This Week in Palawan (June 5 to 11, 2018)

The forecast shows that it would be cloudy this week [1]. It is best to bring an umbrella wherever your feet lead you as a few showers with occasional thunderstorms can be experienced all week long. A raincoat, jacket, or cap would also do to keep you dry when you go out. But with day temperature ranging from 29 °C to 30 °C, it’s advisable to wear thin and breathable fabrics to stay cool on warm rainy days.

Road traffic would be moderate to heavy in major thoroughfares during the afternoon rush hours onwards as the Baragatan Festival begins this week. Expect groups of people in vehicles flocking to the Provincial Capitol Complex to engage in a wide range of festive activities. This also means getting a public utility vehicle from the afternoon up to nighttime could be quite challenging. City traffic enforcers are likely to increase visibility to regulate traffic and implement road policies.

Budget airline company AirAsia recently announced that it will put up an operations hub at the Puerto Princesa International Airport [2]. This is aligned with its planned expansion to hold more airbus planes and to cater to more passengers in the future.

From 20 planes, AiraAsia’s area manager Joshua Tan said they would deploy 70 more to their Puerto Princesa City’s operations hub in the next five years. Tan added that these planes would fly internationally, particularly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

We know it's draining when you bask in the sun when in El Nido, but here’s a tip: only drink mineral water to rehydrate yourself. Consuming the tap water in hotels and restaurants isn’t a great idea unless your system can fight off water-borne illnesses.

A few weeks ago, the chief of regional environment department and two of her staff had suffered from gastroenteritis when they visited El Nido [3]. She said they had consumed mineral water, but suspected it was the tap water used to make ice that downed them. Later on, she coordinated with the health officials to have the town’s ground water tested.

It’s the season of festivity in Palawan as Baragatan Festival soft opens this week [4]. On June 8, the provincial government will launch the Barakalan sa Baragatan, which features the best produce of 23 municipalities. Inside the Capitol Complex, municipal governments have set up their rustic-designed booths, which sell sweet delicacies and intricate handicrafts like baskets, bags, mats, and many more.

On the same day, Caraenan sa Baragatan will also be opened to serve local dishes like sizzling crocodile sisig and sumptuous seafood. Take-home novelty items, such as shirts, key chains and the like, are also up for grabs at the Palawan Souvenir Trade Fair.