By Filemon G. Romero, Ph.D. Mobulid ray is a genus of ray belonging to the taxonomic family Myliobatidae (eagle rays). Species of this genera are often collectively referred to as “devil rays”, “flying mobula” or simply “flying rays”. Scientifically the mobulid rays belong to one family called Mobulidae, which contains two Genera; the Mobula Rays (9… Read More Mobulid Ray Fisheries and Trade in Tawi-Tawi
By FILEMON G. ROMERO, Ph.D. The Sulu Archipelago Reef complex, which is an ecologically important component of the Coral Triangle, is known to be a major habitat of the Napoleon wrasse or humphead wrasse locally known as the mameng. Sibutu and Sitangkai in the province of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines are the centers of the mariculture of the Napoleon Wrasse… Read More Marine Protected Areas Protect Spawning Aggregations in Sitangkai and Sibutu
By FILEMON G. ROMERO, Ph.D. TUBIG INDANGAN, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi: The municipality of Simunur (Sama spelling for Simunul) in Tawi-Tawi is known to be the first seat of Islam where the Arab missionary Sheikh Karimul Makdum started to preach Islam to the natives and built the first mosque in Barangay Boheh Indangan in 1380. While a new… Read More Papa Bulls: New tourist attraction in Simunur, Tawi-Tawi
By Filemon G. Romero, Ph.D. UNGUS MATATA, Tandubas: The Sama women of Tawi-Tawi and Sulu have always been recognized as excellent mat weavers as part of their cultural heritage. The art of mat weaving within the Sama Community has always been restricted to women. This includes the harvesting of the pandan leaves, shedding them into thin strips, boiling, including the pressing with a rounded log… Read More School of Living Tradition for Mat Weaving Proposed in Tandubas
By FILEMON G. ROMERO, Ph.D. Tawi-Tawi is a major seaweed producer, contributing about 85% of the total seaweeds export of the country. Nine out of the 11 municipalities of Tawi-tawi are into the production of seaweeds. It is estimated that about 31,000 inhabitants are dependent in the seaweeds industry. The total area planted to seaweeds… Read More Laboratory-Generated Cultivars to Enhance Seaweed Production In Tawi-Tawi
By FILEMON G. ROMERO, PhD. BONGGAO, Tawi-Tawi: Ecotourism in farther southern Philippines will boom once tourism facilities are established in the Turtle Islands of Tawi Tawi, the fifth province of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and which is near Sabah. Ecotourism facilities that include a hotel, a restaurant and four cottages will… Read More Ecotourism looms in Tawi-Tawi’s Turtle Islands
By FILEMON G. ROMERO, PhD. BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi: One of the last remaining historical edifices in the Bangsamoro Nation particularly in Tawi-Tawi which has stood for the longest time as a symbol that the Bangsamoro has never been subjugated by the Spaniards is now proposed for restoration. This proposal is consistent with the provision of the Constitution of the… Read More Spanish Fort in Bongao a major restoration project in Tawi-Tawi
PHILIPPINE MUSLIM TODAY 