NATURAL BEAUTY

GOD gave us oil but took away almost everything else- the weather (it's always very hot), the greenery and the water. In your case, God did not give you oil but gave you paradise, "a visiting Saudi Journalist told a Filipino journalist sometime in the 80's.



The Saudi may have been exaggerating a bit when he talked of the Philippines as a Paradise, but he may have seen something here that we Filipinos didn't and up to now probably still don't see.

But we are waking up to the natural beauty of many parts of our country. In the 80's, the "stars" were Sicogon and Dakak. In the '90s and up to now it is Boracay, but it is fact becoming polluted and overcrowded largely because of lack of systematic planning. Recently, Caramoan in Camarines Sur, with its powdery white sand, was in the limelight because it was where the French edition of the very popular reality TV show, "Survivor", was shot.

This summer should be as good a time as any Filipinos to discover the paradise that is their country- more than 7,000 glittering emerald islands in deep blue, crystal clear waters teeming with a wide variety of marine life. For those who may have forgotten, here's quick a list:

Northern Luzon: Pangasinan's Hundred Islands, where one can rent an island for a day and swim, fish or simply relax; Baguio that, despite the pollution, remains a cool place to stay in during summer; Sagada with its fog-shrouded mountain range, limestone cliffs, forests, subterranean caves; and the 2,000-year-old Banaue rice terraces, a Unesco World Heritage Site, the eighth wonder the world.

Southern Luzon: Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro, a marine reserve and beach resort, endowed with coves, fine sandy beaches and shallow coral reefs for snorkeling; Pagsanjan Rapids and Falls, a series of 14 rapids punctuated by mini waterfalls; Mt. Banahaw, a mystical mountain and a popular destination for people who like to enjoy its cool weather, bathe in its hot springs or simply admire nature's beauty; Puerto Azul, a beach resort that offers the tourist a breathtaking sight with its elegance and natural beauty; and Donsol, Sorsogon with its human-friendly butanding (whale sharks).

Palawan, the country's natural last frontier, is sanctuary to a big variety of exotic flora and fauna that are found nowhere else. It is home to Tubbataha Reef, the only national marine park on the World Heritage List, whose grandeur is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Other attractions of Palawan are St. Paul's National Park that has an underground river, El Nido with its awe-inspiring seascape and limestone cliffs, and Calauit island, home of Philippine and African wildlife.

The jewel of Palawan is stunningly beautiful Amanpulo ("peaceful island"), the resort of the rich and famous. A private island, Amanpulo is blessed with powder white beaches, clear turquoise-azure-indigo seas, cerulean skies and a many-colored coral reef only 300 meters from the shore.

The Visayas: Mactan island in Cebu has the largest concentration of beach resorts in the province. Panglao island, Bohol, with its gentle coves and white-sand beaches, can be a worthy competitor to Boracay. Around Balicasag island in Panglao there is wealth of underwater splendor that makes it a favorite to divers. One of the major attractions of Bohol are the 1,268 Chocolate Hills which turn chocolate brown toward the end of summer. The crown jewel of the Visayas is Boracay with its powder white sand that is as fine as confectioner's sugar, its crystal-clear waters and spectacular sunsets.

Mindanao: The best known tourist destinations in Mindanao are Davao with its dazzling ethnic,cultural, linguistic and environmental diversity and exotic Zamboanga , the melting pot of the South. Less well known but no less exciting is Camiguin which has more volcanoes per square kilometer than any other island on earth. It has white-sand beaches and spring resorts. Siargao island in Surigao del Norte has now become an international surfing mecca.

In 2006, the top five global tourist destinations- France, Spain, United States, China and Italy- drew from 41 million to 79 million tourists and earned from $34 billion to $85 billion from tourism. The Philippines in the same year drew 2.8 million tourists and earned about $3.4 billion. We have a wealth of natural attractions that could draw more tourists to our country. But we have to invest more in orderly planning, modern infrastructure and equipment and manpower training if we want to earn more from our natural attractions.

(Quoted from the Editorial, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 13,2008)

Comments: Yes, wealth is just around us. It maybe discovered, some still undiscovered. People wanted to have a glimpse of all these but not all could afford but just dreamed about it.

I wonder why so many could be there so quickly but others could not?

These beauty that nature created could vanish anytime. What nature gives, nature gets! Life is that so mysterious that no one could fathom. Make the most out of life and be true about it.