Through a 2-day media caravan, Shell Companies in the Philippines present various sustainable development programs of Pilipinas Shell Foundation Incorporated in Palawan, which was attended by various media entities and stakeholders.
Different community-based programs were presented during the media tour.
These include the Bamboo Straw Production / Rarong including the Alternative Learning System, health programs and cultural preservation where a cultural show was presented by the Batak Tribe in Barangay Concepion, Puerto Princesa City.
Batak Community in Sitio Kalakwasan, Bgy. Tanabag and Sitio Tagnaya in Bgy. Concepción is under the Integrated Support to Indigenous People or ISIP by Pilipinas Shell Foundation Incorporated (PSFI).
“ISIP has three components program in the Batak Community, and these are Education, we bring Alternative Learning System (ALS) to them; Livelihood and this includes for the promotion and marketing of their Handicrafts Products (native basket which is Rarong and Bugyas, Bamboo Straw and Bayong) also we have Integrated Farming Bio-System (IFBS) or Home Gardening for their backyard to support the challenge on malnutrition and for them to produce their own vegetables instead of buying them outside their community, which in turn becomes their livelihood, too,” said Mr. Edong Magpayo, ISIP project officer of PSFI.
The ISIP also conducted Water Sanitation and Hygiene and health forum. With the help of BuB or Bottom-ups Budgeting they were able to put a Water Tank in Batak Community of Kalakwasan for them to have a clean water supply.
“We help their unique culture by conducting several cultural activity to motivate and encourage them to teach or pass the younger generation of Batak on the making of handicrafts, dances, music, livelihood and arts,” Mr. Magpayo added.
On the second day, the team experienced the mangrove paddle boat and hundred caves tour.
Located in Barangay Sabang in Puerto Princesa City, Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour is a great experience for tourists and a successful example of a sustainable tourism. The tour would take less than an hour.
Also located in Barangay Sabang, another eco-tourism in Palawan, Hundred Caves is considered to be one the greatest hidden gems in the province. The cave’s entrance is situated 80 meters above sea level and tourists can discover an intricate cave ecosystem and amazing mineral formations.
PSFI has been actively supporting community based and livelihood programs to enable local members in the community to be fully empowered to manage their day to day living.
Conducted last October 15 and 17, the media tour was an opportunity to experience different sustainable projects the Foundation has actively undertaken. Another media caravan is expected, which will be held in El Nido, Palawan, next month.
