10 RARE Animals Only Found in the Philippines 🇵🇭

2,402,436 views May 1, 2021 #Wildlife

The Philippines is a beautiful archipelago nation made up of 7,641 islands with many beautiful beaches, delicious fruits, and incredible wildlife. In fact, the Philippines is home to some of the most exotic and rarest species on Earth! Here are 10 animals you will only ever find in the Philippines. UPDATE: Upon the success of this video, we have made a second version! Watch Part 2 here:    • 10 RARE Animals O...   Watch our videos incognito👤 using a VPN👇 ➡️ http://top10daily.link/FastestVPN (Affiliate link) ❓VPN❓ A virtual private network (VPN) allows you to have online privacy and anonymity by creating private networks from a public internet connection. FastestVPN, available for desktop and mobile devices, is specially built with advanced protocols and 256-Bit AES encryption ⛓️ which secures you on public Wi-Fi networks, clears cookies, and commendably protects your identity. It works as the best and most efficient solution for anonymity, privacy, and security.

PAL int'l flights to use NAIA Terminal 1

BY EMMIE V. ABADILLA

May 19, 2023 04:57 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Starting June 16, 2023, all Philippine Airlines (PAL) international flights at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 will depart from and arrive at Terminal 1, according to the flag carrier's latest advisory issued on Friday, May 19.

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Starting June 16, 2023, all Philippine Airlines (PAL) international flights at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 will depart from and arrive at Terminal 1, according to the flag carrier's latest advisory issued on Friday, May 19.

These include PAL's flights to and from Bangkok, Beijing, Brisbane, Busan, Fukuoka, Guangzhou, Tokyo (Haneda), Hong Kong, Jakarta, Jinjiang, Osaka (Kansai), Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Melbourne, Nagoya, Tokyo (Narita), Perth, Port Moresby, Seoul (Incheon), Shanghai, Sydney, Taipei and Xiamen.

The transfer of all PAL internationals flights to NAIA Terminal 1 is part of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) terminal reassignment initiative to ease passenger congestion at all terminals.

The flag carrier advises passengers to check the terminal assigned to their flights before proceeding to the airport, to ensure hassle-free departure and arrival.

Shuttle buses between Terminals 1 and 2 will be available for passengers with connecting flights in the other terminal.

Starting June 16, 2023, all PAL international flights will depart and arrive at T1 – NAIA Terminal 1 while all PAL domestic flights will depart and arrive at T2 – NAIA Terminal 2 (North Wing).

However, until June 15, 2023, all PAL international flights except flights to the United States and Guam, Toronto, Vancouver, Doha, Dubai, Riyadh, Dammam, Bali, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Phnom Penh, and Singapore will depart from NAIA Terminal 2.

All PAL international flights, except flights to the United States and Guam, Toronto, Vancouver, Doha, Dubai, Riyadh, Dammam, Bali, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Phnom Penh, and Singapore will arrive at NAIA Terminal 2.

Flights departing from Seoul (PR 469), Busan (PR 419) and Taipei (PR 895) on June 15 will arrive at Terminal 1.

Rainy season may start end of May or early June — PAGASA

BY CHARIE MAE F. ABARCA

May 20, 2023 10:24 AM

  

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The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Saturday, May 20, said the rainy season is near.

(Jansen Romero / Manila Bulletin File Photo)

PAGASA Weather Specialist Benison Estareja, in a public weather forecast on Saturday, said the rainy season may be declared at the end of May or early June.

“Sa mga nagtatanong kung posible na bang magsimula ang tag-ulan anytime, ang sagot po natin d’yan ay posible itong magsimula sometime sa mga huling araw ng Mayo – maaaring later next week – hanggang sa mga unang araw ng Hunyo (To those who are asking if it is possible for the rainy season to start anytime, our answer is that it is possible to start sometime in the last days of May – maybe later next week – until the first days of June),” said Estareja.

The onset of the rainy season will be declared once PAGASA’s criteria are observed and satisfied. These include the following: at least seven stations or 50 percent of monitoring stations must record a five-day period with a total rainfall of 25 mm or more and at least one mm rainfall for three consecutive days. In addition, prevailing winds should have westerly components over the western Philippines as this relates to the development of rainfall-causing weather patterns according to the state weather bureau.

Prevailing weather systems

Estareja, in the same weather forecast, said they are currently monitoring two weather systems. One of these two is the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) causing cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, BARMM, and Palawan.

The other weather system is a tropical depression outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR). It was last spotted 2,510 kilometers (km) east of Mindanao with maximum sustained winds of 45 kph and gustiness of 55 kph.

According to Estareja, if the weather disturbance continues to move northwestward, it may enter PAR by Friday or Saturday next week. It will be given the domestic name Betty.

“If this track continues, the odds are low that it will hit the Philippine landmass. But what we should monitor is the enhancement of the southwest monsoon next week,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.

Happy bee day: Four beekeepers who do their best for the bees

BY JAZZMINE QUIAMBAO

May 20, 2023 10:01 AM

  

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May 20 is World Bee Day! Bees deserve to be recognized for how hard they work for our planet as its primary pollinator and their role in the biodiversity which humans depend on for survival.

Aside from keeping our environment alive, bees also produce plenty of products that humans enjoy, such as honey and beeswax, which can be processed into other products which are both healthy and helpful.

READ:Why are bees important?

The rearing of bees is called apiculture, and it’s a profitable venture for plenty of farmers in the Philippines. Beekeeping can be done almost anywhere, whether it be on a farm, in one’s backyard, or even in the middle of the city.

In honor of World Bee Day, here are four beekeepers who care for and work with bees:

John Patrick Maliwat aka The Millennial Beekeeper

From a tricycle driver to a successful beekeeper, that’s the story of John Patrick Maliwat of Nagcarlan, Laguna.

From a tricycle driver to being the Millennial Beekeeper, Maliwat enjoys his beefarming career in Nagcarlan. (John Patrick Maliwat)

Maliwat had been a tricycle driver for four years before he decided he needed to find a career that could better support the needs of his family, particularly to support his father’s dialysis.

A friend encouraged him to learn beekeeping as there were many opportunities abroad to work as a beekeeper. Maliwat took his friend’s advice and spent his savings to attend multiple beekeeping training sessions to fully learn the skill.

However, his hopes to go abroad had been dashed by the arrival of the Covid-19 virus in the Philippines, and travel restrictions had been imposed. Maliwat was initially discouraged, but then thought that since he had gained the skills necessary, why not start a bee farm in Nagcarlan?

Maliwat started from a single bee colony (complete beehive), and over time, his farm has grown to have ten colonies of European honeybees and about 300 colonies of stingless bees in seven different locations in Nagcarlan. He is now a full-time bee farmer and is even a consultant to other bee farms. Maliwat is now known by many as the Millennial Beekeeper.

There are several bee by-products that Maliwat derives from bee farming – honey, bee pollen, and propolis.

Maliwat quoted Albert Einstein, saying, “If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, Man would only have for years left to live,” he said. “‘Not only that bee farming helps nature, but it also provides income.”

READ:Former tricycle driver in Nagcarlan now makes a profit in beekeeping

Toby Tamayo of the Lotus Valley Farm

Before establishing the Lotus Valley Farm, Toby Tamayo was already a professional beekeeper.

Tamayo revived the land of the Lotus Valley Farm to become a thriving environment not just for bees, but for all kinds of wildlife.

However, Tamayo didn’t settle being just a beekeeper. Upon seeing the poor state of the five-hectare land he acquired in 2005, Tamayo made it his goal to revive it.

Using his knowledge and experience in permaculture, Tamayo started planting native trees including fruit-bearing species on the slopes of the mountain. He also practiced assisted regeneration, which means he did not clear the existing vegetation but let it grow while intercropping proper trees and plants.

Tamayo’s efforts were not in vain because soon his land had become a thriving forest farm that was filled with different crops, wildlife that previously evacuated had returned, and it had especially become a wonderful environment for bees.

The Lotus Valley Farm employs organic and sustainable practices, and that includes how they harvest honey from their bees. Their practices had led their honey to become in demand for high-end consumers.

While he had his success as a beekeeper, it was good that Tamayo didn’t settle. His efforts have proven his appreciation for nature, he was able to revive a land while making it profitable, and has given his bees a better home to do their noble work.

READ:Beekeeper’s La Union farm is proof of the harmony between sustainability and profitability

Mark Anthony Moncayo of the Honey House Honeybee Farm

Bees don’t just provide honey and beeswax, but they’re also a great way to attract tourists.

That’s how the Honey House Honeybee Farm makes use of their bees. The farm was established in 2016 by Mark Anthony Moncayo and his father.

Aside from selling the bees’ by-products, they’ve also marketed their bee farm to be a tourist spot. Their farm is located in Lipa, Batangas, and is relatively close to the beaches and other tourist spots in the city.

Their farm is on a 400 sqm land just at the back of their home. Despite the small size, Moncayo realized that there were plenty of people interested in the bees, so they took the opportunity to advertise their farm to be a good place to witness the bees work. Visitors are able to drop by and take a tour of the bee farm and learn about them face-to-face.

The Honey House Honeybee Farm set up demo boxes that make it safe for people to get close and see the bees. (Mark Anthony Moncayo)

The Honey House Honeybee Farm set up demo boxes in the farm for guests to get close to the bees without the risk of being stung or bitten. They also offer free samples of their products, which are honey, honey cider vinegar, and honeycombs.

Of course, like most agribusinesses, there were a lot of challenges the Moncayo family had to overcome. But despite the ups and downs, Moncayo is proud to have been a beekeeper for the past seven years. “What’s enjoyable about beekeeping is seeing your customers happy when they see the bees, “ he said. “At the same time, they could taste our products. Then they would say that they would be back with their family to taste the honey.”

READ:The bees are busy at this Batangas house of honey

Mac Bergonio of Los Pepes Farm

After taking up BS Marine Transportation and working on a yacht for almost ten years, becoming a beekeeper was a turn of events that Mac Bergonio didn’t expect.

Mac Bergonio is a former seaman that turned to beekeeping. (Jerome Sagcal)

Bergonio aspired to be a sea captain, but his loss of hearing in one ear had unfortunately disqualified him from the position. He returned to land to start afresh and soon was introduced to stingless beekeeping from his father-in-law.

Bergonio’s father-in-law took an interest in stingless bees and hunted for them in Indang, Cavite, but by 2014 he had moved to caring for native ducks and gave the bees to Bergonio while teaching him everything necessary for their care.

He picked up on it easily, and soon Bergonio established the Los Pepes Farm, a farm that sells raw honey, pollen granules, lip balm, throat spray, and other products that could be derived from propolis.

Aside from their products, what makes the Los Pepes Farm unique are the creative structures that the bees had their home in. Bergonio had built beehives that are shaped like a ship and a minibus, while also having hives made from upcycled materials such as an old chair, an electric post, and even a school trolley.

Incorporating his past as a seaman, Bergonio built a beehive that looks like a ship. (Jerome Sagcal)

For Bergonio, bees can live anywhere and constructing beehives either through old material or natural casings allows him to care for more bees. Due to their unconventional and creative hives, visiting the Los Pepes Farm is akin to visiting a bee museum, which is a unique experience in itself.

READ:Life happens: why this aspiring sea captain pivoted to stingless beekeeping Stingless bee farm in Cavite is a “museum” of alternative beehives

Bees are one of the busiest workers in the world, and their work is critical for the planet’s survival. Aside from giving them their due appreciation, beekeepers who work with bees and give them the best and healthiest environment are also worth giving recognition to.

We hope your honey tastes a bit sweeter today! Happy World Bee Day!

New publishing house to revive forgotten gems of Philippine literature

Mara Sy-Coson: A Gunslinger for Philippine Literature

BY PHILIP CU UNJIENG

  

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At first glance, it may seem like an odd analogy to compare Mara Sy-Coson and her new publishing venture to a gunslinger or sheriff in an Old Western. However, when you consider the similarities, the analogy becomes more apt.

In Westerns, a hired gunslinger would enter a hostile town of criminal elements, facing insurmountable odds in the hope of bringing peace and order for the regular townsfolk. Similarly, Mara's first venture is the publishing house Exploding Galaxies, whose quixotic vision is to revive and reprint forgotten gems of Philippine literature. This is a genre that is niche in the best of times, and she is doing so with physical books, when all anyone wants to talk about is how it is the digital age.

Mara Sy-Coson and the first published book of Exploding Galaxies.

So forgive me for thinking Mara is a cause that richly deserves our support, and that we should applaud her for daring to establish a business that has the odds stacked against it. Is it a passion project, or a serious business venture - or a blend of both? Mara readily confesses that it is definitely a passion project; but she’s also cautiously optimistic that this may in fact be the very best time to launch this project, and champion these ‘lost’ potential classics of Filipino literary fiction.

The Exploding Galaxies press is set to launch on June 10th with a new edition of Wilfrido Nolledo’s postmodernist novel, "Just for the Lovers." The novel was first published in 1970 in the United States by Dutton, and then reprinted in 1994 by the prestigious Dalkey Archive Press with a foreword by Nolledo’s mentor Robert Coover. This will be the first Philippine edition of a novel that was then hailed as one of the most remarkable novels about World War II set in the Pacific theater. In Dickensian fashion, it chronicles the lives and survival of a broad cross-section of Filipinos during the Japanese Occupation and the American Liberation historical periods.

Considered a cult and underground favorite abroad, it shifts from fever-dream hallucinatory lyricism, to documentary social realism. It’s bawdy and funny, then dares us to keep our eyes open with savage imagery of rape, degradation, and the horrors of war. It has been described as a complex exploration of language, history and mythology. And I’ll be the first to confess I have not read this novel; and profusely thank Mara for creating this Philippine edition.

Wilfrido ‘Ding’ Nolledo.

Nolledo passed away in 2004. For over two years, Mara had lengthy discussions with his widow and family, who live in Los Angeles. She was securing the publishing rights for the Philippines and the rest of the world (except the USA and Canada), from the estate. The book has a foreword by Gina Apostol and an introduction by Audrey Carpio. I mentioned Robert Coover earlier. He was one of Ding Nolledo's mentors during his stint as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Iowa in 1996.

Mara's game plan for Exploding Galaxies is to publish four to six books a year. She wants readers to rediscover the joy of holding a book in their hands, and to experience the tactile, olfactory, and visual pleasures of reading. She and Don Jaucian, the editor of Exploding Galaxies, will select works to revive and publish based on their own subjective criteria. Whether they find the works by chance, through crowd-sourcing, or in second-hand bookstores, they are always looking for the unearthed, undiscovered masterpiece that they know must be shared with the world.

Mara also reveals that the second book of Exploding Galaxies will be "The Three-Cornered Sun," written by Linda Ty-Casper. Written in 1979, the events of the novel take place during the 1896 Revolution, inspired by the anecdotes and stories that Linda recalls from her grandmother. Linda is now in her early 90’s and lives in Massachusetts.

Mara recalls Fitzcarraldo Editions, an independent British publishing house that consistently published literary fiction and long-form essays that resonated with her. She found their work to be so consistently good that she knew that she would enjoy and admire most anything in their catalog. If there is a standard that Mara and Exploding Galaxies aspire to for Philippine literary works, Fitzcarraldo would be close to setting that standard.

Exploding Galaxies is still in its early days, and it is too early to say how the reading public will react to Nolledo's work. In a time when self-help, beauty, home interiors, fashion, and food books seem to be the more popular genres, it seems that Mara and her publishing house have a steep uphill climb ahead of them. However, the nobility of their endeavor is beyond doubt, and I will be cheering them on from the sidelines, ever ready to purchase their books. I hope you will do the same. Filipino literary talent that has been ignored for decades should not be a lost cause, but a cause for celebration and renewal.

Filipinas eye training camp, friendlies heading to World Cup

BY NIKOLE JAVIER

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The Philippine women’s football team is heading for a training camp in Australia or New Zealand to tighten its preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in July.

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The Philippine women’s football team is heading for a training camp in Australia or New Zealand as part of its preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in July.

Taking the lessons from their early exit in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, the Filipinas are looking to stage some surprises in the global meet.

The Philippines was drawn in Group A with FIFA’s higher ranked powerhouse teams in co-host nation New Zealand (No. 25), Norway (No. 12) and Switzerland (No. 25).

Some members of the Philippine women's national football team during the unveiling of their Adidas game kits for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. (PWNFT)

Due to schedule conflicts and club commitment of the players, no friendlies will be taking place in the Philippines.

“We’re trying to get everybody together around the middle of June. So maybe a camp in Australia or somewhere near New Zealand already to get them acclimatized and be ready for the World Cup,” said team manager Jeff Chang during the unveiling of the Filipinas’ Philippine flag-inspired Adidas game kits on Tuesday, May 16, at the BGC ampitheater.

Team captain Hali Long, who scored the final goal in their 3-1 win against eventual champion Vietnam, remained optimistic once they head to their historic maiden World Cup appearance.

“We lost to Myanmar and then we beat Vietnam. We just always wanna be better than we were in the previous game. And we will continue to do that up until the World Cup. And even past the World Cup. We have Asian Games round two,” said Long.

“We really need to just keep leveling up our game. I know the World Cup is the biggest thing we’re gonna do this year but it’s definitely not the last of like the Filipinas,” she added.

The Philippines missed out on the SEAG medal due to an inferior goal differential in the group stage, but confidence has never wavered for the team as they eye bigger prospects and better finishes moving forward to the second half of their busy year.

“There’s still lots of confidence in the team. Sometimes, it’s the breaks of the game, but we’ll continue to see how we can further improve and be more consistent,” said Chang.

GMA Network solidifies position as nationwide leader in ratings, reach, and revenues

 BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT

  

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AT A GLANCE

• In its Annual Stockholders’ Meeting last May 17, GMA reported that it reinforced its dominance as the number 1 Philippine media conglomerate across TV, radio, and online platforms. 

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GMA Network Chairman & CEO Felipe Gozon

Broadcast giant GMA Network, Inc. continues to be the most-watched, most trusted, and most-awarded Network in the country. 

In its Annual Stockholders’ Meeting last May 17, GMA reported that it reinforced its dominance as the number 1 Philippine media conglomerate across TV, radio, and online platforms. 

Nielsen TV Audience Measurement data from January to December 2022 showed that GMA Network’s combined people net reach, including GTV and its other digital channels, was at 96 percent or 78 million viewers in Total Philippines.

In terms of ratings, the Network’s flagship channel, GMA-7, ranked first in Overall Channel Rankings. Its second free-to-air channel, GTV, was in the second spot, while its DTT channels, I Heart Movies and Heart of Asia, ranked 5th and 6th, respectively. 

The Network also dominated the list of top programs in 2022. 28 of the top 30 shows in both Nielsen NUTAM and PHINTAM People Ratings were from GMA. Landing on the top 3 spots were the epic series Lolong, the flagship newscast 24 Oras, and multi-platform leader Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho. 

GMA Antipolo transmitter

“I am very proud to say that GMA continues to be the home of groundbreaking programs. Our Entertainment Group produced the stellar masterpiece, Maria Clara at Ibarra… We also changed the pre-primetime habit of Filipino TV viewers with Family Feud Philippines while the first season of Running Man Philippines, co-produced with SBS Korea, was well-accepted by the Filipino audience. Abot Kamay Na Pangarap continues to be the number 1 daytime program on TV and online. Needless to say, we maintained our supremacy in ratings and content in 2023,” said GMA Network Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon. 

GMA’s mega-series, Voltes V Legacy, is now the top entertainment program in the country, according to Nielsen data from May 8-11. Voltes V: Legacy The Cinematic Experience, released in over 70 SM cinemas nationwide, performed well at the box office, and due to insistent public demand, its run was extended in select theaters. 

On Radio, flagship AM station Super Radyo DZBB and FM station Barangay LS remain unrivaled, topping the Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement (RAM) Mega Manila ratings. 

The Network also cemented its position as the main source of local news, with GMA Regional TV’s programs winning the ratings in their respective areas. It also launched three originating stations in 2022: GMA Batangas, GMA General Santos, and GMA Zamboanga. In 2023, it launched GMA Ilocos Norte and is now working on GMA Palawan. 

In the international arena, GMA reached more Global Pinoys through its landmark partnerships in various Over-the-Top (OTT) and mobile platforms. 

The year 2022 was a period of digital milestones for the Network. GMA led in video viewership on Facebook and YouTube and continued to win in emerging platforms. It finished 2022 with more than 75 million subscribers across its various YouTube channels and reached 162.4 million followers/fans in its official Facebook accounts. With high reach and engagement levels in all its digital platforms, GMA’s online properties delivered 34.5 billion video views. 

GMA Network Center

The Network’s AVOD or Advertising-based Video on Demand platforms bested other Filipino media companies on Tubular Leaderboard Worldwide Rankings for the entire fourth quarter of 2022, ending the year at Number 17, in a list that includes global content giants such as Walt Disney, Moonbug, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Its portal, GMA Network.com surpassed all other Filipino media sites in both local and global ranking by December 2022, according to Similar Web. Meanwhile, GMA News Online emerged as the most trusted online platform in the Digital News Report 2022 released by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

The year 2022 was also a big year for GMA's talent management arm, which was rebranded as Sparkle. Its artists forged partnerships and endorsements with trusted brands; graced multiple covers in major local and international magazines; and its prime artists have top-billed the Network’s most-watched programs. 

GMA continued to invest heavily in ensuring that its broadcast reach—both via analog and digital terrestrial television—remains unparalleled. To date, it is the largest Network with 98 TV stations and 21 radio stations across the archipelago. It made investments in its post-production infrastructure to create programs with cinematic visuals and deliver content suitable for today’s premium streaming platforms. 

Its diversification vehicle, GMA Ventures, made several local and international investments. GMA also collaborated with various content producers to create top-notch content for TV, online, OTT, and films. It closed content licensing deals with international streaming leaders Netflix and Viu, among several others. The Kapuso Network is also returning to the silver screen with six films in the pipeline. 

Despite lower financial indicators due to global disruptions and advertising industry cutbacks, GMA continued to deliver strong returns to its shareholders. With its exemplary fiscal management, the Network’s consolidated revenues once again surpassed the P20-billion mark, a back-to-back feat from 2021. On May 16, Kapuso Network paid its shareholders P5.35 billion in cash dividends. Since its listing on the Philippine Stock Exchange in 2007, GMA has declared total dividends amounting to P45.99 billion—equivalent to an average of 96 percent of the Network’s net income after tax year-on-year.

“2022 was a year of Strengthening Our Paths To Growth. We fortified our core business while progressively creating foundational breakthroughs… Armed with a wide reach, superior content and technology, and the most talented people in the industry—I am hopeful that the next years, will be GMA’s best years,” said Atty. Gozon.