El Nido is Hundred Islands of Palawan

By Al S. Mendoza

I WAS in El Nido, Palawan last week and the place reminded me instantly of Hundred Islands in Lucap, Alaminos City, Pangasinan.

Why, because El Nido’s beach resorts resemble those of our very own Hundred Islands.

Tallish mountains proud as Pangasinan politicians.

Sea shores as white as those at Governor’s Island, Quezon Island and Children’s Island of the Hundred Islands. Schools of fish abound in the area.

Crystal blue waters all over.

The similarities end there.

The limestone cliffs of the islands of El Nido are not only awesomely high, they are solidly intact and look unbreakable and unshakeable as well.  They tower into the skies as though telling us humans cannot even scale them, much less touch them.

That’s because they protrude out of the sea vertically, majestically even. Boats could   hardly   go near them, making it almost impossible for human hands to touch them.

There are as many as 50 islands in El Nido, but the most famous are Lagen and  Miniloc. At Lagen are cottages and hotel-type rooms made of concrete. At Miniloc are rustic abodes made mainly of bamboos, stilts and native greens.

Lagen and Miniloc are surrounded by sky-high islands with limestone cliffs aged no less than 250 million years. Both the small and big lagoons at the back of Miniloc are amazing wonders of nature.

Every living creature there is protected, from snakes, monkeys, monitor lizards, to parrots (katala), tomcats, wild boars, mynahs and no less than 100 species of birds.

Snorkeling, introductory diving and deep-sea diving are allowed as well as bottom fishing.

But when you hook a red lapulapu of any shape and size, you need to throw it back to the sea.  Lapulapus are among the endangered in El Nido.

“The  Koreans are the culprits,” said our boatman. “They were rapaciously catching our lapulapus that before we knew it, the fish had become scarce.”

They don’t have a school of fishthere, what they have is a university of fish.

Giant talakitoks come almost to the shores of   Miniloc and ask for food.  Beach hands toss morsels of squid and galunggong to them at 9 and 11 in the morning  and at  4 p.m. Their feeding is a sight to behold.

One can reach El Nido in 75 minutes on board a 20-seater plane.  From the tiny airstrip is a 40-minute boat ride to either  Lagen or Miniloc Island where a life of ease and heaven awaits everyone. U.S. Ambassador Kenny visits the place at  least once a month, accompanied by just one bodyguard.

I’m sure Mayor Nani “Never Say Die”  Braganza of Alaminos City has been to  El Nido.  But if he hasn’t been yet, he ought to give it a visit. Or, if he’s been there already, it won’t hurt to revisit the place.

You bet, Mayor Nani will pick up a pointer or two to add to the already many beautiful changes he has made in Hundred Islands.

I am willing to accompany the good mayor if he wishes to.

* * * *

Here’s wishing the tri-city ferry program hatched by Mayor Ortega of San Fernando City, Mayor Fernandez of Dagupan and Mayor Braganza of Alaminos be in place sooner than expected.  It should spur more commerce in the area and boost the economic growth of  even the underlying towns in the route of the sea voyage.

One guy who, I’m sure, welcomes the brilliant  program  is Sam Rosario, the good, humble mayor of Binmaley and a dear friend of my buddy, Sammy Esguerra.

Right Sammy?

(Readers may reach columnist at also147@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/general-admission/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

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