Community-led farm's float tops Palawan's Subaraw Parade 2019

A community-led eco-tourism farm in Puerto Princesa bags the first prize in Palaawan's Subaraw Biodiversity Festival 2019.

The winning entry of the farm tourism destination in the outskirts of Palawan's capital city highlighted the anniversary honoring Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) as a world heritage site for biodiversity.

Photos by YBFP

Designed by the Yamang Bukid Farm Palawan (YBFP) architects and artists using indigenous materials, the colorful, eight-meter float presented Palawan as a biodiversity haven, said Bro. George Maria, the farm's vice president for community relations.

“Yamang Bukid is proud of Palawan’s biodiversity. Our float embodies our call to all to help protect and preserve Mother Nature and its rich biodiversity,” Maria added.

Sitting on a Isuzu light truck, the four-by-eleven-meter float is adorned with replicas of Palawan’s natural landmarks as well as endemic and threatened species of plants and animals.

“Our inspiration in making the float is the richness of Palawan,” said Benjie Monasque, YBFP resident architect who conceptualized and designed the float.

Forming as centerpiece of the float was a huge tree from which all organisms emanated, from the black ants and honey bees to the balintong or Palawan pangolin (Manis culionensis) and tandikan or the Palawan peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron napoleonis).

“We designed the tree as the very foundation of the float so once it is disturbed or destroyed the entire contraption will fall. Much like what is in real life, when our (forests are ravaged), there will be an imbalance in biodiversity,” said Monasque, adding YBFP’s scientist-consultants provided input on the float’s overall concept and design.

Helping put color on the float are the Farm’s resident artists J-joy Umambong and brothers Julio and Adonis Opiala.

The float also made use of ornamental plants cultivated at the Farm such as sunflowers, amaranths, among others.

It was bedecked with species of dapo fern (Asplenium nidus), manaog ka irog (Dischidia oiantha)—a type of hanging vine—-as well as bonsai balete (Ficus variegata) and magkuno or ironwood (Xanthosthemon verdugonianus).

Among the Palawan landmark replicas on the float are the PPUR with several monkeys and bayawak (water monitors) guarding its mouth, and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park with butanding or whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) and sea turtles basking.

To represent Palawan’s natural wonders as realistically as possible without violating environmental laws, Monasque said farmers who took part in building the float used painted sawdust as sands in the PPUR and Tubbataha replicas.

“For us, winning the competition is only secondary. What is important is really about bringing the message of protecting biodiversity, that taking care of our environment is really a duty of all,” Maria pointed out.

He said portion of the P500,000-prize will be used for medical outreach missions to indigenous people (IP) communities in Palawan during the Christmas holidays.

Astoria Palawan resort won the second prize while BPO (business process outsourcing) firm Sitel Palawan was awarded third prize. —Juan Lim/LBG, GMA news