A visit to the Visayas is never complete unless you take a ferry ride from Cebu to Bohol. Upon arrival in Bohol, one is immediately enchanted by the blue sea and clear skies over the horizon. It’s rare to see these colors in a city jungle where the air is full of smog and emissions. First stop in beautiful Bohol…
The Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary is located 5 kms east of Mactan Island. The Sanctuary is composed of the main island, Olango, and six nearby islets namely: Sulpa, Gilutongan, Nalusuan, Caohagan, Pangan-an, and Camungi. The total land area of Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary is approximately 1,030 ha (2,500 acres). The Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary falls under the jurisdiction of Lapu-Lapu…
The Agusan Marsh, located in the province of Agusan del Sur, Northeastern Mindanao, was declared a protected area by Presidential Proclamation no. 913 dated 31-October-1996. Total protected area is 19,196.56 hectares (14,835.99 hectares core zone; and 4,360.57 hectares buffer zone). Agusan Marsh controls the flooding in the Agusan River by sponging the high level of water, thus preventing flooding in…
Liguasan Marsh, located in Southern Mindanao, is the largest Marsh wetland in the Philippines, covering over 220,000 hectares, spread across the provinces of Maguindanao, Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. It is a conglomeration of three marshes: Liguasan Marsh proper, Libungan Marsh, and the Ebpanan Marsh. A marsh is a tract of soft wetland characterised by grasses and cattails (Monocotyledons), which are…
Bulusan Lake surrounds the foothills of Mount Bulusan Volcano, located in the municipality of Bulusan, Sorsogon province, Bicol Region. Mount Bulusan, which has erupted at least 15 times since 1885, is considered the 4th most active volcano in the Philippines after Mayon, Taal, and Kanlaon Volcanos; and is the highest peak in Sorsogon. On 23-October-2016, Rappler reported that a phreatic…
The Cagayan River is known throughout the Philippines as the “Rio Grande de Cagayan” because it is the longest, largest and widest river in the Philippines. The length of the river is about 350 km and has a drainage basin covering 27,753 sq. km, flowing along the provinces of Apayao, Aurora, Cagayan, Ifugao, Isabela, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya and…
The Bicol Peninsula is rich in natural resources and is a region known for its scenic destinations. The most famous lake in the Bicol region is Lake Buhi for its serene panorama. It is a 1,800 hectare freshwater lake, 8 meters deep, created out of volcanic activity, and is located in the town of Buhi, Camarines Sur. The lake derived…
The Taal Lake, also known as Talisay Lake and Bombón Lake, is a circular fresh water lake located in the Province of Batangas, in Southern Luzon with over 26,700 hectares. As a child, I frequented my great grandaunt’s house by the ridge of Tagaytay City, overlooking Taal Lake. Every year, I was awestruck by the beauty of Taal Volcano, its…
In the Roman Catholic Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Divine Savior, Jesus Christ, is Stella Maris – The Star of the Sea. Mary is the daughter of St. Anne and St. Joachim. Both her parents descended from the Royal House of David from the land of Judah. Her father was a shepherd. Her name is Miryam in…
Marikina City, the shoe capital of the Philippines, is located by the banks of the Marikina River and is thus regularly prone to flooding and is also at risk from sea level rise. Marikina River flows into the Pasig River, which ultimately flows out to Manila Bay. During the typhoon season between August and November, floodwaters overflow into the riverbanks…
What once was a beacon of loveliness that would first catch your eye with its glorious sunset is now a down drum of uncleanliness, an eyesore of unseemliness that casts a sty. This is not the result of a mere slip-up but rather continuous discharge of toxic oil, industrial effluents, agricultural runoffs, untreated wastewater, and city garbage over the decades….
Our seashores are drenched with discarded plastics, particularly plastic bags and water bottles. What is astonishing to know is that this very same debris often washed ashore could be found in our deep waters as well. Deep-sea mammals such as whales, for instance, digest this debris, which is often the cause of finding them washed ashore lifeless. Floating plastic bags…