Phoenix Palm in Itbayat, Batanes

An expensive palm called Phoenix loureiroi var. loureiroi (previously known as Phoenix hanceana var. philippinensis), is endogenous to Batanes, particularly on the islands of Itbayat and Sabtang.  It’s locally known as voyavoy, the raw material in the making of what locals call “vakul” in Ivatan or “suhot” in Itbayat.  This “vakul” or “suhot” is a protective gear against rains and the scorching heat of direct sunlight.  It warms the wearer during cold rainy days, and cools one in summer.  It also serves as bed under the shade of a tree for a small child sleeping while his/her mother is busy weeding the field some meters away.

Only the elders still use the “vakul” or “suhot.”  The younger generation of Ivatans don’t wear this anymore.  However, Ivatans continue to weave miniaturized sizes of “vakul” or “suhot” for sale as souvenir items to tourists. 

Of course, the leaves of voyavoy need to be processed to be used in making “vakul” or “suhot”.  Processing is simply shredding the leaves into thin strips, using hand-made manual shredder like the gadget used to remove fish scales in the wet markets of Luzon.  This voyavoy shredder, however, is smaller and with thinner but much more pointed  pins.  Anyway, when the voyavoy leaves have been shredded thin, they are dried under the sun. 

The size of the “vakul” or “suhot” fits the length of a person’s torso, from head to buttocks.  The portions of the shredded leaves that tend to obstruct the view of the wearer are trimmed, and would look like bangs of hair on the fore head.

A less important use of voyavoy in Itbayat is that it’s used as a broom indoors.  It’s very effective in sweeping dust, even more effective than “walis tambo” because of its shredded sturdy leaves, which do not, by the way, break off from the main midrib no matter how hard you might swing it on the floor.

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The modern use of voyavoy is as an ornamental plant, said to be one of the most expensive palms.  There are a few plants on the grounds of the UP Open University.  These plants came from seeds that I gathered from Itbayat in 2006.  Those planted around the UPOU rotunda are now bearing fruits, which, by the way, are edible like date palm fruits.  The fruit of voyavoy is much smaller and its flesh thinner compared to date palm fruits.  Some more plants are available at Panyesanan, the farm-resort of my brother in Lipa City.

No one has thought of it yet, but perhaps the voyavoy leaves could be tested for appropriateness as raw material in the manufacture of paper money.  It’s fibrous and very durable.

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The voyavoy plant, however, is an endangered species.  This was originally observed by William Gruezo and Edwino Fernando, both scientists of UPLB, in a scientific paper published in 1985.  Natives of Itbayat have observed in recent years that the voyavoy plant population in Itbayat has actually decreased significantly, most likely by as much as 50%, and so there’s need to conserve, perhaps even propagate, this plant.  In 2003, participants in a seminar-workshop in Basco titled “Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Voyavoy in Batanes Island,” which was sponsored by the Philippine National Museum in cooperation with the National Commission on Indigenous People, adopted voyavoy as a flagship species for conservation.  Not much, if at all, happened after that, though.

In early 2010, in an informal meeting with Batanes Governor Vicente Gato and Provincial Board Member Rocky Abad, at my brother’s farm-resort in Lipa City, I described to these two gentlemen my idea of a voyavoy sanctuary in Itbayat.   Board Member Rocky Abad got so interested in the idea, he asked me to send him a copy of my concept paper.  I did send him a copy a week later, but I don’t know the status of the proposed voyavoy sanctuary.  Anyway, this proposal dovetails well with the resolution of the seminar-workshop in 2003.

Any conservation suggestions for voyavoy in Itbayat is welcomed by Governor Gato, he being a native of Itbayat.

My idea of a voyavoy sanctuary is something like 5-10 hectares stretching from the old seaport of Chinapoliran to Varanga, the new seaport constructed in 2006.  If a larger sanctuary is needed, then the entire area surrounding the airport in Itbayat could be declared Voyavoy Sanctuary, as well.  That’s a good place for the sanctuary.  A third place would be the slopes of Mt. Riposed.  Actually, the whole island of Itbayat ought to be a sanctuary for voyavoy.

Then, there should be a program of voyavoy propagation and massive planting.  The peripheral areas of all other grassland and cogonland areas in Itbayat should be sites for voyavoy propagation, even as reforestation should be undertaken in Mt. Karuboban and other areas that used to be forest areas on the island.

Then, while still on Itbayat Island, there ought to be at least one more scientific exploration of the island to identify the different species of the island's flora and fauna that have not been identified until today.  There  are a lot more that still need to be scientifically identified on the island.  I’d certainly love to be part of such scientific exploration to help provide the correct local names of species.  Obviously, I wouldn’t remember all the local names of whatever species that might be identified, but I could provide a good bridge between the scientific explorers and the locals to enhance the entire scientific exploration undertaking.  That, of course, is, for the moment, a wish.   

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