(Sunday Inquirer Magazine)
by Ephraim Aguilar
Inquirer Southern Luzon
INQUIRER.net
SUNLIGHT hits Leizel Peñaverde’s face as she awakens after a 10-hour bus ride from Manila. She immediately grabs the camera from her bag and captures the magnificent view of Mayon Volcano from her bus window.
She is seeing the world-famous volcano for the first time. Natives believe that when a visitor like Peñaverde sees it naked or free of clouds, it is a welcoming sign of blessing.
Peñaverde, 27, of Malate, Manila has joined her husband’s company outing. The tourists aboard chartered buses drop by the famous Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga, Albay for a closer view of Mt. Mayon.
Peñaverde says she is amazed by the volcano’s beauty, which she only used to see in textbooks. But tourists like her might ask, is there more to an Albay trip than viewing the 2,462-meter volcano?
Legazpi City, the capital city and regional center of Bicol, is strategically located in the province’s second district, from which tourists can easily jump off to other destinations in Albay and adjacent provinces.
Considered as the gateway to Bicolandia, Legazpi City can be reached via a 45-minute plane ride or a 10-hour land trip from Manila.
If you’re staying in any of the hotels in the city, there are many interesting places you can visit and new experiences to enjoy. Here’s a shortlist:
1. Ligñon Hill
Just a five-minute drive from any point in Legazpi City is Ligñon Hill, which offers a panoramic view of Mt. Mayon and a 360-degree view of the city and the neighboring Daraga town. It also has a 40-meter-long and 7-foot-deep tunnel which the Japanese forces used as an arsenal during World War II.
On top of the hill is a 320-meter zipline from which tourists can soar through the chilly air, with the scenic Mt. Mayon in the background. There are photographers to capture the picture-perfect moment.
Dianne Recomono, 16, of Pasig City tried the zipline and could not hide the excitement in her face as she plummeted through the hill’s lush green contour.
“This is a unique and worthwhile experience. It’s definitely something I would recommend to my friends,” says Recomono, who was with her family for a four-day summer vacation.
The hill also hosts other summer adventures and extreme sports, such as hiking, biking, rappelling, paintball, and airsoft – all managed by Globe Quest Adventure. Zipping and rappelling are at P200 per person while paintball costs P300 for 50 bullets, mask, vest, and a paintball gun.
Another adventure sport is biking on dried up gullies at the foot of Mayon. The gullies serve as pathways of loose sand and volcanic rocks swept away by heavy rains from the volcano’s slopes. Four-wheel All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are available for rent at P1,500.
2. Forest adventure
The Mayon Volcano Natural Park is a favorite destination for nature lovers. Its main entry point is in Barangay (village) Lidong in Sto. Domingo town.
The 5,486-hectare park surrounding Mt. Mayon is a protected area that covers eight Albay towns. Aside from its rich flora and fauna, the park has 18 rivers and creeks. The scattered fertile plains, rough and narrow ridges and deep ravines add up to a great adventure.
Local mountain guides are ready to assist neophyte hikers and campers. Camp 1 is 1,650 meters above sea level, says Aldwin Orendain, 18, the park’s gatekeeper.
An alternative entrance to the forest nearer the city is in Barangay Buyuan in Legazpi City, where the Mayon Outdoor Group Association assists hikers and campers.
Other ecotourism destinations in Albay within a two-hour drive from the city are the boiling lake in Manito town, the 91-meter Busay Falls in Malilipot town, the ice-cold Vera Falls in Malinao town, and the black sand beaches of Sto. Domingo town.
There is also a butterfly garden and fruit bat sanctuary at the Bacman Geothermal Fields at the border of Manito, Albay and Bacon, Sorsogon.
Sorsogon province is home to the whale sharks of Donsol and the placid Bulusan Lake ideal for kayaking.
3. Native souvenirs
There are many souvenir shops at the Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga town which offer Bicol’s native products like cutlery, refined clay jars, pili nut candy varieties, abaca bags and crafts. There are also P300 shirts hand-painted with Mt. Mayon.
At Alne’s Crafts and Souvenirs, prices of abaca bags range from P100 to P650 depending on materials and design. Abaca slippers, P25 to P65 each, are also available.
The Mayon Artstone shop in Cagsawa sells sculptures made of hardened Mayon rocks. Its 50-year-old artist-owner Vicente Ajero, also known as “Enteng Bato,” uses only a hammer and a large nail as chisel to form different images. He also fashions bracelets and necklaces from volcanic stones.
Other souvenir shops can be found at the Legazpi City Grand Terminal. Bargain hunters are assured that the native bags here are half the price of those displayed at the Metro Manila malls.
For even greater bargains on local crafts, plus a learning experience, tourists can go directly to the abaca-weaving villages in Malilipot town, just a 30-minute drive from Legazpi.
For food pasalubong, the 74-year-old Albay Pilinut Candy in the Old Albay District is just a few minutes away from the Legazpi City Domestic Airport. Some of its bestsellers are the crispy pili, toffee rolls, yemas de pili, pili butternuts, and salted pili.
Pili is one of Bicol’s distinct produce. Pili nut is known as the Philippine almond, which is at par with the macadamia nut. A classic favorite delicacy is the sweet bar-shaped mazapan (pili nuts mixed with milk, egg, and sugar).
4. Bicol food
For a unique food experience, there are local restaurants that offer fusion cuisines.
The Small Talk Café offers Pasta Mayon, which is made from triangular ravioli pasta garnished to resemble Mayon’s nearly perfect cone. It is topped with sizzling red sauce, reminiscent of flowing lava.
Other Small Talk favorites are the laing (taro leaves in coconut milk) pasta and pizza, and the Bicol Express pasta.
Have you ever eaten spicy ice cream? It can be weird but truly delectable. You can try it at the First Colonial Grill, which has two branches in the city. It offers “native Bicol food with a twist.”
They have the homemade Bikol’s Pride Ice Cream with various local flavors such as sili (chili pepper), pili, tinutong (toasted rice), malunggay and lemon.
Other Colonial Grill favorites are tinapa fried rice, buko chopsuey, vegetable kare-kare, five-spice chicken, tinuto (a local variety of laing), kilawing tuna, and Bikol Express.
To visit all these sites, tourists can avail themselves of 24-hour taxi and car rental services. Local transport service provider Early Riser offers car rental services for as low as P250 per hour.
With a three-day stay in Legazpi, a tourist can already have an adventure-packed summer vacation. Indeed, in Bicol, there are places and experiences that can never be captured by photographs on crisp four-sided postcards.
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Sunday, May 23, 2010
10 Ways to Have a Whale of a Time
(Sunday Inquirer Magazine)
by: Ephraim Aguilar
Inquirer Southern Luzon
INQUIRER.net
IS this the summer you’ve planned for what Time Magazine once hailed as the “best animal encounter in Asia”?
If so, you still have a few weeks left for what experts say is the best time for sighting the famous whale shark in the small fishing town of Donsol, Sorsogon.
Locally known as “butanding,” the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the world’s largest fish, referred to as a “gentle giant” because of its calm and friendly ways in the water. The appearance of schools of whale shark along the coasts of Donsol have drawn eager tourists to the town each year, making it one of the country’s top three ecotourism sites.
There are two ways to get to Donsol from Manila. One is via Legazpi City in Albay Province, which can be reached in 45 minutes by plane or 10 hours by bus. From Legazpi City, it’s an hour ride by land to reach Donsol. Regular air fare from Manila is around P3,500 one way. But you can watch out for promo fares, available through early bookings and offered at great discounts by any of the budget airlines. Deluxe bus fare is around P950 one way.
The other way is via Sorsogon City in Sorsogon province, which is a 12-hour bus ride from Manila. From Sorsogon City, Donsol is also an hour’s travel by land.
Upon arrival in Donsol, tourists should first register at the Donsol Visitors’ Center at the coastal village of Dangcalan. The village, about a 10-minute ride from the town center, serves as the jump-off point to the whale shark interaction sites.
The registration fee is P100 for domestic tourists and P300 for foreign tourists.
If you’re planning a trip to Donsol soon, here are some tips that will help you have a whale of a time.
1. Six is the ideal number for group travel to Donsol. There’s nothing superstitious about the number six -- it’s just that the boats available for rent can accommodate only a maximum of six passengers. Boat rental is P3,500, so you’d be getting the best deal if you can round up a party of six family members or friends to share the experience with. Another option, of course, would be to share a boat with other tourists—and make new friends.
2. Pack light, a tried and tested travel tip that works out here as well as anywhere. You’re free to bring your own snorkeling gear—like mask, water vest, fins, and snorkel—but all these are also readily available for rent at the Donsol Visitors’ Center, manned by the local tourism office. Life vests are also available in the boats. You can bring your own food, but you may want to try the available fare from any of the tourism-accredited food establishments in the town. Or go real local and head for the town market—this way, you help boost the local economy as well.
3. Backpacking is more economical than packaged tours. Besides being more adventurous and exciting, backpacking gives you the freedom and privacy to spend your time the way you want it while on vacation with loved ones. There is enough information available online on how to get to Donsol. Resorts like the Vitton and Woodland can arrange your whale-watching activities with the tourism office, which is just adjacent to it. Annie Buenaagua, the resort’s booking officer, says many tourists, 70 percent of them foreigners, call her up directly to make arrangements. The resort also offers airport pickup and drop-off services.
4. Get the right accommodation that suits your style and budget. There’s a whole range available—from resorts to homestay services. There are four resorts along the Dangcalan coastline: Vitton and Woodland, Elysha, Amor, and Casabianca. Vitton and Woodland (vittonandwoodlandresorts@gmail.com) has 43 rooms and 5 duplex houses available at P1,500 to P3,500 per night. Amenities include air-conditioning, hot-and-cold showers, living rooms, kitchenettes, and bay-front verandas. The resorts are all located in Dangcalan, nearer the whale shark action site, unlike the homestay services found in downtown Donsol. Homestay is cheaper, however, at only P500 per night so an increasing number of tourists, especially budget travelers, opt for this type of accommodation.
Others do, however, not only because it’s cheaper but because they want to be immersed in the town’s culture, says Rogelyn Santiago-Dimaano, 39, who owns and manages the Santiago Home-Stay, the family’s ancestral house, whose entire upper floor with three rooms is available for rent. The old house has been there since 1933.
5. Bring cash not cards. There are no ATM machines in Donsol and there are, as yet, no establishments accepting credit cards.
6. Listen well to the briefing. All registered tourists are required to attend a briefing at the Donsol Visitors’ Center. Each boat has one designated Butanding Interaction Officer (BIO). Follow the rules faithfully. There are penalties if you break any of them—but more than that, the rules are there for your safety.
7. Try to avoid the holiday rush. Butanding interaction officer Alan Amense says the peak season for whale-watching is actually from December to May, but the holiday crush is traditionally around Holy Week. So it’s best to plan your whale shark sighting away from this week. Not only does it save the whale sharks from undue stress, it also spares you from long queues at the Visitors’ Center.
8. Respect local culture. Environment preservation is part of Donsol’s culture, adds Amanse. This culture has developed as the tourism industry boosted the poor town’s economy, making the local folk appreciate and cherish the natural wonders that put food on their table. The whale sharks contribute P50 million annually to national economy, says Bicol tourism director Nini Ravanilla. Amanse advises tourists not to litter and to minimize their impact on the environment. Touching the whale shark is also strictly prohibited.
9. Best diving time is from 7 to 10 a.m. It is best to be at Donsol the night before your dive. This way, you’ll be able to get enough rest and prepare for a delightful whale-watching experience. Amanse says that during the peak season, there are around four to 15 whale shark sightings a day. This season alone, the World Wildlife Fund, which has a research center in Donsol, identified 160 whale sharks in the area.
10. Visit other tourist attractions in and around Donsol. Make the most of your trip to this part of the Bicol Region by seeing other sights. Try the night river cruise through the Sogod and Donsol rivers, where thousands of fireflies light up the night sky. Boats are available for rent at P1,250. Other interesting sidetrips are the Tangculan Mangrove Park near Dangcalan village and carabao-riding at Rawan Village.
And, if you’re still ready for more adventure, schedule a manta ray watching trip to nearby Ticao Island. •
by: Ephraim Aguilar
Inquirer Southern Luzon
INQUIRER.net
IS this the summer you’ve planned for what Time Magazine once hailed as the “best animal encounter in Asia”?
If so, you still have a few weeks left for what experts say is the best time for sighting the famous whale shark in the small fishing town of Donsol, Sorsogon.
Locally known as “butanding,” the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the world’s largest fish, referred to as a “gentle giant” because of its calm and friendly ways in the water. The appearance of schools of whale shark along the coasts of Donsol have drawn eager tourists to the town each year, making it one of the country’s top three ecotourism sites.
There are two ways to get to Donsol from Manila. One is via Legazpi City in Albay Province, which can be reached in 45 minutes by plane or 10 hours by bus. From Legazpi City, it’s an hour ride by land to reach Donsol. Regular air fare from Manila is around P3,500 one way. But you can watch out for promo fares, available through early bookings and offered at great discounts by any of the budget airlines. Deluxe bus fare is around P950 one way.
The other way is via Sorsogon City in Sorsogon province, which is a 12-hour bus ride from Manila. From Sorsogon City, Donsol is also an hour’s travel by land.
Upon arrival in Donsol, tourists should first register at the Donsol Visitors’ Center at the coastal village of Dangcalan. The village, about a 10-minute ride from the town center, serves as the jump-off point to the whale shark interaction sites.
The registration fee is P100 for domestic tourists and P300 for foreign tourists.
If you’re planning a trip to Donsol soon, here are some tips that will help you have a whale of a time.
1. Six is the ideal number for group travel to Donsol. There’s nothing superstitious about the number six -- it’s just that the boats available for rent can accommodate only a maximum of six passengers. Boat rental is P3,500, so you’d be getting the best deal if you can round up a party of six family members or friends to share the experience with. Another option, of course, would be to share a boat with other tourists—and make new friends.
2. Pack light, a tried and tested travel tip that works out here as well as anywhere. You’re free to bring your own snorkeling gear—like mask, water vest, fins, and snorkel—but all these are also readily available for rent at the Donsol Visitors’ Center, manned by the local tourism office. Life vests are also available in the boats. You can bring your own food, but you may want to try the available fare from any of the tourism-accredited food establishments in the town. Or go real local and head for the town market—this way, you help boost the local economy as well.
3. Backpacking is more economical than packaged tours. Besides being more adventurous and exciting, backpacking gives you the freedom and privacy to spend your time the way you want it while on vacation with loved ones. There is enough information available online on how to get to Donsol. Resorts like the Vitton and Woodland can arrange your whale-watching activities with the tourism office, which is just adjacent to it. Annie Buenaagua, the resort’s booking officer, says many tourists, 70 percent of them foreigners, call her up directly to make arrangements. The resort also offers airport pickup and drop-off services.
4. Get the right accommodation that suits your style and budget. There’s a whole range available—from resorts to homestay services. There are four resorts along the Dangcalan coastline: Vitton and Woodland, Elysha, Amor, and Casabianca. Vitton and Woodland (vittonandwoodlandresorts@gmail.com) has 43 rooms and 5 duplex houses available at P1,500 to P3,500 per night. Amenities include air-conditioning, hot-and-cold showers, living rooms, kitchenettes, and bay-front verandas. The resorts are all located in Dangcalan, nearer the whale shark action site, unlike the homestay services found in downtown Donsol. Homestay is cheaper, however, at only P500 per night so an increasing number of tourists, especially budget travelers, opt for this type of accommodation.
Others do, however, not only because it’s cheaper but because they want to be immersed in the town’s culture, says Rogelyn Santiago-Dimaano, 39, who owns and manages the Santiago Home-Stay, the family’s ancestral house, whose entire upper floor with three rooms is available for rent. The old house has been there since 1933.
5. Bring cash not cards. There are no ATM machines in Donsol and there are, as yet, no establishments accepting credit cards.
6. Listen well to the briefing. All registered tourists are required to attend a briefing at the Donsol Visitors’ Center. Each boat has one designated Butanding Interaction Officer (BIO). Follow the rules faithfully. There are penalties if you break any of them—but more than that, the rules are there for your safety.
7. Try to avoid the holiday rush. Butanding interaction officer Alan Amense says the peak season for whale-watching is actually from December to May, but the holiday crush is traditionally around Holy Week. So it’s best to plan your whale shark sighting away from this week. Not only does it save the whale sharks from undue stress, it also spares you from long queues at the Visitors’ Center.
8. Respect local culture. Environment preservation is part of Donsol’s culture, adds Amanse. This culture has developed as the tourism industry boosted the poor town’s economy, making the local folk appreciate and cherish the natural wonders that put food on their table. The whale sharks contribute P50 million annually to national economy, says Bicol tourism director Nini Ravanilla. Amanse advises tourists not to litter and to minimize their impact on the environment. Touching the whale shark is also strictly prohibited.
9. Best diving time is from 7 to 10 a.m. It is best to be at Donsol the night before your dive. This way, you’ll be able to get enough rest and prepare for a delightful whale-watching experience. Amanse says that during the peak season, there are around four to 15 whale shark sightings a day. This season alone, the World Wildlife Fund, which has a research center in Donsol, identified 160 whale sharks in the area.
10. Visit other tourist attractions in and around Donsol. Make the most of your trip to this part of the Bicol Region by seeing other sights. Try the night river cruise through the Sogod and Donsol rivers, where thousands of fireflies light up the night sky. Boats are available for rent at P1,250. Other interesting sidetrips are the Tangculan Mangrove Park near Dangcalan village and carabao-riding at Rawan Village.
And, if you’re still ready for more adventure, schedule a manta ray watching trip to nearby Ticao Island. •
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Catanduanes learns to conquer waves
By Ephraim Aguilar
Baras, Catanduanes
INQUIRER.net
MORE THAN A REMINDER OF THE ISLAND’S sheer submission to the world’s largest ocean, the strong waves that smash Puraran in Baras town in Catanduanes are every surfer’s dream.
Tagged as the “The Majestic,” the turbid waters of the coastal village are no longer whipped-up props of strong typhoons that frequent the province.
Most surfers say Puraran has the most powerful and challenging waves and deem it the “last stop” or the country’s ultimate surfing destination.
In the 1980s, a group of Australians discovered the surfing potential of Puraran, according to Allan Tanael, 28, one of the local surfers. By word-of-mouth, more visitors came, riding the waves by day and sleeping in the village’s public school at night in the absence of resorts.
Tanael says those who kept coming back decided to build a beach-front cottage on his grandparents’ land. His family’s Majestic Puraran Beach Resort now stands there.
Tanael learned surfing when he was 12 years old, simply by watching foreigners handle the furious waves. His only problem: he did not have any surfboard.
One day, to his delight, one of the foreign tourists gave him a surfboard while serving as their guide.
“If they like you, they would give you one. Sometimes, we would mend broken surfboards and reuse them because we could not afford one,” Tanael said.
An original Australian or Hawaiian short board costs P10,000 to P25,000, and a long board, P30,000 to P35,000.
Surfing may be a rich man’s sport for a rural Filipino, but it has gained popularity in this fifth-class municipality.
In 1997, emerging surfers from Baras and other towns formed the Catanduanes Surfing Association. (Tanael is now president of the group.)
The provincial government also held the island’s first surfing competition that year. This month, the Baras government held its first surfing and wall-climbing clinic. A hundred locals, mostly youths, signed up for free lessons.
During the event, the Department of Tourism in Bicol donated 20 fiberglass surfboards.
Joey Cuerdo, president of Power Play Events Management, which organized the four-day clinic, says the participants had been very receptive and enthusiastic. The clinic introduced not just surfing but other beach sports, like Frisbee and wall climbing.
“When rural folk come to the beach, all they usually want to do is sit down, chat or drink,” Cuerdo says. “They are not used to people inviting them to a game. Unless you approach them, they would simply gaze from a corner.”
“But you can see their interest because they would watch the game,” he adds.
Cuerdo says the clinic made the people aware of “sports in their backyard.”
“I would tell them they should be proud to be from Catanduanes, because they have the waves that only few places in the country have,” he says.
What sets “The Majestic” apart from others is the shape, Tanael says.
“During peak season, the waves would form a perfect tube. The waves are smooth and would break gently,” he says.
The Puraran wave is a “reef break,” the kind that breaks over a coral reef or a rocky seabed. It can be the most dangerous yet most rewarding for surfers seeking adventure.
The waves are as high as six feet in October, when the winds are strongest. It is also the annual schedule for the professional surfing competition in Baras.
Tanael says Puraran welcomes neophyte surfers who can try certain areas where the waves are not as high. During typhoons, the waves reach 10-15 feet, forcing residents to flee their homes for safe ground.
Cuerdo believes the challenging waves of Puraran can produce competitive surfers.
Surfing draws people of any race who feel being “cool,” Cuerdo says. “Surfer and cool ... there seems to be a parallelism. That would also explain why surfing brands are really popular. Surfing is cool.”
But Tanael says it has not yet reached a point when surfing is a career alternative. He teaches in a public elementary school.
Provincial tourism officer Carmel Garcia sees a brighter prospect for tourism, although, she said, more manpower, ample promotion, better facilities and private sector partnership are needed.
In Puraran, Majestic Beach Resort and Puting Baybay (White Sand) Beach Resort offer accommodations.
“At least the road network is far better now. Only few roads are left to be cemented,” Garcia said. Baras is a 90-minute drive from the capital town of Virac.
Virac can be reached directly by plane from Manila or a four-hour ferry ride from Tabaco City in Albay. Its airport hosts two airlines—Cebu Pacific and Zest Air. It has at least 11 hotels and inns.
Baras, Catanduanes
INQUIRER.net
MORE THAN A REMINDER OF THE ISLAND’S sheer submission to the world’s largest ocean, the strong waves that smash Puraran in Baras town in Catanduanes are every surfer’s dream.
Tagged as the “The Majestic,” the turbid waters of the coastal village are no longer whipped-up props of strong typhoons that frequent the province.
Most surfers say Puraran has the most powerful and challenging waves and deem it the “last stop” or the country’s ultimate surfing destination.
In the 1980s, a group of Australians discovered the surfing potential of Puraran, according to Allan Tanael, 28, one of the local surfers. By word-of-mouth, more visitors came, riding the waves by day and sleeping in the village’s public school at night in the absence of resorts.
Tanael says those who kept coming back decided to build a beach-front cottage on his grandparents’ land. His family’s Majestic Puraran Beach Resort now stands there.
Tanael learned surfing when he was 12 years old, simply by watching foreigners handle the furious waves. His only problem: he did not have any surfboard.
One day, to his delight, one of the foreign tourists gave him a surfboard while serving as their guide.
“If they like you, they would give you one. Sometimes, we would mend broken surfboards and reuse them because we could not afford one,” Tanael said.
An original Australian or Hawaiian short board costs P10,000 to P25,000, and a long board, P30,000 to P35,000.
Surfing may be a rich man’s sport for a rural Filipino, but it has gained popularity in this fifth-class municipality.
In 1997, emerging surfers from Baras and other towns formed the Catanduanes Surfing Association. (Tanael is now president of the group.)
The provincial government also held the island’s first surfing competition that year. This month, the Baras government held its first surfing and wall-climbing clinic. A hundred locals, mostly youths, signed up for free lessons.
During the event, the Department of Tourism in Bicol donated 20 fiberglass surfboards.
Joey Cuerdo, president of Power Play Events Management, which organized the four-day clinic, says the participants had been very receptive and enthusiastic. The clinic introduced not just surfing but other beach sports, like Frisbee and wall climbing.
“When rural folk come to the beach, all they usually want to do is sit down, chat or drink,” Cuerdo says. “They are not used to people inviting them to a game. Unless you approach them, they would simply gaze from a corner.”
“But you can see their interest because they would watch the game,” he adds.
Cuerdo says the clinic made the people aware of “sports in their backyard.”
“I would tell them they should be proud to be from Catanduanes, because they have the waves that only few places in the country have,” he says.
What sets “The Majestic” apart from others is the shape, Tanael says.
“During peak season, the waves would form a perfect tube. The waves are smooth and would break gently,” he says.
The Puraran wave is a “reef break,” the kind that breaks over a coral reef or a rocky seabed. It can be the most dangerous yet most rewarding for surfers seeking adventure.
The waves are as high as six feet in October, when the winds are strongest. It is also the annual schedule for the professional surfing competition in Baras.
Tanael says Puraran welcomes neophyte surfers who can try certain areas where the waves are not as high. During typhoons, the waves reach 10-15 feet, forcing residents to flee their homes for safe ground.
Cuerdo believes the challenging waves of Puraran can produce competitive surfers.
Surfing draws people of any race who feel being “cool,” Cuerdo says. “Surfer and cool ... there seems to be a parallelism. That would also explain why surfing brands are really popular. Surfing is cool.”
But Tanael says it has not yet reached a point when surfing is a career alternative. He teaches in a public elementary school.
Provincial tourism officer Carmel Garcia sees a brighter prospect for tourism, although, she said, more manpower, ample promotion, better facilities and private sector partnership are needed.
In Puraran, Majestic Beach Resort and Puting Baybay (White Sand) Beach Resort offer accommodations.
“At least the road network is far better now. Only few roads are left to be cemented,” Garcia said. Baras is a 90-minute drive from the capital town of Virac.
Virac can be reached directly by plane from Manila or a four-hour ferry ride from Tabaco City in Albay. Its airport hosts two airlines—Cebu Pacific and Zest Air. It has at least 11 hotels and inns.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
4 poaching vessels seized off Donsol
By Ephraim Aguilar
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 17:16:00 01/20/2009
INQUIRER.net
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines--Four suspected illegal fishing vessels were caught by marine law enforcers off Donsol, Sorsogon Monday afternoon, the Philippine Coast Guard revealed Tuesday.
Lieutenant Commander Joey Velarde, the PCG-Bicol chief of staff, said the vessels identified as Conqueror, Mama Susan, St. James, and Red Fox were seen using "super lights."
The "super lights" method is considered illegal in the country. It uses 1,000-kilowatt powered bright lights to attract schools of fish to the detriment of marginalized fishermen.
He said a team composed of members of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the PCG caught the vessels near Burias Island, Masbate or 1.5 nautical miles off the Donsol coast.
Velarde said the vessels and their passengers were still being investigated.
Illegal fishing is a violation of Section 93 of Republic Act 8550, the law on the development, management and conservation of the fisheries and aquatic resources.
Section 93 provides that the use of super lights is not allowed within municipal waters and violators are meted prison terms from six months to two years or a fine of P5,000.
Donsol is a sanctuary of the world-famous "butanding" that has gained reputation as the whale shark capital of the world and was hailed by Time Magazine as the "best animal encounter in Asia."
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 17:16:00 01/20/2009
INQUIRER.net
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines--Four suspected illegal fishing vessels were caught by marine law enforcers off Donsol, Sorsogon Monday afternoon, the Philippine Coast Guard revealed Tuesday.
Lieutenant Commander Joey Velarde, the PCG-Bicol chief of staff, said the vessels identified as Conqueror, Mama Susan, St. James, and Red Fox were seen using "super lights."
The "super lights" method is considered illegal in the country. It uses 1,000-kilowatt powered bright lights to attract schools of fish to the detriment of marginalized fishermen.
He said a team composed of members of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the PCG caught the vessels near Burias Island, Masbate or 1.5 nautical miles off the Donsol coast.
Velarde said the vessels and their passengers were still being investigated.
Illegal fishing is a violation of Section 93 of Republic Act 8550, the law on the development, management and conservation of the fisheries and aquatic resources.
Section 93 provides that the use of super lights is not allowed within municipal waters and violators are meted prison terms from six months to two years or a fine of P5,000.
Donsol is a sanctuary of the world-famous "butanding" that has gained reputation as the whale shark capital of the world and was hailed by Time Magazine as the "best animal encounter in Asia."
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Donsol paintings impart lessons
03 January 2007
THROUGH THE PAINTBRUSH, A GROUP OF artists in this town found a way to help protect and preserve the environment and the local heritage.
For visual artist Bats Elarmo, painting the canvas with colors in his front yard is a better medium for him to effectively express his views on environment conservation.
Elarmo says while he paints, he welcomes onlookers from among his neighbors and passersby along San Jose Street here, where he lives. And from there, a forum begins, even with no one talking.
Whenever he paints, Elarmo says he believes the spectators behind him do not just watch, but also react—quietly or noisily.
He is part of the group “Artists for Environment” or “ArtE,” which was formed in 2005 with the mission of reminding and moving people by means of art to take care of the environment.
Saving natural wonders is an agenda for the people of Donsol, who have come to rely on ecological tourism to alleviate poverty in the third-class municipality.
Having the most recorded whale shark sightings than anywhere else, Donsol’s popularity as the “whale shark capital of the world” continues to grow.
Elarmo says the ArtE members draw inspiration from the butanding (whale shark), for which their hometown is known.
The idea of forming the ArtE came during the town’s annual mural painting contest at the Butanding Festival held every April.
The contestants who joined the event in 2005 later formed a group which was then called “Garasapgasap,” a Bicol term that denotes roughness.
Murals in town
“We were a group of 10, mostly out-of-school youth who could not afford college education,” says Elarmo.
Murals are noticeable masterpieces in the town proper of Donsol.
And they have a common message: To preserve the whale shark by protecting its habitat from illegal fishing and other forms of marine destruction.
In the coastal village of Dangcalan, where the Julia Campbell Ecology Center was built, murals painted by high school students on concrete fence stand as examples.
One work shows a school of fish and other marine creatures, like the butanding, holding placards as they protest illegal fishing.
Emmanuel Climaco, 18, one of the members of ArtE, says he started painting when he was 5 years old using a piece of stick as paintbrush and the soil as canvas.
He claims he was inspired by the success of other artists who also started painting as a hobby until they developed it into a craft now appreciated by many.
Climaco’s membership in ArtE prompted him to paint “Today’s tycoon, tomorrow’s pauper,” an abstract painting on climate change.
Last June 26, Climaco painted “Ozone,” which speaks about the depletion of the ozone layer due to harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Elarmo says the talks given by environment groups like Greenpeace and community projects by individuals like Julia Campbell, who lived in Donsol briefly, helped foster environmental awareness among the artists.
Campbell was a US peace corps volunteer assigned in Bicol. She was murdered in Batad village in Ifugao province, where her body was found in a shallow grave on April 18 last year.
Her undertakings as peace corps volunteer, including her environmental projects and reading program for children, are recorded in her blog, www.juliainthephilippines.blogspot.com.
Campbell built a marine ecology center named “Bahay Kalikasan” (Nature House) at the coast of Barangay Dangcalan.
It serves as a community center on environmental protection where seminars on environmental science for children and solid waste management for adults are held.
Heritage preservation
Another artist, Cesar Gueta, a native of Monreal, Masbate, paints heritage sites in Albay—like old churches and old houses, to help preserve their value.
Gueta, 36, is an instructor at the department of architecture in Aquinas University in Legazpi City.
In an exhibit on Dec. 1-10, 2006, entitled “Life paintings: My heritage, your heritage, our heritage,” Gueta displayed 34 artworks he painted in one year.
Gueta says he was inspired to paint heritage-related themes when the Aquinas University College of Arts and Sciences pioneered research work on heritage houses.
“In the research, our school used digital documentation of the sites. I thought it would be a good idea to convert the photographs into paintings to help gain more interest from people,” Gueta says.
Among the heritage sites he has painted is the Our Lady of the Gate Parish in Daraga, Albay, an 18th century baroque church on a hill offering views of the Albay Gulf and the Mayon Volcano.
He also painted the famous Cagsawa belfry and ruins, where many people taking shelter during Mt. Mayon’s 1814 eruption died, and the parish church of San Juan Bautista in Tabaco, Albay, which was built in the 19th Century.
He also painted the ancestral house of renowned poet Angela Manalang-Gloria in Tabaco City, where historical markers were recently placed by the National Historical Institute, the Rosales and Nolasco houses in Camalig town—all of which are “bahay na bato” (stone houses) probably built in the early 1900s.
Also among Gueta’s favorite subjects are marketplaces.
He says these, too, can be considered part of heritage.
“But now with the fast-rising malls and modern bazaars, traditional marketplaces have become less popular. It will be good to preserve them, too, through my paintings,” Gueta says.
Most of the Bicol artists are continuously seeking avenues to popularize their works.
These painters say that the lack of support from the government and a appreciation from the people can be a drawback but since they paint for a cause, just like a waning heritage or some endangered fish species, they all persist to survive. Ephraim Aguilar, Inquirer Southern Luzon
THROUGH THE PAINTBRUSH, A GROUP OF artists in this town found a way to help protect and preserve the environment and the local heritage.
For visual artist Bats Elarmo, painting the canvas with colors in his front yard is a better medium for him to effectively express his views on environment conservation.
Elarmo says while he paints, he welcomes onlookers from among his neighbors and passersby along San Jose Street here, where he lives. And from there, a forum begins, even with no one talking.
Whenever he paints, Elarmo says he believes the spectators behind him do not just watch, but also react—quietly or noisily.
He is part of the group “Artists for Environment” or “ArtE,” which was formed in 2005 with the mission of reminding and moving people by means of art to take care of the environment.
Saving natural wonders is an agenda for the people of Donsol, who have come to rely on ecological tourism to alleviate poverty in the third-class municipality.
Having the most recorded whale shark sightings than anywhere else, Donsol’s popularity as the “whale shark capital of the world” continues to grow.
Elarmo says the ArtE members draw inspiration from the butanding (whale shark), for which their hometown is known.
The idea of forming the ArtE came during the town’s annual mural painting contest at the Butanding Festival held every April.
The contestants who joined the event in 2005 later formed a group which was then called “Garasapgasap,” a Bicol term that denotes roughness.
Murals in town
“We were a group of 10, mostly out-of-school youth who could not afford college education,” says Elarmo.
Murals are noticeable masterpieces in the town proper of Donsol.
And they have a common message: To preserve the whale shark by protecting its habitat from illegal fishing and other forms of marine destruction.
In the coastal village of Dangcalan, where the Julia Campbell Ecology Center was built, murals painted by high school students on concrete fence stand as examples.
One work shows a school of fish and other marine creatures, like the butanding, holding placards as they protest illegal fishing.
Emmanuel Climaco, 18, one of the members of ArtE, says he started painting when he was 5 years old using a piece of stick as paintbrush and the soil as canvas.
He claims he was inspired by the success of other artists who also started painting as a hobby until they developed it into a craft now appreciated by many.
Climaco’s membership in ArtE prompted him to paint “Today’s tycoon, tomorrow’s pauper,” an abstract painting on climate change.
Last June 26, Climaco painted “Ozone,” which speaks about the depletion of the ozone layer due to harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Elarmo says the talks given by environment groups like Greenpeace and community projects by individuals like Julia Campbell, who lived in Donsol briefly, helped foster environmental awareness among the artists.
Campbell was a US peace corps volunteer assigned in Bicol. She was murdered in Batad village in Ifugao province, where her body was found in a shallow grave on April 18 last year.
Her undertakings as peace corps volunteer, including her environmental projects and reading program for children, are recorded in her blog, www.juliainthephilippines.blogspot.com.
Campbell built a marine ecology center named “Bahay Kalikasan” (Nature House) at the coast of Barangay Dangcalan.
It serves as a community center on environmental protection where seminars on environmental science for children and solid waste management for adults are held.
Heritage preservation
Another artist, Cesar Gueta, a native of Monreal, Masbate, paints heritage sites in Albay—like old churches and old houses, to help preserve their value.
Gueta, 36, is an instructor at the department of architecture in Aquinas University in Legazpi City.
In an exhibit on Dec. 1-10, 2006, entitled “Life paintings: My heritage, your heritage, our heritage,” Gueta displayed 34 artworks he painted in one year.
Gueta says he was inspired to paint heritage-related themes when the Aquinas University College of Arts and Sciences pioneered research work on heritage houses.
“In the research, our school used digital documentation of the sites. I thought it would be a good idea to convert the photographs into paintings to help gain more interest from people,” Gueta says.
Among the heritage sites he has painted is the Our Lady of the Gate Parish in Daraga, Albay, an 18th century baroque church on a hill offering views of the Albay Gulf and the Mayon Volcano.
He also painted the famous Cagsawa belfry and ruins, where many people taking shelter during Mt. Mayon’s 1814 eruption died, and the parish church of San Juan Bautista in Tabaco, Albay, which was built in the 19th Century.
He also painted the ancestral house of renowned poet Angela Manalang-Gloria in Tabaco City, where historical markers were recently placed by the National Historical Institute, the Rosales and Nolasco houses in Camalig town—all of which are “bahay na bato” (stone houses) probably built in the early 1900s.
Also among Gueta’s favorite subjects are marketplaces.
He says these, too, can be considered part of heritage.
“But now with the fast-rising malls and modern bazaars, traditional marketplaces have become less popular. It will be good to preserve them, too, through my paintings,” Gueta says.
Most of the Bicol artists are continuously seeking avenues to popularize their works.
These painters say that the lack of support from the government and a appreciation from the people can be a drawback but since they paint for a cause, just like a waning heritage or some endangered fish species, they all persist to survive. Ephraim Aguilar, Inquirer Southern Luzon
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