalt mixed sulfide, applying SMM’s high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) technology.

For some time, SMM has been working to develop a scandium recovery method at its Niihama Research Laboratories in Ehime Prefecture in Japan.

“This effort has now led to the attainment of technology enabling efficient recovery of scandium from the nickel-cobalt mixed sulfide production process,” the company said.

Based on the results of test operation of the pilot plant, the company said it would aim for construction of a scandium oxide production line of commercial scale and the launch of related business in 2015.

Currently, global production of scandium is estimated at 10 tons per year.

The major producers of this rare earth element are the US, Ukraine, Russia and China.

Owing to its modest volume of production and high cost, the demand for scandium has been limited; but as supplies stabilize, growth is anticipated particularly in conjunction with its main applications as an aluminum additive and as an electrolyte used in solid oxide fuel cells.

“Leveraging its progress in developing scandium recovery technology, SMM aims to strive for efficient recovery of other useful metals,” the company said.

PCG hoping for 5 to 6 days good weather for Guardian salvage ops

(LBG, GMA News)

With the northeast monsoon having weakened, the Philippine Coast Guard is hoping for good weather in the next five to six days as salvage work for the grounded minesweeper USS Guardian enters a crucial phase.

Coast Guard Palawan commander and Task Force Tubbataha head Commodore Enrico Evangelista said Sunday the next phase involves removing parts of the engine so they can get to the hull.

"Sana hanggang Biyernes tuloy-tuloy ang trabaho. Kailangan lima hanggang anim na araw diretso na magandang panahon," Evangelista said in an interview on dzBB radio.

He said they are hoping the weather will cooperate this time, adding they have been making relatively good progress.

Evangelista said that once the salvage work is finished, a full investigation may get under way.

The USS Guardian ran aground off Tubbataha Reef last Jan. 17 and was crippled.

The Tubbataha Management Office estimated the minesweeper may have damaged at least 4,000 square meters of the reef.

While salvage crews hoped to complete salvage work on the USS Guardian by March 23, they had been delayed by bad weather in past weeks.

Citizen monitoring in Puerto Princesa

By Dean Tony La Viña

If Puerto Princesa City in Palawan shares anything with Naga, it’s that it has been led by innovative, transformative leaders. For the former, we speak of Mayor Edward Hagedorn, environmental champion who turned PPC into the “cleanest and greenest city” in the country, and leveraged the surrounding natural beauty into sustainable ecotourism, such as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. One initiative is the city’s community-based sustainable tourism program, empowering local communities to manage tourism programs and projects. In this fifth of a series of column on the localization of social accountability work of the G-Watch program of the Ateneo School of Government, allow me to share our experience on this program.

The CBTS has attracted the support of the ABS-CBN Foundation, thanks to its community empowerment focus. It has attracted local communities to try their hand at entrepreneurial ecotourism, managing such sights and wonders as Honda Bay and Pambato Reef, the San Carlos Floating Restaurant, nearby mangroves and rivers, and the dolphins near Bgy. San Isidro. It has attracted pride from, and honor to, the citizens of PPC, as evidenced by its Galing Pook award, ISO certification, and positive assessments of CBST from the Development Academy of the Philippines and Asian Institute of Management.

With so much hard-won, well-deserved pride on the line, the kinds of questions citizen-monitors of the Government Watch (G-Watch) Social Accountability program would ask might understandably ruffle the proverbial feathers. The glow of success naturally resists—and resents—the shadow of doubt. The Ateneo School of Government G-Watch team found a city government at first wary about their intentions. They also found a civil society organization community, steeped in a history of environmental advocacy and the politics of resistance, and equally wary about governance work. In the end, good will and persistence overcame enough apprehension to see the project, dubbed Ambligan ang Kalibotan (Taking Care of the Environment), implemented. It was also another important reminder for social accountability advocates about the importance of local politics, of the good will of local government officials.

Probably given Puerto Princesa’s history, there was no shortage of that good will (even considering the initial wariness that greeted G-Watch). Prof. Joy Aceron identified a local official who exemplified social accountability’s “champion of good governance”, a critic of government without being a threat to government. The environmental CSOs, once over their initial caginess, contributed volunteers and leaders to help plan and drive the citizen monitoring project. Local barangay officials took the initiative to solicit and invite volunteer monitors, one barangay captain going as far as to insist on a high quality of volunteer.

These volunteers faced ten CBST sites, diverse as they are in their location and tourist activity, all which aimed to meet a standard of compliance with regulations, competence of skill, and cleanliness of activity. For any visitor of Puerto Princesa, they would immediately be familiar. A few have already been mentioned above; other notables included the zipline at Ugong Rock, the Iwahig Fireflies, the Sabang Sea Ferry, and the Batac Visitor’s Center.

Those tourists would also be aware, if they took the time to be reflective, that they would exert a great deal of pressure on the local community. Environmental pressure, so that they would accommodate their waste alongside local waste, and the development of infrastructure to support their visits. Economic pressure would bring valuable currencies to stimulate local jobs and economies. Security pressure will ensure their health and welfare. An entire physical and policy infrastructure had grown in PPC, and G-Watch’s mandate was to: provide the feedback to the city government to improve service delivery (to cite Vice Mayor Cecil Bayron), to “stand for righteousness and justice” in accounting of CBST management (in the words of Palawan NGO Network Program Director Robert Chan), and to ensure that the city remains the prime Philippine model of eco-tourism (proclaimed by Palawan Conservation Corp. and G-Watch member Edilberto Magpayo).

As the Ateneo G-Watch mentoring team narrates, we see such lofty goals transformed into humble hard days’ work on the field, where the commitment is put to the test. Admittedly, it was neither easy nor smooth. But perhaps no other G-Watch pilot site except Samal could boast what Puerto Princesa’s Ambligan ang Kalibotan could. One of the core volunteer group members said it best: “Habang nagmomonitor, mag enjoy ka!” After all, the volunteers beheld some of the most beautiful sights this country has to offer, even as they parsed for details of CBST implementation. It’s surprising, but not so ironic, that I paraphrase and elaborate from a certain 2009 Disney movie (Hannah Montana) my readers’ young daughters might remember. Social accountability, like life, is a challenging climb. But, as everyone involved in Puerto Princesa will attest, the view is great.

Palawan: A Hitch Hiker's Guide to a Natural Wonder of the World

By Lui Tortuya (www.Juice.ph)

For this month me and my buddy John Cruz took a trip to the underground river in Palawan and decided that we were going to try to do it on a three-thousand-peso budget. When you think of Puerto Princesa, you tend to jumble up all of the images of the white sand beaches and the eco phenomena that you've seen in your head and you imagine a super secluded beach with coconut drinks and cocktail umbrellas. We purchased a Lonely Planet guide and I spent the hour plane ride reading through it to have some sort of plan when we hit the ground.

Although there are a number of helpful entries in the guidebook, it seemed best to take in the major information on the attractions and ignore the minor stuff like where to stay and where to hang out. I did, however, see that there was a nightly stand-up comedy show so I took note of that and decided that we should just backpack around to find the best rooms. After figuring out that the main street was adjacent to the airport, we decided to walk the strip since we really didn't have any place in mind to stay. I mentioned to John Cruz that the bars along the airport road have that old Boracay feel, when there were no concrete structures and most bars were nipa. They were small places filled with foreigners mingling over a few rounds. It was only a short walk along where we saw most of the suggested restaurants in the LP guide and luckily we had light bags. I would just pony up the 100 bucks that the airport trike is going to charge you to go down the road if you have heavier stuff or are not really into backpacking.


Places to stay

We really didn't have any idea where to stay but we were on a three-thousand-peso budget so we didn't have much in terms of options. The best is to just go into the places and ask to see their rooms. We found a place tucked away in a strip mall-type building and they had a bunk bed set-up for PhP400 a night which was okay for me but not so perfect for John because he is a bit taller than me and had to sleep fetal position for two nights. I don't remember the name of the place but for this article its not that important. It's pretty easy to find a decent place for a decent price in the city.


Nightlife

Puerto Princesa is a bit of a new phenomenon. The nightlife consists of old-school style Pier One type bars with REALLY loud cover bands so you get a kind of interesting dynamic with travelers and local night goers because no one can hear anyone. We, for example, found a seat in Tiki Bar, and ended up hanging with three French guys, a Brazilian and two local girls and I don't remember anything that anyone said because it was too loud. My advice would be to go to the smaller places by the airport for a few rounds and to meet others passing in and out.


Food to try

You have to try Tamilok while in Puerto. It's the local exotic mangrove worm that is served raw and dipped in vinegar. We asked around about it and were told that you could get it live where they chop the head off in front of you and eat it while it's still moving in your mouth. We couldn't find the live one anywhere so we settled for the dish at Kinabuch. Tasted like oysters but I couldn't get myself to eat more than half of one.

During the Vietnam refugee era where thousands of Vietnamese fled Ho Chi Min's armies, a few boats found their way to Palawan where small villages of Vietnamese took root. Most have gone back but they left a Choalong tradition where traditional Vietnamese beef stew is served with freshly baked French bread. We tried a hole-in-the-wall place across a fast food joint at the junction and it was awesome. On our way back to Manila, we also tried Bona's which is the most popular one in town and both John and I decided that the hole-in-the-wall place was better.

Crocodile is another exotic food Puerto Princesa is known for. We rented a motor bike for PhP450 for the day and took a trip out to the crocodile farm. Ironically we were able to order croc sisig right outside of the conservatory. Weird. It was pretty tasty and they even had croc tocino.

Overall, we rented a motor bike and spent two days visiting the prison colony, the croc farm, doing the nightlife, and tasting the local food. My advice to anyone traveling through there: Get out of Puerto Princesa city and head to the coast immediately.

In the next article we head to the Underground River, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. I start by exploring the huge hassle of a permit system that the local government has put in place and why it's hurting Palawan tourism.

Palaweña United Nations’ youngest delegate in conference on status of women in NY

(PNA), HBC/CARF/JEIB/PJN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, March 7 (PNA) -- Jessa Belle Garibay, a 23-year-old Palaweña, is the youngest Filipino delegate representing the youth in the 57th session of the Conference on the Status of Women (CSW57) of the United Nations from March 4-15 in New York, U.S.A.

CSW57 is an annual conference of representatives of the UN from different parts of world for government and non-government organizations.

It seeks to review progress, share experiences and good practices, analyze gaps and challenges, and agree on priority actions to accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the achievement of gender equality ending violence in women and their children.

Garibay, one of the convenors of the Youth and Students for the Advancement of Gender Equality in Palawan, applied to be a delegate of CSW57 through Agents of Change Program of the US Non-Government Organization SustainUS.

This provides the youth the opportunity to participate in several U.N. conferences, including the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Commission on Sustainable Development, and the Commission on Social Development.

Growing up in Palawan, Garibay has seen violence in the community, specially the escalating cases of incest rapes and sexual violations on the indigenous people mostly in Southern Palawan.

“Through the experiences of other women especially in Palawan, I have a full understanding of what it is like to be in the shoes of women who have been violated and their continuous struggle against double standardization, patriarchy and the continued gender inequalities that come along with it,” Garibay said.

In the conference, Garibay expects to learn a lot from the experiences of other gender equality advocates from all over the world.

“Thus far, I have heard the experiences of Latin America, the Violence Committed in the Name of 'so-called' Honor in Canada, the plight in addressing violence against vomen and HIV in Africa and Women Movement in Technology in Turkey” Garibay added.

She has also presented Violence against women in gender equal societies and the Accomplishments of YSAGE together with one of her mentors Coalition against Trafficking in Women- Asia and the Pacific Executive Director Jean Enriquez.

“Through the experiences of other countries, I am hopeful to gain inspiration to better improve our projects back at home” Garibay concluded.

Ornithological Society to hold ‘Colors of Palawan’ exhibit

(PNA), PDS/CARF/PJN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Mar. 6 (PNA) -- With the intent to share the beauty of Palawan’s exceptional biodiversity through the lens of the camera lenses, the Birdwatch Palawan Ornithological Society (BPOS)will be holding the "Colors of Palawan" photo exhibit in this city on March 17.

The photo exhibit is in partnership with Eco-Education and Resources Center-Hongkong.

Rommel Cruz, founding member of BPOS, said the exhibit will be held also in close cooperation with the Eco-Discovery Travel and Tours and Robinson's Place-Palawan.

The exhibit aims to share stunning photographs of wildlife depicting the beauty and natural hues of the “Last Ecological Frontier.”

“The overall intent is to share the beauty of Palawan's biodiversity through our lenses. These stunning photos will be showcasing diverse wildlife, from butterflies, birds, mammals, corals, reef fishes, etc. In this way, we raise awareness and conservation of these species and their fragile ecosystems,” Cruz told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Aside from the exhibit, the BPOS will also take advantage of the launching of the Eco-Discovery Travel and Tours, a new emerging nature travel operator in the province that will purely engage in ecological tourism activities.

Primarily, it will engage in tour activities, such as bird watching, bird photography, diving, underwater photography, mountaineering, trekking, cultural and ethnographical immersions, and other similar tour packages.

Wildlife experts warn vs. making monkeys domestic pets

By Celeste Anna R. Formoso [(PNA), HBC/CARF/SSC]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Mar. 5 (PNA) –- Wildlife experts here are warning residents against making monkeys domestic pets because they bring diseases that can seriously affect human health.

The warning was issued by Palawan Wildlife Refuge and Rescue Center chief Dr. Glenn Rebong following the turn-over Tuesday of a baby monkey seized from the home of a foreign national by environment authorities.

Rebong said monkeys are wild and, therefore, should be left to come of age in the wilds rather than be domesticated by humans.

“Kapag dependent na siya sa tao, kung maghahanap siya ng pagkain ay magre-rely na siya sa tao. Kapag di siya binigyan, manggugulo na siya because of the change in behavior (If the monkey is dependent to humans, they will depend on them for food. If they are not given (food), they become rowdy because of the change in behavior),” Rebong said.

He also said monkeys can put the lives of humans in danger because they carry diseases like diarrhea and tuberculosis.

This is because the genetic composition of monkeys resembles that of humans, said Rebong.

“Posible din na magdala sila ng sakit like diarrhea and tuberculosis at mahawa ang mga tao, o di kaya ang sakit naman ng tao ang makahawa sa kanila (It’s possible that they bring illnesses to humans, or humans transfer their illnesses to them),” he added.

Lawyer Regie Tulali, head of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, on the other hand, warned that residents who will take wildlife as pets need to get permit to be able to take care of them.

If no permit can be presented, the wildlife will be confiscated, and the owner will be held liable by the CENRO.

Favorable weather allows salvage operation in Tubbataha to run smoothly

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

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, March 4 (PNA) -– Salvage operation to remove the grounded USS Guardian on the South Atoll in the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) continues Monday with Jascon 25 and other support vessels preparing to remove the minesweeper’s zero one level.

Lt. Greanata Jude, spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Palawan, said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that currently, the salvage operation team is carefully chipping away lower portions of the zero one level, or the deck after the main deck was removed, to easily lift it off the USS Guardian.

Debris and other equipment in the lower portion, she added, are also being removed and transferred to an adjacent barge.

“The salvage operation team has to do the undercut carefully before the zero one level is lifted off the USS Guardian,” she furthered, adding that good weather in the area is making the retrieval mission a bit quicker compared to the past days when strong winds and waves persisted.

Jude cannot confirm to the PNA when the zero one level will be removed because operation depends largely on good weather.

“Sorry, we cannot point the time or day when it will be removed because the team uses the weather as its basis,” she said.

Meanwhile, asked to comment if the PCG is in the know on talks between the US and the national governments regarding compensations for destroyed coral reefs in Tubbataha, Jude said she is not at liberty to divulge anything.

However, she hinted there are indeed talks that compensations for damaged corals may include communications and other rescue equipment.

“There are talks regarding compensation, but I am not at liberty to say anything. Nothing is really final at this point,” she told the PNA.

On damages to the corals, Jude said post-assessment will be conducted after the entire minesweeper has been removed. Currently, the estimate remains at 4,000 square meters of corals damaged when the USS Guardian got beached in January.

Philhealth intensifies campaign to access health care services in Palawan

(PNA), PDS/CAG/PJN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Mar. 3 (PNA) -- With innovations developed by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), everyone can now manage their records post or even verify their contributions online without going to its main branch or field offices.

In a visit to Puerto Princesa, Regional Division Chief Operation Cirilo Balmaceda said a cardholder’s ability to manage his or her own record is part of the expanded services of the health insurance for the welfare of its members and partners to ensure equality and convenience.

Balmaceda said with the recent technology, hospitals can even access the status of their patients by just visiting the Philhealth website through a system that will be installed upon the request of the management of the hospital.

Through this, the hospital can generate slips for such purpose, especially during holidays. This will likewise minimize time, effort, money and energy, he said.

“Maiiwasan din ang abala lalo na kung nasa malayong munisipyo. Ganoon din sa mga pasyente na kailangang ma-discharge sa araw na walang pasok o kaya ay holiday,” Balmaceda said pointing out the advantage of having the system.

In Palawan, two hospitals have that applied to Philhealth to have the system installed: Palawan Adventist Hospital (PAH) and the Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital (SPPH) in Brooke’s Point.

But Balmaceda said that members should religiously pay their premium and update their coverage of dependents to avoid hassle.

“Often, people are having problems on claims because the names of their dependents cannot be found in the system,” he added.For P150 per month, families can avail of the expanded package and services of PhilHealth, which include the implementation of the case rates for medical and surgical cases, and availment of the “Z” benefit packages for catastrophic diseases.

The regional director likewise encourages local government units (LGUs) to be their collecting partners and to spread the good news relative to the privileges of being a member of the health insurance.

Tubbataha still open to divers

By Tina G. Santos (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines—The ongoing salvage operations for the United States Navy warship USS Guardian, which remains grounded at the Tubbataha Reef, will not prevent diving enthusiasts from exploring the underwater beauty of the diving site.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Palawan District commander Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista said divers would still be allowed by the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) to explore parts of the coral reef not affected by the grounding incident.

The USS Guardian ran aground in Tubbataha Reef and damaged about 4,000 square meters of the atoll.

Evangelista said there are about 15 dive sites around Tubbataha and only two dive sites were affected as these are very near the grounding site.

“Tubbataha Reef is very wide. There are 13 other dive sites in the area that would remain open for local and foreign tourists to visit,” he added.

Workers ready to dismantle bridge of US ship

By Evelyn Macairan (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Workers are ready to dismantle the bridge of the US Navy minesweeper USS Guardian on the way to its complete removal from Tubbataha Reef in Palawan.

Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista, Coast Guard district commander in Palawan, said yesterday workers have successfully removed the funnel or smokestack and the mast of the 68-meter Guardian.

“We are preparing for the 02 level for removal,” he said. “This includes the cutting of the bolts, cables, wires prior to the lifting and inspection of the lifting points.”

Workers from the SMIT Borneo, the US Navy, Malayan Towage and Salvage Corp. have been busy clearing the equipment below the weather deck and the loose debris at the main deck of the ship.

The weather at the site has been cooperative and workers were able to perform the tasks they have set in terms of removing the US ship, Evangelista said.

The Guardian ran aground at the atoll on Jan. 17 around 3 a.m. while traveling towards Indonesia. The accident damaged some 4,000 square meters of coral reef. Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Tubbataha Reef is a United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. It is home to no less than 600 species of fish, 360 species of corals, 11 species of sharks, 13 species of dolphins and whales, 100 species of birds and also serves as the nesting place for hawksbill and green sea turtles.

Retrieved from "https://zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Palawan_News_March_2013&oldid=622329"