Jean Panugan Bondoc

BSBA FM 2-4
Dec. 2, 2021

Municipal Reporting

BROOK’S POINT: BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MUNICIPALITY

The municipality of Brooke's Point was erstwhile municipal district which became full-pledge
municipality on June 28, 1949 by the of Executive Order no 234 of then President Elpidio Quirino.

Gleaned from historical facts, the Municipality of Brooke's Point is used to be called "Bon-Bon"
by the natives, meaning town. The name was after an English Navigator by the name of sir James
Brooke, believed to be the first white man to have set the foot in the place on the shore shape like
peninsular point.

A certain Mr. Miller is remembered to have led the American Scouts to this place and the duration
of his stay, he built the community by constructing the lighthouse, a port, now known as Port
Miller & a fort called Fort Miller in 1909.

Brooke's Point was awarded as the "Cleanest and Greenest" Municipality in the Philippines in the
year 2000. While there are tourist destination areas in the locality, the focal point of Tourism as
industry of the Local Government of Brooke's Point to attract guests to come, not only because of
the tourist spots the place has to offer but also for them to experience the hospitality of every
Brooke's Pontian.

Brooke's Point is a coastal municipality in the island province of Palawan.

The municipality has a land area of 1,303.40 square kilometers or 503.25 square miles which
constitutes 8.90% of Palawan's total area. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was
73,994. This represented 7.88% of the total population of Palawan province, or 2.29% of the
overall population of the MIMAROPA Region. The population density is computed at 57
inhabitants per square kilometer or 147 inhabitants per square mile.

Barangays
Brooke's Point is subdivided into 18 barangays, two urban (Poblacion I and Poblacion II) and 16
rural barangays. Samariñana was separated from Tanionbog in 1954.

• Amas
• Aribungos
• Barong-barong
 • Calasaguen
• Imulnod
• Ipilan
• Maasin
• Mainit
• Malis
• Mambalot
• Oring-oring
• Pangobilian
• Poblacion I
• Poblacion II
• Salogon
• Samariñana
• Saraza (formerly Taniongbobog)
• Tubtub
Income Class=1st municipal income class

The annual regular revenue of Brooke's Point for the fiscal year of 2016 was ₱291,086,034.37.
Economy
Brooke's Point is one of Palawan's main economic centers outside Puerto Princesa, along with
Narra, Coron and Cuyo. Commercial Enterprises are thriving. The service sector is also growing
with the rise of many commercial establishments. The town's economy is primarily based on
agriculture. The town produces great quantity of rice, copra and corn. The Palm oil industry is
headquartered in Brgy. Mainit down south.
Unlike most of Palawan's town, Brooke's Point does not have white and pristine beaches that draws
local and foreign tourist. But because of abundant freshwater resources, the town is one of the
most productive in the province in terms of agriculture. Many fruits and vegetables grow in
abundance. The fruit and vegetable industries are one of Brooke's Point's potentials that are yet to
be utilized.
In addition, the town is also one of the Philippines' gateways to Southeast Asia. Its proximity to
Sabah is a strategic advantage. But the lack of infrastructure and inter-governmental agreement
between Malaysia and the Philippines hinders the town from being a trading hub. Nevertheless,
there is a minimal trade between Malaysia through many of the towns Muslim and Christian
population who has relatives in Sabah. The town also has a potential for mining. But the massive
environmental consequences and tribal disputes surrounding the issue offset the mining industry.

Media
Brooke's Point has two radio stations, Radyo Natin Brooke's Point, Palawan and Radyo Mo
Nationwide that broadcasts to Balabac, Bataraza, Sofronio Española, Rizal, Palawan, and some
parts of Quezon, Palawan and Narra. Brooke's Point, along with Coron and Puerto Princesa City,
is a site of GMA Network's satellite transmission center. The town is also a telecommunications
hub of several companies like Smart and Globe networks. Internet cafes are becoming increasingly
popular while the percentage of personal computer ownership is also rising.
Religion
The town is predominantly Christian with a sizeable Muslim population. Most of the population's
Christians are Born-again Christians and Catholics. Other Christian denominations include Church
of God International, Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah Witnesses, Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints
and more.
The Catholic Church is located north of the town center while the Evangelical Christian Churches
are the Gospel Hall, located north of the town center, the Iglesia ni Cristo, south of the municipal
hall, the Church of Christ International's building is located in Old Camp while the LDS Church
is in Edward's Subdivision
Dialect: Tagalog, Palawano

Cuisines:

Ketupat or packed rice is a type of dumpling from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines
(Where it is known by the name pusô in Cebuano, bugnóy in Hiligaynon, patupat in Kapampangan
and Pangasinan, or ta’mu in Tausug), and Singapore.
History
It is made from rice that has been wrapped in a woven palm leaf pouch and boiled. As the rice
cooks, the grains expand to fill the pouch and the rice becomes compressed. This method of
cooking gives the ketupat its characteristic form and texture of a rice dumpling. Ketupat is usually
eaten with rendang or served as an accompaniment to satay(chicken or beef or lamb in skewers)
or gado-gado (mixed vegetables with peanut sauce).
Local stories passed down through the generations have attributed the creation of this style of rice
preparation to the seafarers' need to keep cooked rice from spoiling during long sea voyages. The
coco leaves used in wrapping the rice are always shaped into a triangular form and stored hanging
in bunches in the open air. The shape of the package facilitates moisture to drip away from the
cooked rice while the coco leaves allow the rice to be aerated and at the same time prevent flies
and insects from touching it.
Varieties
There are many varieties of ketupat, with two of the more common ones being ketupat nasi and
ketupat pulut. Ketupat nasi is made from white rice and is wrapped in a square shape with coconut
palm leaves while ketupat pulut is made from glutinous rice is usually wrapped in a triangular
shape using the leaves of the fan palm (Licuala). Ketupat pulut is also called "ketupat daun palas"
in Malaysia.
Ketupat is also traditionally served by Malays at open houses on festive occasions such as Idul
Fitri (Hari Raya Aidilfitri). During Idul Fitri in Indonesia, ketupat is often served with either opor
ayam (chicken in coconut milk), chicken or beef curry, rendang, sambal goreng ati (spicy beef
liver), krecek (buffalo or beef skin dish), or sayur labu Siam (chayote soup).
Among the Moro (Muslim) groups of the Philippines, ketupat is served with an array of dishes
including tiyulah itum, rendang, ginataang manok, kurma and satay. It is served during special
occasions such as Eid'l Fitr, Eid'l Adha and weddings.
Among Christian Filipinos, pusô, as ketupat is locally known,[1][2][3][4] is also traditionally used as
a pabaon or a packed lunch, traditionally brought by workers, served with any selection of stews.
Pusô is also widely eaten in the side streets of Cebu with pork or chicken skewers and other grilled
selections.

IPs in the area:

Agutaynen
This indigenous group is most likely to be found in the northern part of the province of Palawan
such as Agutaya Island, Municipality of Roxas, Municipality of San Vicente, Municipality of
Brooke’s Point, Municipality of Taytay, and Linapacan. They may also be occasionally spotted in
Manila, the capital city of the Philippines.
These groups of people are believed to belong to the family of Austronesians and Malayo-
Polynesians whose have a long inhabited the province of Palawan. They have lexical similarity
with Cuyonon and the Calamian Tagbanua, who are also indigents in Palawan.
Arutunyans, however, does not have much information and exposure to the public since there are
only a few of them and there are almost no records about this group due to the separation of their
area to the mainland of the province of Palawan. According to recent reports, this group of people
has also begun embracing modernization.

Palaw’an
They hunt wild animals using spears with lethal poison at the tip of it and catch fish by using a
special root sap that is diluted in a shallow river or stream. The Palaw’ans hardly domesticate
chickens nor hogs, they preferred dogs which comes very helpful during hunting.

They are considered naïve when it comes to socialization and would always welcome outsiders
with great precaution since they have always been scared of getting sick; this form of precaution
makes them abandon their area immediately to avoid acquiring any form of the disease – even just
a common cold.
It is believed that the Palaw’ans have the shortest lifespan of all peoples but there is no statistical
data that could back up this claim. This tribe has no concept of years when asked about when they
were born, they would usually use a tree as the reference of their age, saying that they were born
when the tree was just at a certain height.
The men in this tribe wear g-strings while the women wear patadyong which is a native wrap that
is similar to the malong.
In food preference, the Palaw’ans do not usually use salt, their usual diet is composed of rice,
banana, cassava, vegetables, rimas or breadfruit, fruits, wild pigs from hunting, birds such as wild
quails and tikling, wild chicken / labuyo, and freshwater fish.
They prepare a delicious delicacy called the pinyaram which is closely similar to the bibingka of
the Tagalogs.

Tourist Attraction and how to promote it.

Sabsaban Falls

Sabsaban Falls is not actually a very unique or peculiar falls as it is same as other falls. But if you
are in Brooke's Point, this is one of the refreshing falls that you can find. Situated in Aribungos,
approximately 15 kilometers from the town proper. It is best to visit this fall with a motorbike. If
you don't have a private vehicle, you can hire a tricycle for, I think about 60-80 pesos per person
for one way. Make sure to tell the driver to pick you up at a specified time 'coz mode of public
transportation in this place is very difficult. If you are a nature lover person, you will definitely
love this place. The falls is right in the middle of the forest, the water is very cold and the air is
rejuvenating. Perfect for family getaway in Brooke's Point.

Problems and Solutions:

About 300 residents led by Brooke's Point Mayor Mary Jean Feliciano demolished building
structures in the mining site of Ipilan Nickel Corp. (INC) in southern Palawan Wednesday. Inc had
been ordered to rehabilitate, but instead constructed six-lane roads, and cut down trees in the
mountain where they source their water.
Destroyed within the mine site were two guardhouses, the administration office, and the operation
building, a military spokesman said.
The local environment chief of Ipilan town in the Philippines has said she is ready for President
Rodrigo Duterte to cancel the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) of the mining
company. I've already prepared myself for this. If this is the only way to expose their evil deeds,
Felizardo Cayatoc told PNA, then I am ready.
Solutions:
Despite advances in technology, mining still uses significant amounts of resources - water, land,
carbon and energy - and often causes severe harm to the environment. Discover five ways the
mining industry can reduce its environmental footprint and make its practices more sustainable.
1. LOWER-IMPACT MINING TECHNIQUES
Traditional mining techniques can have a severe impact on the environment, and some popular
methods present some of the most significant risks. Alternative low-impact mining techniques —
like in-situ leaching — can reduce their environmental impact. These techniques reduce surface
disturbance at mining sites, lower soil erosion and move less material that would need backfilled.
2. REUSING MINING WASTE
Mining naturally produces significant amounts of waste — such as tailings, rocks and wastewater.
For almost every category of mining waste, there are ways to reuse that waste on- or off-site.
Tailings, often toxic and left behind in mine sites or stored in large-scale tailings dams can find
eco-friendly use.
3. ECO-FRIENDLY EQUIPMENT
Mining companies wanting to reduce their environmental impact can switch to more eco-friendly
equipment. Replacing diesel engines with electric engines where possible can significantly reduce
the amount of CO2 produced by mining operations. More advanced, durable equipment that lasts
longer could also reduce the turnover of machinery and decrease the resources needed. Simple
switches, for example, can cut down on equipment costs over time while also reducing how much
rubber and plastic a mining operation produces.
4. REHABILITATING MINING SITES
Landowners can use land rehabilitation techniques to make mined land productive again or speed
up the natural recovery process. Soil with biosolids, if seeded and watered, can produce vegetation
capable of preventing further soil erosion within as few as 12 weeks. Some mining companies —
like Alcoa in Australia — have gone further and implemented large-scale reforestation schemes.
5. SHUTTING DOWN ILLEGAL MINING
Preventing illegal or unregulated mining operations can help ensure that all mining is bound by
the same environmental standards and ensure accountability. Experts estimate that around 14,000
people are currently involved in illegal mining in South Africa. There, illegal mining often takes
place on properties not suited for large-scale mining and without regard to regulations.

IMPROVING MINING SUSTAINABILITY

Despite recent strides and new technology, the mining industry remains unsustainable in many
areas. Fortunately, there are a variety of technologies and techniques — both in-use and in
development — that the sector can use to reduce its environmental impact. Advanced land
rehabilitation techniques, coupled with low-impact mining methods and reuse of mine waste, can
cut back on the impact that mining operations have on their immediate environment. companies
can also use new equipment powered by electric engines to reduce their carbon footprint and
become more eco-friendly. Not all of these technologies are economical yet. However, the mining
industry as a whole does seem to be moving in the direction of sustainability. Over the next few
years, these technologies should become more practical. As a result, it may be easier for companies
to make themselves more eco-friendly.
HISTORICAL LANDMARKS:

"Pearl of Lao Tzu,"

Barangay Oring-Oring, located some 7 km from Población proper is the birthplace of the World’s
Biggest Pearl; known throughout the world as the Pearl of Allah or the Pearl of Lau-Tzu. This
14.1-pound porcelaneous pearl was found by a native Moslem in the seas of Oring-Oring. Valued
in 1984 at USD $42 million, the ownership of this unique pearl is still in dispute. What are clear;
however, are its origins: Oring-Oring, Brooke’s Point. The clam that gave birth to this pearl can
still be found in the possession of the heirs of Pang lima Pisi, the original owner of the pearl.

Ocean Spring

Ocean Spring is located in Barangay Oring-Oring, and it is quite peculiar because it is a fresh water
spring that is located right in the middle of the sea.

Bakbakan Falls & Mainit Hot Springs

Bakbakan Falls & Mainit Hot Springs are located in Barangay Mainit, where the river drops over
a steep rock face and falls 50 meters into a natural pool. There is also Mainit (hot), whose waters
that are reputed to have medicinal properties.
• Mainit Falls and Hot Water Springs can be found 10 kilometers from the town proper,
approximately 30 minutes by car. The Mainit Waterfalls not only serve to irrigate nearby
fields but also serve as a source of drinking water to the residents living around its vicinity.
Although Palawan stands outside the Ring of Fire, hot springs flow a few meters from the
waterfall. Its sulfuric waters have been known to attract the Trogonoptera Trojana, a
species of butterflies that is endemic to Palawan.
• Bakbakan falls, a 64-meter waterfall can also be found in Barangay Mainit. Between
Barangays Aribungos and Ipilan, Sabsaban Falls, also a frequently-visited site, acts as a
natural boundary between the two towns.
Brooke’s Point Ecological Park and Mt. Maruyog Farms

Brooke’s Point Ecological Park and Mt. Maruyog Farms are set amidst spectacular scenery. The
Brooke’s Point Ecological Park and Mt Maruyog offer high-country buffs with some of nature’s
most awesome vistas. The 145-hectare Ecological Park is the showcase of the municipality’s love
and concern for nature.

Port Miller & Lighthouse Tower

Port Miller & Lighthouse Tower is a historical landmark in Brooke’s Point. A cemented water
tank constructed as a source of potable water for the natives and settlers of the municipality, was
reportedly built by Sir James Brooke himself. The remnants of the original lighthouse tower are
still visible, although the area is now occupied by a new lighthouse.