© 2017 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development OUR PALAWAN The Scientific Journal of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Volume 3 Issue 1, January - June 2017 Published by The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) PCSD Building, Sports Complex Road, Brgy. Sta. Monica Heights, Puerto Princesa City P.O. Box 45 PPC 5300 Philippines PCSD Publications © Copyright 2017 ISSN: 2423-222X Online: www.pkp.pcsd.gov.ph www.pcsd.gov.ph Cover Photo The endemic species of Palawan and Philippines (from top to bottom) : Medinilla sp., Palawan Pangolin Manus culionensis spp., Palawan Bearcat Arctictis binturong whitei, Palawan Hill Mynah Gracula religiosa palawanensis, Blue-naped parrot Tanygnathus lucionensis, Philippine Cockatoo Cacatua haematuropydgia. (Photo courtesy: PCSDS) © 2017 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development EDITORS’ NOTE Our Palawan is an Open Access journal. It is made freely available for researchers, students, and readers from private and government sectors that are interested in the sustainable management, protection and conservation of the natural resources of the Province of Palawan. It is accessible online through the websites of Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (pcsd.gov.ph) and Palawan Knowledge Platform for Biodiversity and Sustainable Development (pkp.pcsd.gov.ph). Hard copies are also available in the PCSD Library and are distributed to the partner government agencies and academic institutions. The authors and readers can read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of published articles. Our Palawan practices a double-blind peer review. The review process has basically three stages: (1) primary checking (the Editors make sure that the manuscript complies with the Author’s Guidelines); (2) review by the external reviewers, involving an assessment of its suitability for publication (compatibility with Our Palawan’s aims and scopes, evidence of research, sufficiency of references to the international literature, and scientific soundness); and (3) proofreading and checking whether the article is written in compliance with the Author’s Guidelines. Submission of Manuscript. For the next issue, submission of manuscripts is now open for acceptance. Manuscripts should comply with the Author’s Guidelines which could be obtained by e-mail from the Editors at [email protected], PCSD Building, Sta. Monica Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. Copyright. The articles for publication should not violate the other author’s rights and copyright, fully or partially, through plagiarism (including self-plagiarism) or inclusion of elements (such as figures and photos) that do not belong to the author and for which no written consent to use is given by the owner. The author ensures that the paper has not been published or submitted for publication to any other journal and that the research described in the paper is original. The author also assumes full responsibility for the contents, correctness and originality of the paper. © 2017 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development i Editorial Board Nelson P. Devanadera, Executive Director Atty. Adelina B. Benavente-Villena, Deputy Executive Director Josephine S. Matulac, Director II Technical Editors Engr. Madrono P. Cabrestante Jr., Division Head, EMKM Marianne Faith G. Martinico-Perez, Research Analyst, EMKKM Editorial Staff Arnica D. Mortillero Kit Jasper S. Hernandez Celso S. Quiling Jenevieve P. Hara ISSN: 2423-222X ©Palawan Council for Sustainable Development PCSD Building, Sports Complex Road, Sta. Monica Heights Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, 5300, Philippines © 2017 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development ii OUR PALAWAN The Scientific Journal of the Palawan Council Sustainable Development Volume 3 Issue 1 January – June 2017 Directory of External Reviewers Dr. William Sm. Gruezo Retired Faculty, University of the Philippines Los Baños Dr. Chona Camile Vince Cruz-Abeledo De La Salle University Dr. Allaine T. Baaco Western Philippines University Engr. Glenn S. Banaguas OYS De La Salle Araneta University Dr. Perry S. Ong University of the Philippines Diliman Dr. rer. net. Thomas Edison E. Dela Cruz University of Sto. Tomas Dr. Roger G. Dolorosa Western Philippines University Dr. Benjamin J. Gonzales Western Philippines University Dr. Cherry Myo Lwin Ritsumeikan University, Japan Dr. Patrick A. Regoniel Palawan State University Dr. Shiela G. Vergara ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity Dr. Irina Safitri Zen Institut Sultan Iskandar (ISI) © 2017 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development iii Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE The publication of Our Palawan is another strategy to provide venue where we can share information that could benefit our students, researchers, communities and stakeholders. This is our humble contribution as environmental research is identified as a support mechanism of the Republic Act 7611. As we proudly claim, we take Palawan Province as a unique living laboratory having the large proportion of endemic plants and animals with total of 32 identified Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). We believe that all information generated through various researches and studies should be shared best in an accessible and user-friendly medium. On this note, we simultaneously upload this publication in digital format through the Palawan Knowledge Platform (PKP). The PKP, on the other hand, is a joint initiative of our organization in cooperation with our partners from various institutions, particularly the academe, other government agencies and the public sector to facilitate information sharing among the member-agencies. We are very pleased that this commendable initiative has gained ground with the active support and cooperation from our partners. With respect to the policy formulation process, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development - Scientific Advisory Panel (PCSD- SAP) has been reactivated to provide expert’s advice on certain issues for resolution of the Council. We endeavor to regularly convene the Panel and be able to seek their inputs on matters that require scientific expertise or opinion. This is our commitment to a science-based decision making by the Council. The 4th edition of Our Palawan highlights some of the endemic species of Palawan as included in the research on extracts of selected plants in Puerto Princesa City. We also publish the ethno-food study and protein analysis of beans common among the locals called “lumabeng”. In doing so, we attempt to educate our readers of the beneficial components of some of the plants that maybe found just around Puerto Princesa City and the province of Palawan. On the same context, we packaged the information materials and reports presented in the international fora and conferences participated by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development representing Palawan Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Program. We encourage the students and researchers to continue exploring and then publish the results of their studies. Keep in mind that a single drop of idea today may create a ripple of brilliant thoughts for something big tomorrow! NELSON P. DEVANADERA Executive Director © 2017 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development iv Table of Contents Editor’s Note i Executive Director’s Message iv Research Papers 1 Hemagglutination and Antimicrobial Potential of Leaf Crude Extracts of Selected Plants in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines Jhonamie Mabuhay-Omar, Shellajean M. Omar, Julius N. Burgos, Ciara Patricia Dicar, Dan Clark S. Bacani, and Edziel P. Hubo 12 Ethno-Food Study and Protein Analysis of Lumabeng Beans (Vigna umbellata (Thunb.) Ohwi & H. Ohashi) from Agutaya Island, Palawan, Philippines Ronald S. Brillantes Feature Articles 19 Expert Advice from the Scientific Advisory Panel of PCSDS: Output of the 3rd Meeting on 20 June 2017 28 Facing the Odds: Palawan Battles against Forest Destruction (An Update from the Palawan Biosphere Reserve Periodic Report 2015) 33 Managing Palawan Biosphere Reserve’s Wildlife and their Habitats (An Update from the Palawan Biosphere Reserve Periodic Report 2015) Forum/ Conference Papers 47 A Review of Palawan’s Coral Reefs Carlos Alfredo A. Castillo 52 The Zero Carbon Resorts for Sustainable Tourism Project: Promoting Biodiversity Friendly Enterprise 56 Research bits 60 About the Authors © 2017 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development v Tubbataha Reefs and Natural Park declared as Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSN) Photo Credits: PCSDS The Tubbataha Refs and Natural Park was approved in principle as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSN) by the International Maritime Organisation - Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). The application was approved during MEPC’s 69th session held last 18-22 April 2016 in London. This will serve as an additional protection to the park from shipping vessels that cross its borders which may aground or damage reefs. © 2017 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development vi Our Palawan The Scientific Journal of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Research Paper This article is also available on-line at www.pkp.pcsd.gov.ph Hemagglutination and Antibacterial Potential of Leaf Crude Extracts of Selected Plants in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines Jhonamie Mabuhay-Omar1, Shellajean M. Omar2, Julius N. Burgos1, Ciara Patricia Dicar1, Dan Clark S. Bacani1, and Edziel P. Hubo1 ABSTRACT This study aimed to screen the presence of phytohemagglutinin for ABO blood groups from 20 plant species found