‘Kagwangs’ not ‘aswangs’

Not human food, so don't hunt the Philippine flying lemur

A kagwang holds on to the trunk of a tree at the Raja Sikatuna Protected Landscape in Bohol. Philip Godfrery C. Jakosalem, Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc.

Not to be confused with your mythical evil creature “aswang”, the Philippine flying lemur is called “kagwang”.  

It sounds like “aswang”, really, but this creature is not flesh-eating mammal.  It eats young leaves and soft fruits. 

Hence, they are not guilty of the wild accusation that they kill animal livestock. 

The Philippine flying lemur or Philippine colugo is also not a bad omen so please stop spreading rumors that they bring bad luck. 

This nocturnal animal has the habit of jumping and gliding from one tree to the other that is why they are often mistaken as the dreaded “aswang”, which our oldies use to incite fear among the young who wants to wander around at night.

The kagwang is in fact a gentle creatures.   

They are hunted down by preys on top of the food chain, and are the favourite meal of the ultimate predator in the wild – the Philippine eagle, and humans who hunt them down because they believe they pose danger to humans and their animal livestock. 

Some have more hideous intention in hunting them down – they want to make bar chow out of these nocturnal mammals. Authorities say they are not human food so please, stop hunting them and leave them in peace.

In Bohol, the skin of the kagwang are made into fashion hats.  Others kill them for trophy, making them displays like other stuffed animals.

They are listed as “threatened” by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Nobody knows much about their population in the wild but the DENR says they are threatened by extinction mainly because of massive destruction of the forest and hunting.

Kagwang is endemic to Southern Philippines, which means they can only be found in Mindanao and some parts of Visayas.

According to Director Mundita S. Lim, losing them means losing the species forever. 

There are only two of its kind in the world.  The other species can be found elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

So please, stop killing them and stop destroying their natural habitats. 

A day in El Nido, a day to remember

A tour guide does a balancing act to guide the skipper in entering a lagoon in El Nido, Palawan.

El Nido, Palawan is one of the many places I have been dreaming to visit. 

It came true last week and got a glimpse of its natural beauty.

Apparently, El Nido boasts of having the best diving spots in the world. 

Its marine ecosystem is host to a number of amazing marine mammals like marine turtles or “pawikan”, sea cows or dugong, and is frequented by dolphins and whale sharks or butanding, the gentle giants of the sea.

El Nido hosts a number of islands and islets covered with lush vegetation, with white sand beaches.  These islands have caves, too. 

Its pristine waters, like most areas in Palawan, is ideal for bathing. 

El Nido has many captivating lagoons surrounded by giant karst stone like huge walls surrounding the lagoons.

There are no big hotels in El Nido. 

El Nido Resorts are composed of a small number of hotels and resorts where tourists can stay and the cost is affordable.

Farmers and fishermen are now in the business of ecotourism.  Homes are used for home stays or were renovated to become hotels or for purpose of board and lodging.  

A hut in the middle of a beach in one of the islands with white sand beaches in El Nido.  These beaches are all picture-perfect, because they are clean and are surrounded with crystal-clear waters.

Those with boats are now in business as tour guides, earning them extra income aside from being fishermen and farmers. 

The people here are also hospitable, typical of every Filipino who welcome guests with open arms. 

 

My trip to El Nido is quite an awesome experience.  Indeed, it is one of Palawan’s best kept secrets and people in the area are proud of this gift of nature.  

May the future generation continue to enjoy the beauty of El Nido in the years to come.  

A day in El Nido, a day to remember forever

El Nido, Palawan is one of the many places I have been dreaming to visit. 

It came true last week and got a glimpse of its natural beauty.

A tour guide does a balancing act to guide the skipper in entering a lagoon in El Nido, Palawan. 

Apparently, El Nido boasts of having the best diving spots in the world. 

Itsmarine ecosystem is host to a number of amazing marine mammals like marineturtles or “pawikan”, sea cows or dugong, and is frequented by dolphins andwhale sharks or butanding, the gentle giants of the sea.

El Nido hosts a number of islands and islets with white sand beaches. 

Its pristine waters, like most areas in Palawwan, is ideal for bathing. 

El Nido has many captivating lagoons surrounded by karst stones walls surrounding the lagoons.

There are no big hotels in El Nido. 

El Nido Resorts are composed of a small number of hotels and resorts where tourists can stay and the cost is affordable.

Farmers and fishermen are now in the business of ecotourism.  Homes are used for home stays or were renovated to become hotels or for purpose of board and lodging.  

A hut in the middle of a beach in one of the islands with white sand beaches in El Nido.  These beaches are all picture-perfect, because they are clean and are surrounded with crystal-clear waters.

Those with boats are now in business as tour guides, earning them extra income aside from being fishermen and farmers. 

The people here are also hospitable, typical of every Filipino who welcome guests with open arms. 

 

My trip to El Nido is quite an awesome experience.  Indeed, it is one of Palawan’s best kept secrets and people in the area are proud of this gift of nature.  

May the future generation continue to enjoy the beauty of El Nido in the years to come.