NEW SPECIE: The Philippine Purple Crab

Just when we thought we humans knew and conquered anything and everything, still our region reveals new species almost yearly! In 2010-2011, 200 new species was discovered in Southeast Asia.

Four new species of colorful crustaceans have been discovered in the Philippines. The crab's brilliant hues may simply help the species recognize its brethren, said study author Hendrik Freitag, of the Senckenberg Museum of Zoology in Dresden, Germany.

A purple crab stares down the camera in the Philippine island of Palawan in an undated picture. The colorful crustacean, dubbed Insulamon palawanense, is one of four new species in the Insulamon genus described in a recent study.

Including the previously known I. unicorn, all five Insulamon species are exclusively freshwater creatures, spending their days burrowing in muddy holes and emerging at night to feed.

That's an unusual life cycle for a crab—most of the world's known crabs migrate to the sea at some point to spawn, Freitag said.

A view of the underside of an I. magnum female reveals the eggs she's carrying.

After finding the new Philippine species, Freitag and students from Ateneo de Manila University plan to survey the Philippines' Mindoro Island, where many habitats are already pressured by mining.

"Many new species can be expected," he said.

[source]

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Worldwide Accent Project | Manila, Philippines

What "More Fun in the Philippines" really means...

It's not just about the non-creative, outright rip-off...

It's not just about ripping off fellow Filipino, using photographs without his permission or at least a notice...

It's not just about using other countries' images trying to get away with it...

Thailand's Songkran Festival read here. 

It's not about millions of tax payer's money used to reasearch (for what?), campaign, broadcast, print. No, it's not just about that...

"It's More Fun in the Philippines"... is Filipino culture. "We are better than...", "Our country is better than....". Insinuations.

Is there a Siti Nurhaliza video in YouTube not bashed by Filipino critters? Is there a Miss Indonesia video in YouTube not bashed by Filipinos online? Is there a Thai tourism video on YouTube without any comments -- "In the Philippines we have this and that..."? Are there anything, in any forum or platform, not bashed by Filipinos?

It's more fun in the Philippines "than"....

It's their culture. I hate to admit but this slogan says a lot about them than WOW Philippines in my previous tourism rant.

I love the Philippines. Old friends of this blog knows it very well. And this post... is a reflection that nobody want to see.

"It's more fun in the Philippines than YOURS." It's their culture. Love it or hate it.

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BINAN, LAGUNA: Money Over Heritage

As of press time, the fate of the historical Alberto House has been decided over by the hypocritical Mayor of Biñan, Laguna.

The same mayor who, with all opulence and style, rides a private bus to BF Homes - a posh area miles away from the town (now city) she RULES over. This woman is your new Imelda-in-waiting.

You see, the historical house stands on a (now) prime commercial land. Mayor Len Alonte got her share of the loot and was paid millions by her brother-in-law to shut her mouth over the demolition. This is a fact.

The Alberto House belongs to the mother of The Great Jose Rizal. It was mentioned in national history books and in the personal annals of the Great Man himself.


Filipino bloggers, show your country that you blog with a purpose. Make yourselves heard and spread this news to pressure the local government of Biñan, Laguna and that seemingly-nice-crocodile Mayor Len Alonte.

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Interesting Commuter Ride in the Philippines

The Philippine rail system used to operate in a stretch 479km from La Union to Bicol on Luzon Island. After decades of neglect, it lost service to the North but recently revived to service Manila and its suburbs.

Nevertheless, ingenious as always, Filipinos came up with a very interesting mode of transport.

PERFECT SPECIMEN: Venus Raj

Major, major beauty.

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A Mysterious Record of Events in 1593

Here, I bet not a lot of you in the Philippines know about this... one of the earliest recorded story of what seem to be like what we modernly call: a "jumper".

Gil Pérez was a Spanish soldier of the Filipino Guardia Civil who allegedly suddenly appeared in the Plaza Mayor of Mexico City (more than 9,000 nautical miles from Manila, across the Pacific) on October 24, 1593. He was wearing the uniform of the guards of Palacio Del Gobernador in the Philippines, and claimed he had no idea how he had arrived in Mexico. Some historians doubt the accuracy of the story, which does not appear in writing until a century after the supposed event.

Perez claimed that moments before finding himself in Mexico he had been on sentry duty in Manila at the governor’s palace. He admitted that while he was aware that he was no longer in the Philippines, he had no idea where he was or how he had gotten there. He said that moments before he arrived there, His Excellency the Governor of the Philippines, Gomez Perez Dasmariñas had been killed by Chinese pirates. He explained that after long hours of duty in Manila, he felt faint, leaned against a wall and closed his eyes; he said he opened his eyes a second later to find himself somewhere different.

When it was explained to him that he was now in Mexico City, Perez refused to believe it saying that he had received his orders on the morning of October 23 in Manila and that it was therefore impossible for him to be in Mexico City on the evening of the 24th. The authorities placed Perez in jail as a deserter and for the possibility that he may have been in the service of Satan. The Most Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition questioned the soldier, but all he could say in his defense was that he had travelled from Manila to Mexico “in less time than it takes a cock to crow”.

Two months later, news from the Philippines arrived by Manila Galleon, confirming the fact of the literal axing on October 23 of Dasmariñas in a mutiny of Chinese rowers, as well as other points of the mysterious soldier’s fantastic story. Witnesses confirmed that Gil Perez had indeed been on duty in Manila just before arriving in Mexico. Furthermore, one of the passengers on the ship recognized Perez and swore that he had seen him in the Philippines on October 23. Gil Perez eventually returned to the Philippines and took up his former position as a palace guard, living thenceforth an apparently uneventful life.

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How the Queenly Miss Philippines Lost the Chance

Our fellow Oriental beauty power house, the Philippines sent a very queenly delegate to the Miss Universe this year. Everybody was saying, 'Oh shoots! Asia will bag it this year.' But...

The 5 FINALISTS are:

Miss Mexico, Miss Australia, Miss Jamaica, Miss Ukraine and Miss Philippines.

Yes! The dreaded final question! They have 30 seconds to answer. Here are their questions and excerpts from their answers.

Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete: What effect is unsupervised Internet use having on today's youth? Through an interpreter, she says the Internet is an "indispensable, necessary tool" and we have to make sure kids are using it according to family values.

Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell: What role should the government play in regulating potentially offensive clothing? "One of the greatest things we have is the freedom of choice...I don't think the government should have any say in what we wear."

Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps: Is the death penalty acceptable and why? "I believe that life is a gift...I believe that none of us as humans have the right to take a life."

Miss Ukraine Anna Poslavska: How do you feel about full-body scanners in airports? Through an interpreter, she says, "I think it's a very important question of security...if that helps us to save the lives of people, then I'm for it."

Miss Philippines Venus Raj: What is one big mistake you've made and what did you do to make it right? She says she hasn't made any major mistakes, then gives a shout-out to her family. "Thank you so much that I am here."

OK, that was the worst answer of the bunch.


Judgment time.

Fourth runner-up: Miss Philippines
Third runner-up: Miss Ukraine
Second runner-up: Miss Australia
First runner-up: Miss Jamaica

Winner: Miss Mexico!

Mexico and Philippines was neck-and-neck in swimsuit and evening gown. It is very obvious the organizers wanted Philippines to win or be in the Top 5. So, the easiest personal question was asked.

All they were asking for was HONESTY. An honest and transparent Miss Universe.

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BITATAWA: Meet Our New Dragon

In 05 April 2010, Biology Letters officially published online the discovery of a new giant lizard specie discovered in the Philippines. Now if you can remember, this is not the first dragon here but the second. And it is found on the main island of Luzon as opposed to the Butaan; only found on an isolated island of Polilio.

The very first sighting of it by science was in 2001. When scientists met hunters carrying it -- it was for dinner, so they just took a photo and let the hunters go. The Agta and Ilongot people of the Sierra Madre forests consider it as a delicacy. Yum!

Thanks to SMS (Texting, as it is famously called), the lizard was finally recorded by science. Scientist received a text message from biology students about its sighting. How is it different? Mainly its yellow markings. It is also a fruitarian like the Butaan.

Its fancy name is Varanus bitatawa. I dunno how it is called locally.
Any inputs from our Filipino friends?

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Photo courtesy of WiredNews

OUR ICONS: Corazon Aquino

Anyone born before or after 1986 knows who Corazon Aquino is. The gentle, soft-spoken, simple housewife who became the 11th President of the Philippines that year and started a “wave” of People Power revolts across the globe.

She is the first female President in Southeast Asia and one of the firsts in the world. Her name is not restricted to the Philippines, "Cory" *her nick name* is a democracy icon in human’s modern history.

Needless to say, the whole world knows who she is. And the forgetful ones scruffled the Internet in the past 3 days trying to get a refresher *she is the top search on the Net right now*.

And I bet if the Martians and Plutonians are reading Time Magazine, they know her too.

Southeast Asia and the world lost one of our greatest icons – Cory passed away last Saturday (01 August 2009) after a long battle with cancer.

BISEAN arrived in Manila this morning to brave the sea of people who will try to get a last glimpse of her at the Manila Cathedral tonight. We want to be part of history. We want to see her for the last time.

See her full biography here.

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IT ALL STARTED IN MOUNT MAKILING

Mount Makiling is one of Southeast Asia’s sacred/mystical mountains. It belongs to the league of Mt. Agung in Bali, Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai, to name a few. It is located in the province of Laguna in the Philippines.

Legend has it that Maria Makiling was a goddess. FilipinaSoul better describes her here and who could tell the legend better than the great Rizal himself here.

Mount Makiling is a volcano – an inactive one, that is *whew! now I think y'know why I'm here*. Parts of the area are supplied with electricity produced from geothermal heat from this mountain. And it made Laguna the hot springs, mud springs, mineral baths centre and a very popular hiking treks of the country.

I would like to commend the efforts of those responsible for preserving the eco-system of this mountain -- UPLB. Lush forests, fresh air, ancient trees dotted the area and I can still hear the sounds of its’ abundant animals living in it. Considering Laguna is just an hour or so away from overly crowded Manila.

At the foot of Makiling is the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) – where the country’s future environmentalists, agro professionals and livestock moguls come from. The IRRI and Philippine Rice Research Institute are also nearby.

Mount Makiling isn’t just all these...

Mount Makiling is a heritage icon of the Tagalogs (the dominant ethnic group of the Philippines) – this mountain provided them legends and beliefs that made their distinct culture that eventually became the basis of all other cultures of the Philippines.

--Pisanu in Los Baños, Laguna
06 Feb 2009

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THE ENIGMATIC LAGUNA (A Prelude)

Laguna is a mysterious place that holds unknown legends and unwritten history yet to be revealed. This province of the Philippines in Luzon Island has intrigued me for some time now –

An ancient volcanic caldera? Was this the area where a Spanish priest burned the written annals of pre-Spanish Philippines? Who was the culprit? Are there any records of him?

Is this, where legend says, lies a Muslim city that was annihilated and totally erased on the map and history? Was Rizal a Muslim royalty? – So many questions on my book, really.

This is how I see Laguna on Luzon Island. It has so many secrets the Filipinos do not know or choose not to know. This area is one of the Philippines' cradles of civilization and holds the secrets of the true history of the Filipinos.

I know that my readers are expecting a tongue-in-cheek travelogue and a couple of misadventures on this 7-day trip. After all, this is how Laguna is to most Filipinos – a tourist destination. Don’t worry; I’ll feature some of ‘em.

Here’s Pisanu, on a trip to the mysterious and enchanting place called Laguna.

--Pisanu in San Pablo City, Laguna
04 Feb 2009

PERFECT SPECIMEN: Michael Copon

The Supreme Philippine

Michael Copon (born Michael Sowell Copon) is an American actor/model. He was born on 13 November 1982 in Chesapeake, Virginia to a Filipino father and a German-American mother.

Michael was cast by the Fox Kids Network as Blue Ranger Lucas less than a year after he graduated from Deep Creek High School (2001). He quickly advanced from high school senior and defensive end on Deep Creek’s football team in 2000 to print model in Los Angeles to Blue Ranger. He is well known for his role as Felix Taggaro in the hit telly series "One Tree Hill".

More of Michael here...


(Click photo to enlarge)



Eurasians are the hottest people on Earth.

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TOP 10 SURF SITES IN THE PHILIPPINES

*2nd of the series of the Top 10 Surf Sites in Southeast Asia.

There are 27 surf sites in the Philippines known to the surfing circuit – 18 in the North & Southeast (of Luzon Island) and 9 in the Southeast (off Mindanao coast). The best and the most famous of which are in the latter.

As the Philippines is a relatively new surfing destination, surf shops are quite rare. It is imperative that you bring your own provisions. One thing you have to know, waves in the Philippines are fickle and almost absolutely dependent on typhoons.

This list is subject to 25 seasoned surfers surveyed exclusively for BISEAN. Actual visits from 02 May to 25 July 2008. Total surf sites visited: 27. Here are the Best 10 Surf Sites the Philippines has to offer:


1. Rock Island (off Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte) Right reef-rocky. Come August to November and you'll know why this is the Philippine's No.1. For Kamikaze surfers only; meaning surfers looking for "scenic backdrops" should go somewhere else. This list is about surfing.

2. Cloud 9 (Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte) This site is mostly on top of everyone else's list especially the capitalists of the island. The "too-much-trying" crowd pulls it down a notch for the BISEANers.

3. The Majestics @ Puraran Bay (Baras, Catanduanes) Awesome long-barrel waves. September is the prime month. Crystal clear waters. If the Puraranese would hire PR people, they can easily be on the Top 1.

4. D-Land (Labo, Ilocos Norte) Also known as the Labo Surf Spot. Right reef-coral. 150-300m waves on a good day. Experienced surfers only. 6 hours bus ride from Manila.

5. The Boneyards (Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte) Beach-break, left & right. You have to find the surf sites your self. No local tourist assistance. Find Blue Lagoon. Ask other surfing dudes at the bus terminal. It's quite hard to make directions on this blog. Smile and ask. Period.

6. Crystal Beach Break (Zambales) Standard waves left & right, beach-break. 300-500m long with 5m swells on a good day. Crystal Beach Resort +63.47.913.4309 Cool and friendly people! 3 hours drive from Manila.

7. Twin Rocks (Catanduanes Island, Luzon) Reef-coral, left & right, 50-150m waves with 3-4m swells. What makes this on the list is the frequency of waves.

8. Sabang (Cabugao, Ilocos Sur) Reef-Rocky, right. 100-150m waves with 5m swells. Experienced surfers only.

9. Paradise (Siargao Island) Reef-coral, left & right. Power, power, power! This site can be all to yourself on certain days meaning; No hyenas chuckling when you fall off.

10. Daku Island (Siargao Island) Right & Left, reef-rocky. Very long waves! For experienced surfers only. Siargao Island is your best bet. 9 surf sites of the Philippine's 27 are located here.

Beginners should try San Juan (La Union), Urbiztondo Beach or Llorente. All in the North.

Happy Surfing and Mabuhay!


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