Orchids of the Month of June

June marks the rainy season and blooming of many orchid species in the Philippines, with Grammatophyllum wallisii, Renanthera storiei, Vanda luzonica, and Vanda ustii being some of the fascinating orchids that bloom during this time.

BY JAMES TABABA

Jun 7, 2023 01:51 PM

  

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June is a special month in the Philippines, as it marks the onset of the rainy season and the blooming of many beautiful orchid species. As the rains begin to fall, orchids that have been dormant during the dry season are triggered to start growing and producing flowers, bringing color and life to gardens and natural areas across the country.

In many parts of the Philippines, particularly in the mountainous areas, the blooming of certain flowers during June serves as a natural indicator of the changing season. Mountain communities have developed an intimate understanding of their local flora and fauna, utilizing this knowledge to monitor environmental changes throughout the year.

Here are some of the fascinating orchids that typically bloom in June, showcasing the diversity and beauty of the Philippines' native flora.

Grammatophyllum wallisii

Grammatophyllum wallisii, commonly known as the Tiger Orchid, is native to the tropical rainforests of the Philippines. This magnificent orchid species has been prized for centuries for its flowers, which are often striped with bold, tiger-like patterns.

Grammatophyllum wallisii (Manila Bulletin Agriculture)

It has been located in various locations, including the Sierra Madre Mountain range, Quirino, Aurora, Bicol, and Quezon provinces. These areas provide the orchid with the ideal conditions it needs to grow and thrive, such as high humidity, warm temperatures, and ample rainfall.

Grammatophyllum wallisii (Manila Bulletin Agriculture)

Grammatophyllum wallisii is a type of orchid that is known as a sympodial orchid. Sympodial growth refers to the way in which the plant grows, with lateral growth producing new shoots from the base of the plant rather than from a central stem.  This growth pattern allows the plant to form large clumps over time, with multiple pseudobulbs and leaves forming a dense and impressive display.

The plant can grow up to several meters in length and width, making it one of the largest orchids in the world.

Renanthera storiei

Renanthera storiei is a beautiful and unique orchid species native to the Philippines. Renanthera storiei is commonly known as the Fire Orchid due to its brilliant fiery red flowers. The common name is derived from the color of its blooms, which resemble the flames of a fire. The Fire Orchid is a popular ornamental plant and is widely cultivated for its stunning and vibrant flowers.

Renanthera storiei (Manila Bulletin Agriculture)

One of the reasons for its popularity is its use in breeding programs to produce larger and more robust flowers with branching spikes. It is highly sought after for its desirable traits such as its vibrant color, strong stems, and long-lasting flowers. As a result, it has been extensively used in breeding programs to develop new and exciting orchid varieties.

Renanthera storiei (Manila Bulletin Agriculture)

Renanthera storiei is a monopodial orchid, which means it has a single stem with leaves and flowers growing from the top. The stem grows upward and does not produce pseudobulbs like many other orchid species. Instead, the plant produces aerial roots that help it anchor onto tree trunks or other support structures.

Vanda luzonica

Vanda luzonica is an orchid species that is named after Luzon island in the Philippines, where it is commonly found. It is an endemic orchid of the Philippines, meaning it is native to and found only in the Philippines. However, it has become rarer due to the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in Zambales. Despite this, it remains a favorite among collectors and enthusiasts, and is often used in hybridization to create new and interesting orchid varieties, particularly for its beautiful pink pigment.

Vanda luzonica (Manila Bulletin Agriculture)

The color of the flowers is typically white with a soft pink or lavender shade, with darker pink or purple markings or spots on the lip. The petals and sepals are usually a lighter color than the lip, giving the flower a delicate look.

Vanda luzonica (Manila Bulletin Agriculture)

One of the interesting characteristics of this bloom is that it typically needs to grow to about one meter in height before it will produce its striking flowers. This height requirement is a trait of some monopodial orchids, which grow vertically from a single stem and produce leaves and flowers along its length.

Vanda ustii

Vanda ustii is a beautiful and unique orchid that is endemic to the Philippines. Originally thought to be a variety of Vanda luzonica, it was later determined to be a separate species due to its distinct morphology. It was named after the University of Santo Tomas, with its golden-yellow flowers representing the school's colors.

Vanda ustii (Manila Bulletin Agriculture)

The flowers of Vanda ustii display a golden-yellow hue with a purple lip and violet markings on each sepal. As a monopodial orchid, Vanda ustii grows from a single stem that continues to elongate from the tip throughout its life.

Vanda ustii (Manila Bulletin Agriculture)

Compared to its close relative Vanda luzonica, Vanda ustii is more free-flowering and produces blooms more frequently. It can be found in the Southern Luzon regions of the Philippines.

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K-pop group Aespa’s Giselle unable to join Governors Ball in NY due to health issues

BY JONATHAN HICAP

Jun 7, 2023 11:08 AM

  

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K-pop group Aespa member Giselle will not be able to join and perform at the 2023 Governors Ball festival in New York City due to health issues. 

The Governors Ball will be held on June 9 to 11 at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park, New York City. 

Aespa in Manila (Jonathan Hicap)

Aespa's Giselle (Instagram) 

The line-up for the Governors Ball (Photo from Governors Ball website)

Aespa’s appearance will be on June 10, becoming the first K-pop group to perform at Governors Ball. 

They will perform together with Odesza, Lil Baby, Rina Sawayama, Lauv, Oliver Tree, Finneas, Kenny Beats, Koffee, Snail Mail, Amber Mark, SYD, Suki Waterhouse, Kennyhoopla, Lovejoy, Evan Giia, Sarah Kinsley, Flipturn, The Amazons and Zolita. 

However, Giselle, who has been plagued with health issues, will not join Aespa at the Governors Ball. 

“We are sorry to inform Aespa's US fans that Giselle will not be able to join the group for their upcoming Governors Ball performance due to health issues. Once again, we apologize for sharing the unfortunate news and appreciate everyone's understanding,” SM Entertainment announced on June 7. 

Due to this, only Karina, Winter, and Ningning will perform at the event. The three left South Korea for New York on June 7. 

Last June 1, Giselle was unable to attend the recording of the Korean variety TV show “Knowing Bros.”

Magnitude 4.1 quake jolts South Cotabato — Phivolcs

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

  

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A 4.1-magnitude earthquake jolted South Cotabato on Tuesday night, June 6, said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

In an earthquake bulletin issued on Wednesday, Phivolcs said the quake struck 5 kilometers southwest of Santo Niño, South Cotabato around 8:07 p.m.

The tremor was felt at Intensity III (weak) in Banga and Norala in South Cotabato.

(Phivolcs)

Phivolcs’ instruments also recorded the quake at Intensity IV (moderately strong) in Banga, South Cotabato; Intensity III in Norala and Koronadal City in South Cotabato; Intensity II (slightly felt) in Alamada, Cotabato; and Intensity I (scarcely perceptible) in Kiamba in Sarangani, Tantangan in South Cotabato, and Bagumbayan and Esperanza in Sultan Kudarat.

Phivolcs said the earthquake was tectonic, which means it was caused by the movement of an active fault near the area.

However, it does not expect damage or aftershocks because of this earthquake.

Friends, not food: Examining the potential of ornamental fish breeding

Other countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have specific departments dedicated to the ornamental fish industry, especially raising and marketing these require skills different from raising fish for food, including keeping an eye on the ever-evolving ornamental fish market.

BY YVETTE TAN

  

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Will the Philippines be able to export aquarium fishes?

That’s something the Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) is trying to explore.

The NFRDI is the fisheries research agency under the Department of Agriculture (DA). It conducts research and development on fisheries and aquaculture to address the needs of the fisherfolk and the fisherfolk industry.

While the DA’s main focus is on food, its mandate also encompasses ornamental plants, and in this case, ornamental fish, which are fishes and aquatic creatures kept as pets.

Pet fish

“...the trade on aquarium fish is a steadily increasing industry in the world... but since [the 80s, when the hobby gained popularity] up to the present, the local industry has still not yet tapped the export market… even the local markets are not yet that fully developed,” says Frederick Muyot NFRDI Senior Science Specialist. “If we look at the quality of fish that we have, it’s not at par with the export quality fishes that we are seeing from our local pet shops.”

The ornamental fish industry is divided into marine or seawater ornamentals and freshwater ornamentals. According to Muyot, marine ornamentals are “gathered from the wild and exported to other countries.” On the other hand, there is a small number of hobbyists who breed freshwater ornamentals, “but all of these are exotic or not native to the Philippines” and are bred to supply local demand. These include discus, goldfish, koi, and guppies, among others.

“We’ve not yet tapped the export market due to some constraints,” he concludes. “...some of our aquarium fish farmers have tried [exporting ornamental fish to the US] through the initiative and support of BFAR 4A and quality-wise, we have passed the requirements of the exporter but the volume of production that they require could not be met by the local industry. That’s one of the points that we need to address for us to be able to go into the export market.”

A locally bred goldfish. (Jeffrey Lim)

A potential for export

Muyot estimates that the local ornamental fish industry is worth about 140-150 million pesos, a conservative estimate since it’s based on 500 pet shops around the country and doesn’t count private breeders and hobbyists. Internationally, the industry is worth around five billion US dollars, and is estimated to grow around eight per cent annually. This means there’s room for new players, especially if they can deliver the required quality and quantity of fish breeds.

Breeding ornamental fish can be a lucrative business, as these tend to be priced higher than food fish. Tilapia, for example, has a farmgate price of 80-90 pesos per kilo, but even a small, relatively cheap ornamental fish will go for 10 to 20 pesos a piece, and can go up to hundreds, even thousands of pesos per piece depending on its breed, size, and quality. Ornamental fish also don’t need as big an area for breeding as food fish. Muyot explains that a three hectare facility is already considered large. “Compared to tilapia and bangus, you need 10 hectares or 20 hectares to produce the same value of harvest,” he adds. ”We have great potential for the ornamental fish for the local market and eventually, if you are already established enough and you have the capacity, volume, quality, you can go into the export market… [which] is very lucrative because the industry is steadily increasing, the market demand is very high, and the price of fish per piece is also very high.”

Local hobbyists regularly breed high quality aquarium fish such as discus. (Jeffrey Lim)

The need for high quality

Unfortunately, apart from not being able to supply the required quantity, a lot of potential fish farmers who aren’t hobbyists to begin with may not understand the need to breed fish that pass quality standards if they are to be exported. “...most farmers would tend to pay more attention to volume of production instead of quality,” Muyot admits. “In other countries, they are more concerned about the quality first… but locally, this is not the case.”

He does, however, cite a case in Davao where he was surprised to find export quality fish in a pet shop, and was told that the reason they were of good quality was because they were bred by a hobbyist. “ The hobbyist sector, they have the highest quality breeders selection. They produce the highest quality fish, but they produce at a smaller amount,” he shares.

It’s not that breeders who aren’t hobbyists don’t care about quality, it’s more a case of having to choose between one or the other because of a lack of resources and institutional support. “...most of the pet shops we have around the country cater to the masses. “In other countries, they are more of a middle class group that demands higher quality fish,” he explains in Taglish. “...we asked [some farmers in Laguna] why they don’t do selective breeding… before they sell the fish, [and] they told us that the selling price of… the sorted and unsorted ones are not that significant..., so they try to go for the mass production process.”

But Muyot stresses that if one wants to become a reputable name in the industry, one cannot forego quality. “...for you to be known and to be a reputable farmer, you have to produce good quality fish. Otherwise, there will come a time that other people will surpass you.”

Koi is one of the popular ornamental fishes that hobbyists are breeding locally. (Jeffrey Lim)

A budding industry in need of support

The DA has always placed importance on food crops and livestock over ornamental plants and animals. While this is important for the welfare of the nation’s food security, it means that non-food industries get left behind. This need not be the case, as there’s room for everyone to grow. “Ornamental fish is not one of the main priority species for the government. I think the industry should be given… support in terms of different programs,” Muyot says. “For example, the lack of… quality breeders in the industry should be addressed through breeding programs… and training and capacity building for aquarium fish farmers… They don’t have entrepreneurship skills.”

He added that other countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have specific departments dedicated to the ornamental fish industry, especially raising and marketing these require skills different from raising fish for food, including keeping an eye on the ever-evolving ornamental fish market.

The NFDI and BFAR have programs that promote ornamental fish breeding as a form of livelihood for backyard breeders. “Our ultimate vision is to develop the local market for us to have a dynamic, thriving local ornamental fish industry that is competitive enough to eventually go into the export market.”

There may be a focus on food fish in the agriculture industry, a necessity given the country’s lack of food security, but it doesn’t mean that ornamental fish growers have to languish. There’s room for everyone to grow, and the success of one industry will mean success for the Philippine economy as a whole.

Photos by Jeffrey Lim