Bicolano Penguin: MANGROVE LOVING PENGUIN: The Bantigue Mangroves in Burgos (Ilocos Norte)

Travel up North and one will find wonders, both natural and man-made. Situated on the northwestern tip of Luzon Island, where the coastline from the south to the north begins to curve towards the East is the town of Burgos of the province of Ilocos Norte. Originally known as Nagpartian, the town was renamed in the year 1914, to Burgos in honor of one of the three martyred GOMBURZA priests, Fr. Jose Burgos who was an Ilocano, having been born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

Given its geographical location, Burgos is home to the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. It is known for its creamy white and streamlined limestone formations, which have been sculpted by different oceanic and weather forces. Over a long period of time, strong waves and wind eroded the soft limestone. The Kapurpurawan Rock Formation is popular among tourists visiting Ilocos Norte.

The Mangrove Loving Penguin (MLP) visiting the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. In the background is the Burgos Wind Farm of EDC. The wind turbines are at their most efficient at wind speeds of around 29-43 kilometers per hour.

Also a tourist attraction in Burgos is the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse . First lit in 1892, this lighthouse was part of the Spanish colonial government's 1857 master plan of illuminating the Philippine archipelago. For more than 100 years and counting, it still functions and serves ships that enter the Philippine archipelago from the north and guide them safely away from the rocky coast of the town. The lighthouse is set high on Vigia de Nagpartian Hill overlooking the scenic Cape Bojeador.

Geographically speaking, a cape is a pointed piece of land that extends out into a body of water like a sea or lake. Cape Bojeador is the first land sighted by ships approaching Luzon from the northern ports of China and East Asia. This land is composed of greywackes and volcanic rocks. According to a Wikipedia entry on Cape Bojeador, this cape is supposed to be devoid of trees due to constant strong winds.

"Devoid of trees?" Is it?

Driving a July morning thru the national highway on the road southbound to Pasuquin from the town proper of Burgos, with the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse looming on a hill on the left of the road, I noticed a patch of trees on a rocky beach. So I requested the driver to slow down and stop. I alighted from the service vehicle and walked towards the rocky beach to take a closer look at the vegetation. It was 7 in the morning, so I figured it was lowtide.

This is the view that greeted me.

A footpath leading to a bunch of cottages with trees all around it.

Below the high tide line (marked by debris washed up the shore) are mangroves. Short and shrub-like, these mangrove trees have adapted to tolerate the salty conditions and fluctuating water levels.

With the surging waves and a thatched hut on a cliff serving as backdrop, these mangroves stood firm and majestic. Question is - what mangrove species?

So the question of whether Cape Bojeador is devoid of trees has been answered. Definitely trees are present in the Cape, with a particular patch of mangroves standing majestic amidst the strong winds and strong waves. But a new question creeps up - what mangrove species?

Good thing I have with me the Field Guide to Philippine Mangroves authored by Prof. Jurgenne H. Primavera. It is one of the resource materials provided to the participants of the Training of Trainers on Mangrove and Beach Forest Rehabilitation and Conservation (ToT) conducted by the ZSL - Philippines. The MLP is blessed to have joined last Feb 2025 the Batch 16 of the said ToT.

Consulting the Field Guide, I checked on a number of characteristics and features of the patch of mangroves on that beach in Cape Bojeador:

Shrubs 3-5 meters tall, along the high tide line of coralline-rocky and sandy foreshores.

Bark is rough and grayish brown.

Small leaves and small white flowers. The blade shape of the leaf is elliptical. The white flowers have 6 petals. Yup. This is a Bantigue mangrove.

After considering all the features, particularly the rough bark, small elliptical leaves and the small white flowers plus the fact that it is found on rocky shores, we can confidently say that this is a Bantigue mangrove with the scientific name Pemphis acidula. The genus name Pemphis derives from Greek, meaning "swelling", referring to the swollen mature fruits. The species epithet acidula is Latin, meaning "sour", referring to the taste of the leaves.

Talk about sturdy. The Bantigue mangroves stand stubbornly against the strong winds that constantly batter Cape Bojeador.

Bantigue is a mangrove that thrives abundantly on the rocky shores. It can thrive in nutrient-poor areas, and thin soil layers. It is also drought-resistant. This mangrove reduces the risk of various calamities, like tsunamis and storm surges. It lessens the impact of impending storms and sea level rise and serves as a natural protective barrier in communities along the coastal line.

Wood of the Bantigue is very hard and strong, hence it is used in house and fence construction. It is high quality wood that is to make walking canes and different kind of accesories. Because of its small size and sturdy nature, the Bantigue is a favorite material of bonsai enthusiasts. Its rugged, gnarled and twisted trunk make it very popular among bonsai afficionados. Too popular that it is classified as "endangered" species by the Department of Environment & Naural Resources (DENR) , and collection, selling, and transport is illegal and punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.

In the Philippines, the Republic Act No. 9147 (RA 9147) was signed into law on Jul 20, 2001. It is an Act providing for the conservation and protection of wildlife resources and their habitats, appropriating funds therefor. Section 4 of Chapter 1 of RA 9147 calls for the cabinet secretaries of the DENR and the Department of Agriculture (DA) shall review, and by joint administrative order, revise and regularly update the list of species under their respective jurisdiction: DENR shall have jurisdiction over all terrestrial and animal species; while DA shall have jurisdiction over all declared aquatic critical habitats, all aquatic resources and all marine mammals. The DENR first came out with a list of critically endangered/endangered/vulnerable/other threatened species under its jurisdiction in Jan 2, 2007 with DENR Administrative Order 2007-01. In that list of 2007, the Bantigue was not yet included. But in the Updated List of Threatened Philippine Plants of DENR Administrative Order 2017-11 issued in May 2, 2017, the Bantigue was included already among the "Endangered" species, meaning the Bantigue is not critically endangered but whose survival in the wild is unlikely if the causal factors continue operating. It shall be unlawful for any person or group to collect and/or trade wild plant species listed in the DENR AO 2017-11 unless such acts are covered by a DENR permit. Under RA 9147, the penalties for violations against endangered species are imprisonment of 4 years to 6 years and a fine of Php 50,000 to Php 500,000.

Despite the laws and penalties, the illegal trade in Bantigue mangroves continue. In Aug 2018 , DENR operatives seized from a bonsai trader over 30 large sacks of illegally collected stems of the Bantigue in General Nakar, Quezon. There is a Guidebook for Most Commonly Poached Plants in the Philippines published in 2022 by the Forest Management Bureau of the DENR. The Bantigue is on the list in that Guidebook.

Poaching nationwide of Bantigue mangroves for the bonsai trade is real. And locally for the Bantigue in Burgos, it is quite alarming to see roadsign signs advertising "Bonsai" in the neighboring town of Pasuquin.

Bantigue mangroves are a beautiful thing of nature. To appreciate nature's beauty, one needs to engage one's senses, slow down and immerse oneself in the experience. Notice the details, like the color of the flower or the sound of the wind, and take time to be simply present in the natural environment. But if the Bantigue mangroves are gone, then it would be darnly hard to appreciate its beauty by just looking at its pictures.

And Bantigues are not just a thing of beauty. Bantigues are also part of the mangrove ecosystem which is arguably one of the most important ecosystem of our beloved country given the fact that the Philippines is one of the most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The mangroves, of which the Bantigue is one, provide adaptation (i.e. protection against storm surge) and mitigation (i.e. carbon sequestration) to the community.