The lure of Hundred Islands in the Philippines

HUNDRED ISLANDS, a natural configuration of about 100 small islands straddled in over 1,800 hectares of Lingayen Gulf in Pangasinan, spells magic to many looking for beautiful places to visit and also seeking adventure.
But to the people of Pangasinan, especially to the residents of Alaminos City, from where the islands can be reached through wooden-hulled boats, Hundred Islands is a source of unparalleled pride.
Indeed, the lure of this natural park is the mystery and the magic that comes from the untrammeled beauty of the islands fashioned by nature out of rock formations, complete with caves and coves, cliffs and mangroves, including a lush of wild vegetation, recreate a paradise on earth.
There are actually more than a hundred islands that comprise the Hundred Islands – ranging from tiny to gigantic, every single island has its own distinct character and peculiar beauty, perhaps a miniaturized representation of the diversity of the Philippines, with its more than 7,100 islands.
Today, Hundred Islands is the center of a broad marine ecosystem restoration program started by Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza. The program aims to build a sustainable economy for the cityfolk.
Tracing back the Hundred Islands’ tourism record, Braganza recalls that it was once the premier land and sea tourism destination in the province. “Probably, in the entire Luzon mainland,” he says.
“We have suffered setbacks in the past decade, due to the emergence of many alternative destinations in the south, with some boasting of unparalleled beach quality,” he noted, admitting also that a huge captive market was lost with the departure of American military personnel from Clark in Pampanga and Subic in Zambales.
Communities, once benefiting from tourism, exerted pressure on the marine resources of Hundred Islands for livelihood, he explained. “Also, illegal fishing proliferated and the fragile marine habitats were adversely affected,” he added.
But Braganza said he and the people of Alaminos are determined to bring back the magic of Hundred Islands and its underwater life through a Coastal Resources Management Program which combines rehabilitation, conservation, protection, stewardship, responsible use and economic alternatives to restore the health of the marine ecosystem.
Guided by a development paradigm to make Alaminos City a competitive center of industry, commerce and services, Braganza said they are also repositioning the Hundred Islands as a marine theme park, complete with fish sanctuaries, inter-island floating bridges, and a living Marine Institute, which he says, will make the islands not just a sand and sea destination.
“Eventually, Hundred Islands will evolve into an ecological theme park, complete with adventure sports and ecotourism with an educational value,” Braganza said. “It will be unique and unparalleled once more,” he added.
As a matter of fact, the mayor said that various water-based adventure sports, like kayaking and snorkeling, have made regular runs in the Hundred Islands.
“Once we’ve put everything in place, we will not have only regained the magic of the Hundred Islands, but added more luster to it,” Braganza said.
Also, Braganza disclosed that travel to the Hundred Islands will soon be dramatically abbreviated. “Instead of the four-hour or so trip from Manila, Hundred Islands, the largest marine sanctuary in the Philippines, will soon be accessible by air,” he beamed, as he announced that the groundwork for a commercial airport in Alaminos City is now in the works.
(More photos at http://pinoygnews.multiply.com/)

Sounding the call in Hoy, Pinoy!

IN THE PHILIPPINES, where politics is fodder stuff that feeds every aspect of its people’s lives, it is extremely difficult, if not totally impossible to find someone finding poison in everything going on.
But take heed! Read, then listen to a new program on radio, called “Hoy, Pinoy!” It is advancing the odd foot in an archipelago where nobody seems to swim against tide.
“Hoy, Pinoy!”is hosted by a young broadcaster. His name is Marlon O. Villarojas. He started out as a car salesman. But he’s not your knock-at-your-door regular marketing guy. He exudes confidence and is very candid about his idealism.
Indeed, in just 18 months selling cars, he outpointed, in sales, that is, thousands of veterans. “I know I can do things, even make a difference,” he said about his full-circle plunge into broadcasting. And he also writes columns for two local weeklies.

THE PROGRAM
Looking at the program brief of “Hoy, Pinoy!”, however, there’s nothing extraordinary or earthshaking.
“Hoy, Pinoy!”, according to the brief, is an innovative Public Affairs Program on radio that will serve both a specific and broad market of Filipinos, and their friends, here and around the world.
Further: (The program contains) regular features of a Public Affairs Program – News & Commentary, Interviews, Features of Subjects/Topics interesting and/or relevant to its target publics.
The statement goes on to say: “Hoy, Pinoy!” will incorporate a real-time interactive segment that will allow its listeners not only to broadcast their comments and sentiments, but also allow them to create a networking forum that will discuss and focus on issues concerning specific groups and organizations.
Finally: Aside from being informative, features and interviews on HOY, PINOY! will be constructive in content and promote relevant advocacies, both from the private and public sectors.

THE HOST
Marlon Villarojas started as a columnist for a local weekly whose niche is the burgeoning army of workers and immigrants leaving the country for the so-called greener pastures.
The weekly, albeit not very popular nor influential, didn’t even serve as a baptism of fire for the budding journalist. It was his extensive interaction with people, whom he interviewed, that moved his into plunging head on.
“People had always been at the center of my career and development – I learn from them and I want to serve them as well,” was how he described his entry into media a couple of years ago.
After a series of sit-ons with veteran radio hosts and commentators doing live broadcasts, he decided to go on his own. According to him, the live interviews and interactions influenced his decision. But he continues to do a regular column for the weekly newspaper.

THE SOUNDING CALL
“Poverty is everywhere,” he says in Pilipino, “and hopelessness is creeping in.”
But he believes the country is not about to be thrown into the abyss of desperation. “It’s just that we, Filipinos, are in a period of difficult transition,” was how Villarojas described the situation. “But that will certainly pass and we’ll be able to muster our collective will and strength to get out of this rut.”
In an expansive, post broadcast, conversation, he talked about his youth, his family, his community and his work as a volunteer of the Philippine National Red Cross.
Out of the radio station and walking to the corner of the road to get a cab, three shabbily-dressed and barefoot children – two boys and one girl – tag at his pants and whisper something to him.
He mutters something to the girl, who responds in the vernacular: “Thank you, Kuya Marlon.” And off the three street urchins go.
“I cannot allow my children to be like them and I cannot let them to be like that until they become street denizens and petty criminals,” he said, “I could do something, not just help them with their next meal.”
In his most recent broadcast, Villarojas is calling on his listeners to join a group he is organizing. Calling it “Brigadang Hoy, Pinoy!”, Villarojas outlined the effort as community organizing and harnessing the group into vocal and working catalysts for change in their respective communities.
“I hope to make this viral, using ‘Hoy, Pinoy!’ to propagate genuine volunteerism, aiming to meaningful change,” was how he capsulized the objective of his group.
Well, the program, which airs every Sunday, from 7:30 to 8:30 in the evening, over AM radio station DWBL 1242 KHZ, will just provide the impetus and serve as an avenue, no matter how small, for issues that the volunteers can work on and change.
The important thing is: It is real and its host, Marlon Villarojas, knows what he wants to and is determined to do it.