philippine

Trip Report
The Philippines, May - June 2005
Luzon - Bohol - Palawan

Brief Introduction
I have put up some very rudimentary information up here for a recent visit paid to the Philippines. This is meant to provide some very basic useful information (travel and contacts especially) and also to give rough idea of the birdwatching and logistics involved in planning such a trip. As I never intended this to be a purely birdwatching trip, I was not able to visit a number of the important sites and was only able to pay quick visits to some 5 or so fairly accessible sites stretching from Luzon to Palawan, of which I spent half the time birding and the rest of the time doing outdoor painting or visiting places for concerts or plain photography, or simply hanging out in the cafes.Some of these sites that are notably absent in my report and would otherwise introduce a great number of interesting species would be Mount Kitanglad and Mount Apo in Mindanao, PICOP logging concession at Bislig and of course, sites on the Visayas like Tabunan Forest in Cebu, Casa Roro in Negroes, Mount Kanlaon and so on. These, I hope to cover on a return visit some other time, perhaps next year when the situation is right and the finances recovered.

Another word is that as you go through this preliminery trip report, a bias towards forest birds is seen, on a more personal perspective, I enjoy and would certainly prefer spending much of my birding time seeking for understorey and ground birds in lowland rainforests, rather than sloughing it out under the dessicating heat of the mudflats and marshes, only to see a few dull brown jobs. This is merely my own opinion and I hope i do not give any wrong ideas...Secondly, i am a rather slack birder, so you would not run across great numbers of those incredible rarities, that most other birders hope to see...

Logistics - Transport across the Archipelago

Thanks to the vastness of the Philippine Archipelago, being a collection of some 7000 islands scattered widely over the South China and Sulu Seas, it will take considerably time to move from one site to the other, especially so if they are situated on separate islands. It requires considerably effort to be put in and also, great flexibility in the transfers to enable one to cover the main islands thouroughly, and yes i forgot to mention, ample time investment into your island hopping journeys is the KEY.

Currently, a number of international airlines fly into Manila, so it is not so much of a problem getting into the Philippines itself.Also deserving of note, is that quite a number of airlines now also serve Cebu, and this is certainly the place to get to when your objective is to focus on the Visayas and Mindanao . From Cebu, there is now an air connection with Palawan , thus allowing the traveller to make a convenient loop from Manila-Cebu-Palawan-Manila-Home.To my knowledge, Silkair and Kuwait Air currently flies to Cebu's Mactan Airport from Singapore.(fare around 300 to 500 SGD)

For me, I managed a return flight from Singapore's Changi Airport to Clark Airport in Angeles for a low 237 SGD by Tiger Airways, and to my latest knowledge, Air Asia has too, recently started a route, similarly priced, from Kuala Lumpur to Clark Airport. These 2 flights really provides a much cheaper alternative for getting into the Philippines, though the main shortfall is that Clark Airbase, being in Pampanga Province, is not exactly in the vicinity of or near Manila and one needs to take a connecting bus for 1 hour before reaching Metro Manila. Upon reaching Clark, there is now running, a PhilTranco Bus Service that runs daily to SM MegaMall in Makati district (Manila), departing the airport at 12.30 pm and reaching Manila at about 2-3 pm, later so if traffic jams crop up.

Other flights of concern would be connecting flights from Manila to its Satellites, these routes Manila-Puerto Princesa, Manila-Cebu City, Manila-Tagbilaran, Manila-Tueguegarao, Manila-Davao and Manila-Cagayan de Oro being the more relevant ones for the birdwatcher since most of the important sites are in its vicinity. For me, i caught a return flight from Manila to Tagbilaran in Bohol , for some 350 SGD by Philippine Airlines, the flight departing at 8 and arriving on Bohol at 10+ am. The return journey, which is around an hour also occurs in the morning but later at 10+ am.

My other flight was a one way flight from Puerto Princesa in Palawan to Manila, and this was done as a last resort because of the scarcity of ferry journeys and difficult schedules, throughout the week back to Manila, I had originally reached Princesa from Manila by a WG & A Superferry (1500 Pesos/ 45 SGD, Tel: 63 2528 7000) that took 26 hours from Manila, transiting at Coron in the Calamian Islands. Note that WG & A only sails to Puerto Princesa once weekly, leaving on Mondays at 5 pm from Superferry Terminal. The Puerto-Princesa by an Air Philippines flight back to Manila costs about 3000 Pesos which translates to about 90 SGD and takes slightly last than an hour.

Logistics - Transport within the Island

Unless you choose to hire cars and vans which i feel is absolutely unnecessary unless your pockets are brimming with cash, the land transport system is perfectly affordable, albeit a little confusing at times. Most of the National Park or major birding sites are connected at least to a major town or village, and these can be in turn reached by a public bus from the capital cities.

Let me just briefly run through these:
Luzon
Los Banos, Mount Makiling
From Manila, to get to Los Banos which provides access to Mount Makiling, one needs to catch a bus (I forgot the exact location and will check it out soon, but it is along Taft Ave) to San Pablo, or Santa Cruz in Laguna Provinces, and get the driver to drop you at Los Banos (80 Pesos), which is along the way. From Los Banos, you can catch a Jeepney that runs to near the TREES hostel in Forestry department in University of Philippines, from the Caltex station opposite the Oliveraz Plaza in Los Banos town. Make sure you confirm with the driver that the jeepney goes specifically to forestry before boarding because the UPLB campus is vast and the jeepney might run into other faraway faculties instead.

Cavite, Mount Palay-Palay
This one is a little difficult, i will try to research the route out, but first, you must make sure that you get a correct bus or jeepney that sends you to Cavite city first. Best option i suggest is to go by car which i did..

Banaue, Mount Pulis, Central Cordilleras
An Autobus runs daily from Manila to Banaue, taking some 9 hours to reach the mountain town on long curvacious roads.The Autobus terminal is in located at Tolentino Street, within Santa Cruz district and the bus departs at around 10 pm, reaching Banaue at 6 am in the morning for 462 Pesos. The return trip leaves Banaue at 5 pm, reaching Manila at 2 am in the wee hours of the morning. Once in Banaue, you are still not too near to Mount Pulis. Best and cheapest alternative is to hire a motor-tricycle from Banaue to Mount Pulis along the Banaue(Ifugao)-Bontoc(Mountain) Pass, and this should take one hour on very rough roads. This costs about 800 to 1000 pesos for the whole day, where the driver will wait for you as you bird. The other cheaper way, is to catch a bus from Banaue to Solano and Bontoc, dropping off at Mount Pulis, look out for the radio towers and Police post. Do likewise for the retun journey.

Bohol
Bilar, Rajah Sikatuna National Park
The journey from Tagbilaran to Bilar should not be too much of a hassle. Assuming that you are now in the airport or downtown Tagbilaran, first you need to catch a motor Tricycle to send you to the main Bus Terminal which is on Carlos. P Garcia East Ave, near the sparkling clean brand new Island City Shopping Mall. This costs some 15-20 pesos. Once in the bus terminal, you should catch any bus heading in the direction of Carmen (St Jude's Bus Service is well known here) for they will all pass through the small market village of Bilar, the journey on a dusty road cutting though agrarian country should take up 2 hours or so, costing between 40 to 70 pesos. Get the driver to drop you off at the turnoff to Logarita, from here which you can catch a local motorcycle taxi (a habal-habal) to Logarita Forest Station for 5-10 pesos. If you are feeling a little parsimonious, certainly you can hike the 2-3 km in, a killing thing to do when carrying 10-20 kg of luggage and equipments.

Palawan
Sabang, Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park
Take note of this, a new bus terminal has now opened in Puerto Princesa in San Jose, which is nowhere near the city centre. So, nowadays, you would have to catch a motor-tricycle and travel for some 20 minutes before reaching the San Jose bus terminal, way way out of city centre, for 40 pesos. Look out for the D'Christ Bus Service booth, which runs a bus to Sabang Village, twice daily, once at 7 am and once at 9 am. The fairly smooth journey (Only the last 10 km on dirt road is rough), takes up 3-4 hours and should cost you 80 pesos to no more than 150 pesos (anything higher is cut-throat). In Sabang, there should not be too much of a problem finiding your way around in this small fishing-tourism dependant hamlet.

Road to Narra/Brooke's Point
If you are heading south to Narra or Brooke's Point, you would pass through a series of forested roadsides (if you count from Princesa, thats along the 41-44 km marks), this stretch is fairly good for birding too, save the forest is pretty degraded. the journey , again starting from San Jose Bus terminal should cost you up to 100 pesos.Take the Charing's Bus service, leaving at 4 am that allow you to get there by first light..

Accomodation, Permits and other miscellaneous
Much of the time, I stayed in the cheapest accomodations, though there are often always more luxurious ones available. In Mount Makiling, the TREES resthouse (Tel: 63 49 5362268, 63 49 5362736) is the best and most convenient (its located right before the start of the trail), it costs 450 to 500 pesos for a double, with aircon.In Manila, I think Malate Pensionne on Remedio Circle, Adriatico Rd (Tel : 63 25238304) is a classic favourite, costing 300 Pesos for a single dormitory bed. I was told that Pension Natividad on Roxa (Tel : 63 25210524) is also pretty good. In Rajah Sikatuna, i stayed in the old Nature Centre at Camp Magsaysay (also called scouts camp. Tel: 63 038 4112357) for no costs, but i paid my cook 200 pesos daily. Lastly, in Palawan, when in town, i stayed at the very homely Banwa Pensionne (Tel : 63 091 96072934, 150 pesos for a dorm bed) and when in Sabang, at the well known (to birders at least) , Mary's beach Chalets, (at 450 pesos for a chalet with attached bath), though very spartan in general sense.

Entry fees to most of the National Park are fairly standard, hovering from 30 pesos to 200 pesos. The daily fee for Rajah Sikatuna is 150 pesos (foreigner rate) per day, while at Underground River, that is 30 pesos, provided you do not visit the underground river, if you do, thake will make it 180 pesos, for one day.

I will do some research on the telephone numbers and post them shortly.

Interesting Birds Seen and Time spent at each site

American Cemetary at Fort Bonifacio (10 May,Afternoon)
Birds seen are Barred Rail, Lowland White-eye, Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Red Turtle Dove, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Striated Grassbird (15 species in all)

Mount Makiling at UPLB Campus grounds (11, 12, 13 May)
Birds seen include Spotted Buttonquail, Philippine Trogon, Luzon Tarictic Hornbill, Spotted Wood Kingfisher, Indigo-banded Kingfisher, White-eared Brown-Dove, Philippine Hawk Owl, Red-crested Malkoha, Scale-feathered Malkoha, Philippine Hawk-Cuckoo, Philippine Coucal, tonnes of Guaiabero and Colasisi, Black-and-White Triller, Stripe-headed Rhabdornis (common) Yellow-bellied Whistler,Blue-headed Fantail, White-browed Shama (abundant) Buzzing, Striped, Pygmy, Red-keeled, Orange-bellied, Bicolored Flowerpeckers, Lemon-throated Leaf-Warbler, Grey-backed Tailorbird,Sulphur-billed Nuthatch, Flaming Sunbird, Yellowish White-eye. Glimpsed not counted a yellow-breasted fruit-dove. (55 species in all)

Mount Palay-Palay (15 May Morning)
Birds seen include Philippine Serpent Eagle, Philippine Falconet common), Luzon Tarictic Hornbill (Lots), Rufous Hornbill, Sooty Woodpecker, Greater Flameback, Philippine Pygmy-Woodpecker, Blue-throated Bee-eater Philippine Hawk Cuckoo, Red-crested Malkoha, Guaiabero, Black-naped Tern, Whiskered Treeswift, Striped-headed Rhabdornis, Bar-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike, Blackish Cuckoo-Shrike, Black-naped Oriole, Coleto etc (41 species in all)

Rajah Sikatuna National Park (17,18,19 May)
Birds seen include White-eared Brown Dove, Samar Tarictic Hornbill, White-bellied Woodpecker, Greater Flameback, Chocolate Boobook, Black-faced Coucal, Steere's Pitta, Visayan Wattled Broadbill, Philippine Fairy Bluebird, Rufous-tailed Jungle-Flycatcher, Blue Fantail, Black-crowned Babbler, Brown tit-babbler, Streaked Ground-Babbler,Black-bibbed Cuckoo-Shrike, Yellow-wattled Bulbul (common), Philippine Leaf-Warbler, Metallic-winged Sunbird, Everett's White-eye (52 species altogether)

Mount Pulis (23, 24,25 May)
Birds seen include Common Buzzard, Scale-feathered Malkoha, Luzon Montane Racquet-tail, Blue-capped Racquet-tail, Island Flycatcher, Citrine Canary-Flycatcher, Chestnut-faced Babbler, Elegant Tit, Blue-headed Fantail, Mountain Shrike, Green-backed Whistler (very common), Luzon Water-Redstart (Bay-Yo and Sumigar) Luzon Bush-Warbler, Long-tailed Ground-Warbler, Metallic-winged Sunbird, Sulphur-billed Nuthatch, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Philippine Swiftlet (36 species recorded)

San Jose Bus Station (30 May, while waiting for the bus)
Birds seen are Pink-necked Green-Pigeon, Olive-winged Bulbul, Black-headed Bulbul, Common Iora, Asian Glossy Starling, Olive-backed Sunbird, Rufous-tailed Tailorbird, Chestnut Munia, White-bellied Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Pacific Swallow

Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park and Road to Narra (30, 31 May, 1,2 June)
Birds seen include Palawan Peacock Pheasant, Tabon Scrubfowl, Red Junglefowl, Blue-headed Racquet-tail, Blue-naped Parrot, Chestnut-breated Malkoha, Great Slaty-Woodpecker, Common Goldenback, White-bellied Woodpecker, Green Imperial Pigeon, Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Pink-necked Green-Pigeon, Emerald Dove, Palawan Hornbill,Stork-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-backed Kingfisher, Large-tailed Nightjar, Red-bellied Pitta, Hooded Pitta, Hill Myna, Fiery Minivet, Dark-throated Oriole, Blue Paradise Flycatcher, Mangrove Whistler, Ashy Drongo, Spangled Drongo, Slender-billed Crow, Palawan Flycatcher, Palawan Blue Flycatcher, White-vented Shama (abundant) Palawan Tit, Falcated Ground Babbler, Ashy-headed Babbler, Striped Tit-Babbler (abundant) Sulphur-bellied Bulbul, Grey-cheeked Bulbul, Black-naped Monarch, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Bar-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Yellow-throated Leafbird, Palawan Flowepecker, Lovely Sunbird, Little Spiderhunter (75 species altogether)

The days 14 , 20, 21 ,22, 26, 27, 28, 29 May and 3, 4, 5 ,6 June were spent hanging around town)
Brds highlighted in Bold indicate an island or near island endemics
Full day to day acount coming up.

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(Left) Pencil sketch of a Visayan Wattled Broadbill, one of the most memorable bird ever for the Philippines. A pair of them were seen carrying small insect prey items to a hidden nest along the trails at Rajah Sikatuna National Park (Bohol).