No room for cynicism in Aloguinsan

My sister and her family were visiting from the US so I flew to Cebu to see them, two weeks into their trip. By that time, I knew they’d already been to the beach, malls, eaten lechon and done the round of new restaurants, visited the dentist, spa, hair salon…in between all the other planned activities.

So when my sister told me I could do what I wanted on two of the days I was spending with her and the rest of the family in Cebu, I didn’t hesitate. I’d learned about the efforts for community-based tourism in Aloguinsan, Cebu via FB from Boboi Costas, who serves as consultant, as well as friends who’d been there via their FB postings.

 I knew it was going to be different, not only for my visiting sibling, but even for my youngest sister and my mom, who also decided to come along.  We were all familiar with the south of Cebu, since we used to own land in Bato and had grown up going to and from the place, first by bus then as fortune smiled on us, by car. I’d even broken in my first car on a trip round south of Cebu, but that’s another story.

When my sister said she was interested in doing the whale shark encounter in Oslob, I immediately planned an itinerary that would include a side trip to Aloguinsan, allow us to stay in Boljoon for the night, do the whale shark encounter early the next day in Oslob before we went back to the city.

My only hesitation concerned my mom’s mobility. A year earlier, she’d also come along on a trip to Kawasan Falls in Badian and it was torture watching her grapple with knee pain during the long, slow walk, her eventual surrender to the habal-habal, which was only available a third of the way, and her attempts to disguise exhaustion later.

But this is what is nice about Aloguinsan. You have two tours – the farm tour and the river tour.  After contacting the Bojo, Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association (BAETAS) and talking with Irene, we came up with a plan. Depending on my mom, we would stop at The Farmhouse, offer the farm tour as an option to her while her three daughters, us, would go for the river cruise.

You know how it always seems to take longer getting to a place on your first try? The winding road from the Carcar rotunda to the Mantalongon public market seemed farther than I remembered and the road from then on, sections of which were under repair, seemed to take forever. I could see my sister getting impatient and a little carsick, and knew the only reason they were not ganging up on me was out of sheer love and trust that somehow, their oddball sister had the good judgment to know the trip was going to be worth it.

Oh yeah. I saw them take in the rustic sign at the Farmhouse, then smile at the pathway shaded by overhanging passion fruit. I could definitely see some enthusiasm and energy in the way they were taking in everything, especially when we were warmly welcomed with COLD glasses of tanglad juice and malunggay cookies.  I almost drank my glass empty before I remembered to take a picture.

After listening to Rudney Carcuevas, BAETAS president, describe the river tour, my mom decided to take the farm tour and stay at the Farmhouse, while we went off for the river tour.  I was feeling guilty at leaving her, but it dissipated when we left the road and started walking the 230 meters to the river. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a very easy and short walk to the able, but some dips told me it would have been a bit hard, even if manageable, to my mom.

I was a bit dismayed to learn that our visit was ill-timed since the center had just been demolished to give way to a better structure. This meant that we were given the orientation and short lecture under the trees on the pathway itself, and that we would not witness the send-off ritual or benefit from the mat-weaving demonstration.

Jamayla and her colleagues help my sisters into the boat
 for a ride down the Bojo River.

But I could see that it was not going to matter. My two sisters were listening intently to Jamayla, who was conducting the briefing, and I could see they were interested in what she had to say.  You bet I was relieved. I wanted them to see and experience something not only new to them, but also enjoyable.

The boat ride was serene and relaxing, made more enjoyable by all the information being fed to us about the mangroves, the folklore, the caves – although I sensed my younger sister getting a bit anxious when the waters got a bit choppy where the river meets the sea.  Typhoon Gener was just leaving the country and the southwest monsoon winds were still particularly rough in that part of Cebu.

It was a serene and relaxing ride, made more enjoyable
by all the information provided by the guides
on the mangroves and bird species and local folklore.

We were told though that on a good day, many opt to swim and snorkel in the area, which abounds with corals and fish.  We were also told that for larger parties with kids, they used the bigger boats which also had steps to facilitate getting into and out of the water.

But since it was rough that day, we turned back and in between all the information, Rudney expressed appreciation at having such a pleasant and open group to entertain. Some tourists, he said, are not shy about wondering aloud if they were getting their money’s worth.  “The foreigners, you mean?” I ask. “Even Filipinos,” he said.

The mountainside opens up where the river meets the sea.

I know what he means.  Early in my previous employment I myself had been incredulous when told that among the ecotourism initiatives we were supporting were those that involved mangroves. Since they line Cebu’s coasts, I wondered if my Manila colleagues were crazy.  Why spend hard-earned money and a much-deserved vacation to see mangroves?  My incredulity grew when my boss, amused by my reaction, assigned coverage of the mangrove ecotours to me.

I’ve learned a lot since.  I’ve learned about their role in the whole ecosystem, that with management, it can feed families and in some cases, protect coastal communities from storm surges. I’ve learned that learning and sharing their value does help more people develop a better appreciation of nature and its conservation.  And that managing it in a sustainable manner can inject new life into a cash-strapped and income-challenged community.

All that matters is that one goes into the experience with an open mind and heart. My sisters are cosmopolitan yet like so many of the visitors before them, they could not help but respond not only to the natural simplicity and beauty of the place, but also of its stalwarts.

Those who cannot are jaded beyond repair and should simply stay in their comfort zones, sipping piñacoladas by the side of pools in five-star hotels and gripe about the weather, the service, the state of the country and everything else.

For information about the Aloguinsan tours, contact the Aloguinsan Municipal Tourism Office at +63 32 4699312.