Mindoro Photos

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Styloctenium mindorensis

Posted On Sunday, June 22, 2008 at at 1:27 AM by Admin  


This large and charismatic fruit bat species is known only from the Philippine island of Mindoro.

It is only the second known species in the genus; the other species is known only from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and nearby Togian Islands, and was originally discovered (and named after) Alfred Russell Wallace.

Wallace was a colleague of Charles Darwin and coauthor of their famous paper On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties; and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection.

Among other important contributions, he noted the distinctive faunal break separating Asian and Australian biotas, which is now known as Wallace's Line. Ironically, the new species occurs on the west side of Wallace's Line whereas its sister species is on the east side.

The new species is threatened by habitat loss and hunting. Its discovery highlights an increasing understanding of endemism on Mindoro, and the need for species exploration and conservation.

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The Calawagan Mountain Resort

Posted On Friday, June 6, 2008 at at 5:24 AM by Admin  

Considered the cleanest inland body of water in the Philippines (click here to see news), Calawagan Mountain Resort has three (3) meter high falls and shadowed by the remaining rain forest which is ideally suited for nature lover. It has a panoramic view of rock formations, cascading water falls and crystal water, vibrant & timeless hues of nature. It has cottage facilities and a natural swimming pool.


The foot of the river is a 20-minute overland ride from the Paluan town hall to Sitio Calawagan in Barangay Alipauy. At the entrance of Alipauy is a 50-family Mangyan community, which previously lived upstream but was resettled below to deter pollution and destruction of the river source.
A one-hectare lot was appropriated by the town to resettle the families, complete with potable water sourced from the river. A one-room school building stands at the gate of this resettlement, situated on the wy to the Calawagan Resort.

To use the resort facilities, a P15 entrance fee is charged to help efray expenses for caretakers, including the salary of Mangyan forest ranger.


The river's salinity level and cleanness make it good for direct drinking, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), which spearheads the annual "Clean and Green Project," said.


Calawagan River met the two major criteria for the award: physical condition and community support system. First Lady Ming Ramos (during the Ramos Regime 1998) is the project's honorary chairman.

Calawagan Mountain Resort is the 1996 National Awardee in the cleanest Inland Body of Water Category of DILG's Clean and Green Program. Located 1.5 kilometers from the town of Paluan, it offers a picturesque rock formation and an air of mountain serenity. Its cold refreshing spring water, towering trees, mini-forest and collection of unique animals are some of its features. The place is ideal for hikers and nature lovers who can stroll through its winding paths a traverse is hanging bridge.
So come on! Join me to my adventure to Calawagan Mountain Resort!

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Mindoro Lines