Friday, October 10, 2008 Pangan: Bare and barefoot By Benjie R. Pangan At Close Range
BORACAY ISLAND -- For the physically infirm and (elderly) citizens, the trip to Caticlan onward to this paradise island may be taxing, what with the series of loading and off loading, from Caticlan to the convention site at Boracay Regency of the Philippine Water Works Association 2008 International Convention and Exhibition which started Monday, October 6 and slated to end Thursday, October 9th.
It is the low season here, as the natives and traders (Maranaos, mostly) call it, but still local and foreign tourists (Koreans most of the time) converge on Balabag area where the convention site is located as well as Boracay Peninsula, Mandarin Beach Resort, Le Soleil and other resorts and hotels.
I, and the officers and staff of the Angeles City Water District, rode to Naia-3 on early Tuesday morning to catch our plane for Caticlan.
The ACWD group was led by GM Romy Calara, together with Estela Torres, Nelson Cirineo, EngineerRey Liwanag, Pamela Colle, Jane Sicat and chairman Edgar Lopez, Board Members Atty. Edgar Vicente Ocampo, Angelica Panganiban and spouse Arnel and Hernando Angeles and spouse. I rode with Romeo Castro, manager, maintenance department and two male companions.
The trip from Naia to Caticlan took an hour and about 24 minutes but the touchdown was a little rough as the pilot grappled with the short runway, so the plane took a semi nosedive. Some disembarking passengers were heard to call the plane and the trip subsob Pacific, said in jest, I assume, as they reportedly used their limbs as brakes to put the plane to full stop!
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At the Boracay Peninsula where I was billeted with Jimmy Hipolito and Lino Sanchez's son, Ricky, I had as neighbors the writing icons Bong Lacson and Joey Pavia, with the former subtly upbraiding me for disclosing in my previous column his itinerary!
Well, no regrets, as they say, as we did have time to probe the sands of Boracay, bare and barefoot. Alone at the beach on Wednesday early morning, I had the fleeting time to look up to a very clear sky and say prayer of thanks to my Creator and then finish up the unplanned meditation by scanning the vast expanse of the waters kissing the pristine shores of Boracay!
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And the world-renowned beach? Well, the sand formation is awesome but after parties, the pristine shoreline is home to various litter and memorabilia. To its credit, the LGU of Malay has active garbage trash collectors to collect garbage in plastic bags and ferried by trucks as early as 5:30 in the morning to perhaps a designated dumpsite.
There is one negative factor to the tourists' spot maintenance, though: the sewage system is not that modern and regulated, thus allowing refuse to spill out to the lake and may spoil the waters with the undesirable E-coli bacteria.
As expected, prices of wares, souvenir items and even store items are high. Consider Internet rates here per hour: the price range is from P60 to P70 per hour. And the price of Imodium? Well, it is sold at P25 each. There is another section of the entertainment industry in this tourist spot and it is at Sitio Din-iwid. Here, more resorts and shops can be found away from the already congested Balabag area. If I can make a return visit next time, I would prefer being billed here.
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The activity of the PWWA in this scenic area of Boracay was successful, although the main speakers invited to deliver their remarks were represented by substitutes.
Billeting was accurate and satisfactory. Credit this to the fine accommodation of the hotels where the conveners and exhibitors were billeted and the officers of PWWA and the Angeles City Water District, which officers and staff saw to it that their guests and the participants were taken care of.
By the way, I saw and talked to GM Attorney. Francis Dimaliwat but his stay was short since he had to attend to some pressing matters at the Mabalacat Water District. There was no time to unwind, eh, Attorney. Francis?
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Some lessons learned from Boracay? Well, if only our officials find time to develop other potential tourist spots in the country, care for them and maintain them to attract local and foreign tourists, more revenues and goodwill can be earned by the country. Paging Department of Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, sir.
