"WOW Country jud siya!" (
It is indeed a WOW Country!) my
well-travelled sister Reiza exclaimed about the Philippines during one of our boat rides in Coron, Palawan. Coming from a person who has been to a LOT of countries (and mind you, she's no flight stewardess), I bet this declaration cannot be argued. I myself could not agree more to this assertion even though I have only travelled around the Philippines and I haven't set foot in any place outside of this beautiful archipelago.
I have been to Palawan twice. Together with my sisters, I was able to explore Puerto Princesa and El Nido for eleven days and ten nights in 2011. For this year, on a
4D/3N holiday with my siblings and a cousin, I got the chance to marvel at well-formed stone islets, stunning rock formations, rich underwater life, diverse wildlife, and pristine, white-sand beaches around the Calamian Group of Islands in the northern part of Palawan.
Although Typhooon Pablo hit the town of Coron days before our scheduled arrival in the area, the whole of Busuanga stayed untouched by the strong winds . . . well, except for the gigantic, now-ruined Christmas tree erected at the reclaimed Lualhati Park. But despite that, we were truly lucky to see Coron intact and at shape.
When we got to Coron proper, I did not feel as overwhelmed as I was when I saw El Nido. The latter would remind you of a fictional, more-of-an-LOTR scene--with a giant lush limestone serving as backdrop to a very tiny seaside community. The former, on the other hand, would remind you of a dingy, overcrowded market we see every day. My theory is that locals did not expect the town to progress the way it is progressing now. I think there was no urban planning that involved that would provide ample space in between blocks and streets to give way to more establishments, more people, and more vehicles. Nevertheless, there was more--way way more--to Coron that its congested little poblacion. Not very far from the town are lush mountains, beautiful islands, and white beaches that both tourists and locals can take leisure from.
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The entirety of Coron as viewed from Mt. Tapyas (800 tiring steps to get to the peak)
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| African animals coexisting with endemic Palawan wildlife in Calauit (The four- to five-hour boat ride from Coron to the safari is definitely worth it.) |
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| Kayangan Lake, which is said to be the cleanest lake in Asia, can be reached within minutes from Coron proper |
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| One of the 50 jaw-dropping beaches in Calamian (all of which are owned by the Tagbanwa tribe) |
God must have, indeed, spent a little more time moulding this little charming place because everything was a feast for my eyes. Everywhere I looked, I see perfection and abundance in nature. Seeing all the richness of flora and fauna really made me prouder to be a Filipino. But on the other hand, the experience pinched my heart a bit. I started to wonder if the future generation will be able to snorkel with some stubborn fishes blocking the view of a richer reef down below. Will they be able to climb mountains lined with thick grass and tall trees? Will they have the chance to take a dip in rejuvenating hot springs formed by large amounts of lake or river water surfacing from beneath the hot earth? Will they be able to lie lazily on the sand as they listen to soft waves crashing unto gigantic limestones?
It would be truly unfortunate for our kids and grandchildren not to be able to experience all these. Of course, their future depends on present actions and future decisions. If we continue to exploit our natural resources, all of the beauty we are relishing now will be gone. The beaches will be replaced by pools; the coral reefs will become replicas in aquariums. Everything will become a memory. Will we let this happen? I hope not. We should not!
NOTE: All pictures were taken from my Lumia 800 phone. Not bad, eh?
