Features

Natural Charm

30 Jun 2009 by intern11

Boboi Costas discovers a unique island in the Philippines offering total absolution from global warming guilt.

Bohol, known for its coral and limestone assets, earns the respect of responsible travellers in this age of carbon footprint consciousness, for its emerald seas teeming with marine life, lush forests and pristine rivers. If that doesn’t astound you, add two of planet Earth’s bizarre natural aberrations: the Chocolate Hills, more than a thousand gigantic mounds of limestone whose grass turns brown in summer, and the tarsier, a minute mammal gifted with unusual big eyes and a head that can fully rotate.

For travellers embracing the green philosophy, this is their turf. The 4,117sqm island fringed with a 261km-long coastline offers total absolution from the tendency for global warming guilt.

Dusk was falling when I arrived in the town of Dauis, off the capital city of Tagbilaran. The church’s massive walls were bathed in a photographer’s ideal light. Built in the 19th century by the Jesuits and dedicated to the Our Lady of the Assumption, the porticoed Neogothic church boasts a remarkable collection of religious art, mostly ceiling frescoes done in the early 20th century by Cebuano artist Raymundo Francia.

“It is an incredibly beautiful church; a glorious monument that should be opened and shared with the people,” says Bea Zobel de Ayala of the Philippines’ wealthy Ayala family, whose Cultural Tourism Programme is assisting Bohol in several culture-and-arts-based community tourism projects.

Under the foundation’s direction, the parish of Dauis is maximising its value as a pilgrim’s destination through the adaptive reuse of its ecclesiastical buildings.

After strolling around the church complex, I headed for the convent when the bells of the Angelus tolled, a reminder of the strong Catholic piety pervading the province.   

The bodega in the convent’s ground floor has been converted into the Café Lawis, a souvenir shop and museum, a one-stop showcase of Dauis’ history and culture. Outside, acacia trees provide shade to a wooden deck by the sea. This concept of heritage-based tourism can achieve when they come and work together.

Café Lawis serves authentic Boholano specialties with a gourmet twist: humba (braised pork with sugar) and adobong manok (marinated chicken) become filling for Panini sandwiches; aromatic taro, chocolate from cacao beans and ginger, all grown locally, become the base for fluffy soufflés.

It was in Pamilacan Island the next day when I discovered Bohol’s natural charm. Named after the pamilac, a local version of the harpoon, the turquoise seas around it are home to the Bryde’s whale, minke whale, whale shark and numerous species of dolphins and manta rays. Thus, hunting was a prevalent practice in the island, a ritual for men and a source of easy money until it was outlawed in the late nineties.

“We used to catch an average of three whales and 50 manta rays a day,” says Crispo Valeroso, a local in his fifties. He now heads Pamilacan Island Tourism and Livelihood Cooperative, a group of fishermen and their families who have agreed to work on soft loan arrangements with Ayala Foundation to convert their boats for tourists. This gives residents renewed hope and a sense of ownership.

The scheme enlists men as whale-and-dolphin-watching boat operators and scuba diving guides, while women tend organic farms, prepare food and provide massages. Part of the earnings and loan interest go to the community. This self-sustaining system provides residents affected by the hunting moratorium an alternative source of income.

A soft wind was blowing when I strolled around Pamilacan’s small triangular fort of coral stone rubbles. The tower, unchanged by the seasons, stood lonely but proud. It made me feel insignificant in the scheme of things. And in one quiet but sudden moment, I came face to face with my inner being. And what a blissful feeling that was.

For more information, visit www.bohol.com.ph

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