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SDG Sustainable Cities and Communities and Affordable and Clean Energy

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Figure 1. Poverty Incidence of Palawan from 2000 to 2018

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Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Palawan's agriculture economy is at stake.

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By Aira Genesa Magdayao

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan- The provincial agriculture office (OPA) has recommended the sourcing of rice supplies outside Palawan to ensure the sufficiency of stocks during the pandemic crisis.

Provincial agriculturist Ariston Arzaga said that a shortfall in grain supply is expected around July and September due to the drought.

He said that local agriculture office only expects to harvest half of 7,300 hectares due to the drought.

"We will possibly have a shortfall in July and September so that we recommend to the government to source out rice outside Palawan. Currently, we still have source from outside. Traders also have an incoming supply," Arzaga said.

He said that the province has rice supplies in addition to the stocks arriving but still not enough to sustain the need of the Palaweño.

"We conducted an inventory of stocks, however, we not expect that this will able to cover the need of all people," he said.

The agriculture officer, in addition, also assured the Palaweños that they are closely working together with the Department of Agriculture (DA) for a rice resiliency project that will boost the rice production of the country.

Currently, the provincial agriculture office is conducting technical briefing activities in northern and southern towns to assure that the implementation of the project will reach up to the very last farmer, he said.

"Before we have around 38,000 hectares but now we already have 58,000 hectares [rice farms]. We distribute seeds for free, subsidy of fertilizers," Arzaga said.
Fishery sector
Meanwhile, Arzaga said that the fisheries sector has slowed down due to the ECQ that holds fishermen to go out to the sea by schedule. But, provincial government managed to get the locally produced goods to include in their relief operations.

He also said that due to lack of tourists, Palawan has an over supply of agricultural products.

"It actually helps the fishermen because instead of distribution of pure noodles and sardines. We are currently oversupply in terms of agricultural products," Arzaga added.
Seaweed industry
Amid the COVID-19 threat, seaweed industry of Palawan remain stable.

He also noted that the province is the top seaweed producer and shares 25 percent in the national production.

"Our seaweed industry continuous despite of pandemic. We cannot stop this, in fact, 25 percent or national production came from Palawan," he said.

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Palawan Agriculture Office recommends sourcing rice outside the province amid COVID-19

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By Aira Genesa Magdayao PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan- The provincial agriculture office (OPA) has recommended the sourcing of rice supplies outside Palawan to ensure the sufficiency of stocks during the pandemic crisis. Provincial agriculturist Ariston Arzaga said that a shortfall in grain supply is expected around July and September due to the drought.

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Read: Palawan's current situation on plant poaching

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Read: Palawan's current situation on plant poaching

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Palawan struggles to address pandemic-induced plant poaching

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Palawan environmentalists are seeking the help of plant enthusiasts across the country to stop plant poaching on the island province, which has been driven by a growing demand for rare plants during the pandemic.

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PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines - The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) will conduct a study that will identify the population strongholds of the Palawan pangolin (Manis culionensis), in a bid to declare the areas as critical habitats of the critically endangered species.

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Palawan pangolin habitat eyed for conservation

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PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines - The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) will conduct a study that will identify the population strongholds of the Palawan pangolin (Manis culionensis), in a bid to declare the areas as critical habitats of the critically endangered species.

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Maintaining nature's balance

Known for its beauty and promise of adventure for tourists across the globe, Palawan is a long, narrow island in the southwest Philippines that's home to a rich array of flora, fauna, and marine life.

Accounting for the bulk of the nation's forest cover, the Palawan rainforest is considered to be the last ecological frontier in the archipelago nation. It not only plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of the entire region, it also ensures that local people have sufficient clean drinking water and is pivotal to preventing landslides. As one of the world's 35 biodiversity hotspots, the rainforest is home to various rare species, including the Philippine forest turtle, which the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists as a critically endangered species, and binturongs, a vulnerable species famed for a distinctive odor that's similar to hot buttered popcorn.

With the continued encroachment of agricultural and residential land, prevalence of commercial and illegal logging, and frequent forest fires, Palawan loses about 5,500 hectares of rainforest every year - the equivalent of 7,700 football pitches. Moreover, forest rangers patrolling the rainforest face extreme danger due to illegal loggers carrying weapons - it's estimated that from 2001 to 2019, 18 rangers have been killed by illegal loggers.

A protective partnership

The good news for the Philippines and global biodiversity is that a technology-driven protection project for the rainforest has been initiated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), PLDT's wireless and mobile operator Smart Communications, Rainforest Connection (RFCx), and Huawei.

A new monitoring system comprising mobile devices and AI powered by Huawei Cloud has been deployed to prevent illegal logging and animal poaching in five protected areas across Palawan: Cadlao Island, Maranlao and Pasadena in El Nido, and New Guinlo and Pancol in Taytay.

Powered by solar panels, the Rainforest Guardian system comprises old cell phones that monitor and record sounds of human activity, like chainsaws and vehicles, and capture data on animal behavior patterns. Identified by AI, forest sounds and data are uploaded to cloud on the Smart Communications network and then sent to forest rangers via RFCx's mobile app.

DENR forest rangers receive real-time alerts of sounds from chainsaws, trucks, and other indicators of forest destruction, so that they can take action quickly - the value of which RFCx CEO and Founder Topher White fully recognizes,

"The dedication of the local DENR forest rangers in Palawan is known worldwide," he said. "They spare no efforts in protecting this last frontier of Filipino wilderness from logging and environmental threats, and face enormous challenges and great danger. Huawei and Smart Communications teamed up to give RFCx an opportunity to help these brave people."

As RFCx's first Filipino telco partner, Smart Communications covers the five pilot sites in Palawan with wireless connectivity, which according to PLDT Chair and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan, leverages the operator's mature infrastructure, "As the country's leading digital services providers, PLDT and Smart Communications are in a unique position to leverage our platforms and technical expertise to help protect the environment." Moreover, the project's benefits extend beyond the environment, "We hope that this significant step will not only benefit the government and forest workers, but also the surrounding communities who rely on rainforests for food, shelter, and their livelihoods," said Pangilinan.

Results have been promising since the rollout of the Forest Guardian system in January 2020, with DENR reporting that several alerts of illegal logging have been verified and addressed by forest rangers.

Nilo Tamoria, Executive Director of the DENR Environmental Protection and Enforcement Task Force, welcomes the collaboration between the government and private sector. "Together, we're helping to protect the country's forest cover. This supports DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu's resolve to level up the enforcement mandate and capabilities of DENR by employing technology to complement our current systems. I look forward to the success of this project and to replicating it in other areas that face a similar situation as the Province of Palawan."

Huawei believes that the Forest Guardian system can be quickly and easily adapted to more countries and more scenarios. It expects that in 2020, the system will more than double the amount of forest it covers from 2,500 km ² to 6,000 km 2.
RFCx estimates that the amount of forest protected by the system will boost CO ² absorption by 30 million tons, which is the equivalent of taking 6 million cars off the road.

RFCx and Huawei will also continue to optimize the sound monitoring platform in 2020 by adding web and mobile interfaces and developing an API for aggregating sound data from various sources. This will help AI learning models capture and analyze audio on a much greater scale, so the solution can better monitor the health of the ecosystem and more effectively protect endangered species and their habitats.

About TECH4ALL: TECH4ALL is Huawei's long-term, digital inclusion initiative. Learn more about TECH4ALL: https://www.huawei.com/minisite/tech4all/en/

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Protecting the Palawan Rainforest in the Philippines

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Known for its beauty and promise of adventure for tourists across the globe, Palawan is a long, narrow island in the southwest Philippines that's home to a rich array of flora, fauna, and marine life. Accounting for the bulk of the nation's forest cover, the Palawan rainforest is considered to be the last ecological frontier in the archipelago nation.

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Read: Plans on farm to market roads in Palawan

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Read: Plans on farm to market roads in Palawan

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" FMRs are the foundation of modern agriculture. FMRs provide market access to farmers, which can then motivate the latter to plant more, ultimately increasing their production and income. FMRs serve as catalysts in improving rural economy.

Rural transport not only concerns the movement of farm produce, but also helps in household tasks such as procuring food, water, and fuel wood. When deliveries are delayed, the quality of crops drop, as well as their prices and sales – impacting the income of farmers and the food security of their families. "

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The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will be funding the development of a hybrid trimaran cargo vessel that can harness energy from ocean waves.

This P76-million project is the brainchild of shipyard owner Engr. Jonathan Salvador. The project will be implemented by the Aklan State University (ASU), with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and Metallica Shipyard as its partners. MARINA, as a project partner, will ensure that the vessel will be compliant with international safety and emission standards. Having 7 years of experience in shipbuilding, Metallica Shipyard will provide the hybrid craft's design and specifications.

The construction of the hybrid craft will improve our country's maritime industry as it is projected to be a modern design, environment-friendly, safe and unsinkable.

The cargo vessel is envisioned to carry 100 passengers, 4 vans, and 15 motorcycles. Steel will be used to build the vessel to ensure higher structure efficiency and better wave resistance.

Wave energy double action hydraulic pumps will be integrated in the outriggers of the hybrid craft. The mechanical movements in the pumps will be converted to electrical energy that can be used to provide additional power to the vessel. The more waves that the vessel encounters, more power will be produced. This technology is expected to improve the vessel's energy efficiency, making it not only cost-efficient, but also environment-friendly.

The vessel will utilize multi-engine technology that prevents it from encountering total engine failures while at sea, minimizing maritime accidents. It will also be constructed with a specifically engineered design to address the possibility of capsizing, making it practically unsinkable and able to withstand harsh environments at sea.

The construction will start this year and will be monitored by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD). By 2020, the Philippines will get a glimpse of the finished hybrid trimaran fast craft passenger cargo vessel that harnesses energy from ocean waves .

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The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will be funding the development of a hybrid trimaran cargo vessel that can harness energy from ocean waves. This P76-million project is the brainchild of shipyard owner Engr. Jonathan Salvador. The project will be implemented by the Aklan State University (ASU), with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and Metallica Shipyard as its partners.

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Check them out! Palawan Council for Sustainable Development

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Check them out! Palawan Council for Sustainable Development

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Doing mainly animal rescues, the PCSD helps contribute to attain SDG 15, which is to preserve and protect all life on land.

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A total of 1,491 board feet of Ipil and four (4) pieces of Bakaw were seized by the PCSDS Enforcement Team in Bgy. Nacpan and Bgy. Pasadeña, El Nido, Palawan on November 9, 2021. Based on the apprehending team's report, a total of 653 Ipil species were confiscated at...

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PCSD | Palawan Council for Sustainable Development

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A total of 1,491 board feet of Ipil and four (4) pieces of Bakaw were seized by the PCSDS Enforcement Team in Bgy. Nacpan and Bgy. Pasadeña, El Nido, Palawan on November 9, 2021. Based on the apprehending team's report, a total of 653 Ipil species were confiscated at...

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ECAN Resource Management Plan by Amigo, et al. (2017)

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ECAN Resource Management Plan by Amigo, et al. (2017)

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This is the primary output of the SEP Act and serves as the basis for the long-
term sustainable management of the municipally-adopted ECAN Zones in Palawan.

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This plan includes all of the endangered species in the Philippines!

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This plan includes all of the endangered species in the Philippines!

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Surprisingly, most of the species that are endangered come from Palawan.