Real Estate And Tourism

18/10/2026

Indigenous Peoples' food systems have sustained their Peoples for generations while helping to protect the world's biodiversity.

Strengthening and protecting Indigenous food systems is essential for advancing food security and sustainable futures for all.

On , we reaffirm the importance of protecting Indigenous Peoples' rights, food systems and knowledge for present and future generations.

01/10/2026

THE MAN WHO SAVED REEFS

He grew up beside the sea. Decades later, he helped change how the Philippines protects it.

Angel Alcala was raised in the coastal village of Caliling in Cauayan, Negros Occidental, where his fascination with marine life began.

He studied Biology at Silliman University, graduating magna cm laude in 1951. He later earned his master’s and PhD in Biological Sciences from Stanford University before returning to the Philippines to teach and conduct research.

In 1974, Alcala helped establish the pioneering marine sanctuary at Sumilon Island. His research showed that protecting part of a reef could allow marine life to recover while supporting fishing in surrounding waters.

But Sumilon also taught him something important: conservation works better when local communities are involved.

That lesson shaped the celebrated Apo Island model, where scientists worked alongside fishing families to protect and manage their reef.

His work eventually helped inspire more than 1,000 marine no-take areas across the Philippines.

From a boy fascinated by the sea to a National Scientist, Angel Alcala showed how Filipino science could protect both nature and livelihoods. 🇵

25/09/2026

Greenery is becoming a more prominent part of the Philippine residential proposition as developers devote greater attention to parks, landscaped areas, walkable spaces and connections with nature, reflecting changing homebuyer preferences that increasingly extend beyond the size and location of the home itself.

For decades, the residential formula centered largely on location, price, accessibility and amenities such as swimming pools and clubhouses.

READ MORE: https://realestatenews.ph/national/nature-becomes-a-bigger-selling-point-in-philippine-residential-development

25/09/2026

Last month, we said we needed more coral emojis to reflect the incredible diversity of coral species on Earth. This time, we're going to depress you a little.

Because if current climate trajectories continue, the emojis we'll actually need are the bleached versions. Bleached and dying reefs will be increasingly what most people encounter when they picture, describe, or reference "coral" in the years ahead. The IPCC projects 70-90% coral decline at 1.5°C of warming, and 99% loss at 2°C. Last month, UNEP confirmed that exceeding 1.5°C is now unavoidable under current policies.

None of this is inevitable in its final form. Every fraction of a degree we keep off the peak matters. Every year of overshoot shortened is a year more reefs might survive. Local protection – reducing pollution, preventing physical damage, supporting sustainable tourism – gives reefs a better chance of surviving heat stress and recovering when temperatures eventually stabilise.

But the trajectory we're on is clear. And if it continues, the "emojis we need" won't be the vibrant, diverse corals of the last carousel. They'll be the pale, faded, dying versions in this one.

Thankfully, emojis are metaphors, not destinies. The reefs are still here. The choices we make now decide what future generations get to see – on their screens, and beneath the surface.

25/09/2026

DAVAO CITY — In 2008, Felicitas "Joji" Pantoja set up a bamboo shelter in Mindanao where fi****ms were strictly prohibited. Over hot coffee, military commanders, rebel leaders, and indigenous elders sat around a single table to negotiate peace.

That initiative sparked Coffee for Peace, a social enterprise that transformed former conflict zones into world-class specialty coffee production hubs.

Pantoja, an investment advisor in Canada for 16 years before returning to the Philippines, recognized that lasting peace required economic stability for displaced indigenous and Muslim communities. Smallholder farmers were trapped in poverty, drying mixed cherries on asphalt roads for low commodity prices.

Drawing from Colombian processing techniques, Pantoja introduced raised solar drying beds, selective harvesting, and standardized post-harvest methods to the Blaan community on Mount Matutum.

The community's heirloom Arabica scored above the 80-point specialty threshold in Canadian cupping tests, triggering export demand and spreading post-harvest innovations across Bukidnon, Sarangani, and Davao del Sur.

Pantoja now leverages her positions on the National Sectoral Committee under the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries and the Davao Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) to address regulatory barriers affecting smallholders.

She advocated for a shared "Coffee Excellence Hub" to help smallholders meet Food and Drug Administration requirements, monitored equipment allocations to secure durable processing machinery.

She also led an inter-agency RAFC resolution enforcing contour coffee farming to prevent soil erosion on Mount Apo. Pantoja also champions state accreditation and targeted government support for social enterprises.

"Policies are drafted in Manila by people who rarely feel the soil," Pantoja said. "Farmers don't know how to navigate the corridors of power, so we must be their voice."

Through local processing centers, Pantoja continues training indigenous leaders in enterprise management and quality control, establishing a sustainable framework for economic stability and peace across Mindanao.

| via Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries

(Read the full story in the comments)

24/09/2026

24/09/2026

: As the country rides the growing interest in ube (purple yam), industry stakeholders say one question needs to be addressed: What should Philippine ube be known for Among the varieties that have gained recognition is Ube Kinampay from Bohol, known for its sweet taste, rich aroma, and deep purple color.

But the Department of Agriculture (DA) and ube stakeholders want to establish a unified Philippine ube brand.

Read more in the comments.

22/09/2026

Papua New Guinea doesn't just sit on two plate boundaries it sits at one of the most complex tectonic convergence zones on earth, where multiple plates interact in a small area. It is one of the most seismically and volcanically active countries per square kilometer on the planet. Understanding PNG's position in the broader Pacific tectonic system explains why this relatively small country experiences more geological activity than most continents combined.

18/09/2026

As Philippine ube (Dioscorea alata) becomes increasingly popular around the world, the government has temporarily stopped exports of the fresh crop and its planting materials to protect the country's ability to produce more of it. The Bureau of Plant Industry issued the directive in mid-August 2026, temporarily suspending outbound shipments until further notice while policies governing ube exports are being formalized. The restriction covers fresh purple yam and propagative planting materials, regardless of whether shipments are intended for consumption, planting, or research. BPI consequently instructed its Plant Quarantine Stations to stop issuing phytosanitary certificates for affected shipments. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government particularly wants to prevent scarce planting materials from leaving the country and potentially being used by foreign producers to compete with Philippine growers.

The move comes as the Philippines tries to capitalize on rapidly expanding international interest in its iconic purple crop. According to the Department of Agriculture, demand for ube is booming while domestic supply and industry coordination have struggled to keep pace. The government has already been working to increase the availability of planting materials, including the distribution of more than 60,000 purple yam planting materials to around 900 farmers in Leyte and Bohol. Research and industry programs are also exploring tissue culture, improved propagation, higher-yielding varieties, and better production systems. Philippine researchers have collected and characterized 188 greater yam accessions, identifying promising varieties based on yield, color, flavor, pigments, and other agricultural traits.

The suspension does not mean the Philippines is turning away from the international ube market. In fact, the government's broader strategy is to expand production and build a stronger export-oriented ube industry, including better coordination among farmers, processors, traders, researchers, and exporters. The newly organized United Ube PH Association is intended to help unify these efforts, while the DA is pursuing an industry roadmap aimed at increasing production and capturing more value from growing global demand. For now, however, the government is prioritizing something fundamental: ensuring that the Philippines has enough planting material to expand its own farms before fresh ube and potential propagation materials leave the country. As ube transforms from a beloved Filipino ingredient into a global food trend, the challenge is no longer simply introducing the world to Philippine ube. It is making sure Filipino farmers can produce enough of it to benefit from the demand they helped create.

Photo courtesy: Hoxuanhuong

Science Department |