Bohol: Rare Pride Campaign launched for Inabanga's Hambongan Island Marine Sanctuary

Lasting change must be community led. That is the rationale behind the environmental conservation programs of Rare, a US-based conservation organization that works globally to equip people in the world's most threatened areas with the tools and motivation they need to care for their natural resources.

Last week, we were invited to join the team from Rare on Hambongan Island as they launched the Inabanga Rare Pride Campaign together with the people of Inabanga, Bohol.


What is a Pride Campaign?
At the cornerstone of Rare's work is a unique tool called the Pride Campaign. Its mix of capacity building and social marketing equips Conservation Fellows in their development of a community led conservation plan.

The goal is to create long-term change in local behavior by inspiring pride in the threatened species and habitats that make their community unique. This begins the transformative process that has led to the growth of marine protected areas and the effective protection of threatened species all over the Philippines.

Rare currently has twelve campaign sites in the Philippines where they have launched programs for sustainable fishing.


Inabanga Rare Pride Campaign
From Tagbilaran City, we motored to Inabanga which was about an hour and 45 minutes away. The first order of business was a parade around town with Meloy, the campaign mascot. He represents a Panther Grouper, a vulnerable species that is sold for food or in the aquarium trade. All Pride Campaigns have their own mascots.



After unveiling the campaign billboard, a program was held to launch the Inabanga Rare Pride Campaign led by Mayor Jose Jono Jumamoy and Rare President and CEO Brett Jenks. Do watch the video about the Inabanga Rare Pride Campaign and the issues they are trying to resolve.



Before noon, participants took two large boats to Hambongan Island for the second part of the launch, this time with the target community of the Rare Pride Campaign. Hambongan Island was really pretty. After a sumptuous lunch, we went around the island to explore.




We were taken to one side of the island where the Hambongan Elementary School is located. The buildings of the school have large cracks due to the strong explosions from dynamite fishing that was rampant before.




To address this, the local government created the Hambongan Island Fish Sanctuary in 2000 out of 14.1 hectares of waters between Hambongan and Bugatusan Islands. A community education campaign was initiated while locals were introduced to other sources of livelihood such as seaweed harvesting and processing, and the sustainable collection of marine wildlife for the aquarium trade. We actually got to tour their small processing facility for aquarium fish.



While dynamite fishing is now less of a threat, the campaign also created a hotline for people to report illegal activities direct to the local government so violators are immediately apprehended.


What makes Rare different from many other international conservation organizations is that their approach is to work directly with the community, preparing them to care for their natural resources on their own. Once the program is completed, locals will be equipped with the necessary knowledge, skill and drive to protect the resources of their community.

If conservation does not happen now, there will be nothing left to be proud of.

Bohol: Tsokolate Eh Souffle Cake at Cafe Lawis in Dauis Church

If you happen to pass by the Dauis Church in Bohol, make sure to walk all the way to the convento. Inside and behind it is the charming Cafe Lawis, nestled by the beach under large acacia trees. You'd be surprised that a cafe like that exists in an old church. But being a component of the Dauis Renaissance Program of the Ayala Foundation, standards have definitely been raised.


They actually have a nice selection of meals and snacks. But the pièce de résistance here is the Tsokolate Eh Souffle Cake (Php95) which is served with a rich tsokolate eh syrup and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It takes quite a while to prepare though. So make sure you order it first before exploring the church so that it's ready when you get back.

Bohol: Visita iglesia to Bohol's heritage churches

Bohol is probably the province with the most intact heritage churches. And it's perfect for a visita iglesia. Here are some of the Bohol churches I got to visit during my recent trip to the province.


Baclayon Church is both a National Cultural Treasure and a National Historical Landmark. It was in Baclayon that the Jesuits established the first Catholic mission in Bohol in 1596. It became a parish in 1717. The current coral stone church was constructed in 1727.


Alburquerque Church has interesting altar murals. Unfortunately, I was not able to enter the church during this trip. We also missed visiting the Loay Church, a National Historical Landmark, due to the rains.



Loboc Church is a National Cultural Treasure. The mission of Loboc was established in 1597 and became a parish, dedicated to San Pedro Apostol, in 1602. The present church, built on the foundations of an earlier church, was built from 1670 to 1734.


Loon Church was recently declared a National Cultural Treasure and National Historical Landmark. The parish was established in 1753 under the patronage of the Nuestra Senora de la Luz. The current church was built from 1855 to 1864 after the previous church was damaged by a fire. The ceiling murals were done by Ray Francia in 1938.


Maribojoc Church is a National Cultural Treasure. It was established as a parish in 1767 and was placed under the patronage of the Santa Cruz. The current coral stone church dates back to 1852. Construction was completed in 1872. The ceiling murals were painted by Ray Francia in 1930.



Cortes Church is quite close to Tagbilaran but is often missed since it's not along the National Highway. But it's worth the visit if you have the time.



Tagbilaran Cathedral has a renovated facade, but the interior, particularly the retablos, are very much intact. It was one of the six parishes founded by the Jesuits in Bohol in 1595. The original church built by the Jesuits was burned in 1798. The current church was built by the Recollects from 1839 to 1855.



Dauis Church is another church close to Tagbilaran worth visiting. The Dauis Church Complex, which inludes the church, convent, watchtower and belfry, is a National Historical Landmark. It was separated from Baclayon and became an independent parish dedicated to the Nuestra Senora de Asuncion in 1697. The impressive murals inside the church are said to be works of both Ray Francia and Canuto Avila created from 1919 to 1923.


Off the beaten track are churches beyond the town of Loay. Lila Church has an interesting interior.



Dimiao Church is another intact church complex which I hope is declared soon. Beside it are the Ermita Ruins, a former church cemetery and chapel which was closed in 1844. The layout of the church is quite unique with the convento 'docked' behind it.


Valencia Church has an intact interior and a very interesting wooden floor.


The neighboring Garcia Hernandez Church has an intact retablo.


Jagna Church, although its facade is renovated, has an interesting interior with impressive ceiling murals and intact retablos.



Duero Church was a surprise. I didn't realize until I knocked on the walls that, except for the base and belfry, it was made almost entirely of wood. It also has an interesting interior and I hope this church also gets declared soon.

Too bad I was not able to make it to Anda or Talibon since I was told the churches there are interesting too. I'll reserve that for another trip. Here are more photos from the trip. For more visita iglesia itineraries, check out Visita iglesia to our heritage churches.

Index of Declared Structures and Sites updated 08/05/2010

As you all know, I've compiled a list of structures and sites declared by law or by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), National Historical Institute (NHI), or National Museum (NM). And as new sites and structures are declared, I update the list. This week, we got the latest list from the Cultural Properties Division of the National Museum.


The additions to the list include new National Cultural Treasures: Manila Metropolitan Theater (Manila) which is also a National Historical Landmark, Bonifacio Monument (Caloocan City) which is also a National Monument, Main Building, Central Seminary, Arch of the Centuries and Open Spaces of the University of Sto. Tomas (Manila) and the Santa Cruz Church (Maribojoc, Bohol) which was previously an Important Cultural Property.


For Important Cultural Property, there is one new declaration, the Parish Church Complex of Santa Monica (Sarrat, Ilocos Norte).

Bohol: Danao and the Dagohoy Rebellion

Who is Francisco Dagohoy? Do you know his significance in Philippine history? Dagohoy led the longest revolt in Philippine history, the Dagohoy Rebellion, from 1744 to 1829. I'm sure most of us learned that from our grade school textbooks. We all know he's from Bohol and that the revolt was in Bohol. But it was only when I visited Danao did I realize that I was standing on the ground which served as the headquarters of the Dagohoy Rebellion.

Magtangtang in Danao was said to be the headquarters or hideout of Dagohoy during the revolt. People in Danao were telling us stories about the Francisco Dagohoy Cave which was his main headquarters. It is said that hundreds of Dagohoy’s followers preferred death inside the cave than surrender. Their skeletons still remain in the site. But unfortunately, like in many places of historical interest, stupid treasure hunters imagined that there was gold or valuable objects in the cave, and did irreversible damage to it.


Today, a statue of Francisco Dagohoy stands in Magtangtang, Danao, a few minutes from the Danao Adventure Park, a silent reminder to the heroism of the Boholanos. The Dagohoy Marker was installed by the Philippine Historical Committee (now NHI) in 1953 to honor his heroism.

Danao Adventure Park
E.A.T. Danao's Plunge, the only canyon swing in the Philippines!
Danao Adventure Park's E.A.T. Danao
Spelunking at Danao Adventure Park's Kamira Cave

Bohol: Organic farm tour in Danao, Bohol

Aside from the Danao Adventure Park, among the activities in Danao, Bohol are visits to an organic farm. Our accommodation, the Jose L. Gonzaga Farmers Foundation, Inc. (JLGFFI), was in fact situated in an organic farm. Which is why we enjoyed fresh greens during our stay there.

We had fresh lettuce for our salads and basil for our pasta. There's a supply of rosemary for roast chicken or tarragon for tea. Plus we had a constant supply of freshly-picked mint leaves for our mojito night!

Jose L. Gonzaga Farmers Foundation, Inc.
Ian Gonzaga (0917) 3252426
Php300/person per night

They also arrange airport and ferry terminal transfers to Danao and meals. Ask about their custom-made tour packages to the Danao Adventure Park. And I highly-recommend that you have them arrange your visit to Danao.

Bohol: E.A.T. Danao's Plunge, the only canyon swing in the Philippines!

I survived the E.A.T. Danao Plunge! Talk about wild rides! E.A.T. Danao or the Danao Adventure Park has the only canyon swing in the Philippines. And it's called the Plunge. It's can be considered the main attraction of the Danao Adventure Park.

After the visit to Kamira Cave in the morning, and a sumptuous buffet lunch (they have weekend buffets at Php250/head), we proceeded back to the cliff for even more activities. I had a second shot at the Suislide, the highest zipline in the country at 200 meters.


Then it was a challenging 60-meter rappel down the cliff. Don't worry about how to get up again since they have a motorized rope which hauls you back to the top. My arm accidentally hit the metal figure eight descender which gets really hot as you go down. So I had to contend with a minor burn. Others in the group hit the ropes which caused bigger burn marks in the stomach area, arms or neck. So you really have to be composed when rapelling down the cliff.


The most thrilling activity in the Danao Adventure Park is the canyon swing which is called the Plunge. It's a 50-meter free fall from the top of the 200-meter high cliff. Then as you hit the end of the rope, you'll be swinging over the canyon for about 5 minutes until they are able to haul you back up again. I most definitely enjoyed the experience. Thank you E.A.T Danao for one hell of a ride!

Danao Adventure Park
Booking Office: Ma. Wiena Saguid (0921)7594403 / (0917) 3021700
Tourism Office: Ana Loinda Saluan (0917) 3021701 / (038) 5100033
eatdanao@ymail.com

Suislide (zipline) - Php350/head
60m rappel (minimum of 5 pax) - Php600/head
Plunge (canyon swing) - Php700/head
...more activities in the first post

Jose L. Gonzaga Farmers Foundation, Inc.
Ian Gonzaga (0917) 3252426
Php300/person per night

They also arrange airport and ferry terminal transfers to Danao and meals. Ask about their custom-made tour packages. And I highly-recommend that you have them arrange your visit to Danao.

Bohol: Spelunking at Danao Adventure Park's Kamira Cave

E.A.T. Danao, the Eco, Educational, Extreme Adventure Tour of the Danao Adventure Park in Bohol also has interesting natural attractions. Two caves are open to visitors in fact, but on a limited capacity.

We got to visit Kamira Cave which is rated moderate for the spelunking/caving difficulty level. The other cave, Balijo Cave, is rated extreme. They used to have more caves open but due to safety concerns, they closed the others. Only ten visitors are allowed in each cave per shift, so that's about 30 guests a day per cave. So make sure you book beforehand.


From the Visitors' Center, it's a 15-minute trek down to the entrance of the cave. It's a bit complicated getting in the cave. But the well-trained guides are very helpful and will direct you step-by-step until you are safe inside.

As soon as we got in, we were already wading in ankle-deep water. Many of the cave formation are still intact that is why the guides are very strict about touching them since the oil from your hands damage the formations which take many years to form.


Just a few meters from the entrance, we got submerged under the crystal clear water as we crossed under one of the formations of the cave. So as much as possible, wear sandals and light clothing since you'll definitely swim and get wet from head to toe!

At the end of the cave is a pool of water where you could swim. Just be careful because some parts of the pool are over 5 feet deep. From here, we walked back the same route since there is only one entrance and exit. The Kamira Cave trek lasts about 2 hours.

Danao Adventure Park
Booking Office: Ma. Wiena Saguid (0921)7594403 / (0917) 3021700
Tourism Office: Ana Loinda Saluan (0917) 3021701 / (038) 5100033
eatdanao@ymail.com

Caving (minimum of 5 pax) - Php350/head
...more activities in the next post

Jose L. Gonzaga Farmers Foundation, Inc.
Ian Gonzaga (0917) 3252426
Php300/person per night

They also arrange airport and ferry terminal transfers to Danao and meals. Ask about their custom-made tour packages. And I highly-recommend that you have them arrange your visit to Danao.

Bohol: Danao Adventure Park's E.A.T. Danao

Have you heard of Bohol's E.A.T. Danao? The Eco, Educational, Extreme Adventure Tour of the Danao Adventure Park is arguably the country's best adventure attraction! I got to visit the park over the weekend together with a group who celebrated a friend's birthday. Happy Birthday Isa Silva and thanks for arranging the trip!

Danao is in the interior of Bohol. And the Danao Adventure Park is a push to bring tourism to other parts of Bohol since most of the tourism arrivals are in the coastal areas. The group flew to Cebu and from there took the RORO to Tubigon, Bohol. I hope Cebu Pacific stops those games they play on board. I always see flights as a chance to take power naps. And I found it extremely irritating to be woken up by a ten-year old kid singing at the top of her voice on the public address system like there's no tomorrow. I hope Cebu Pacific starts being more considerate to passengers who want to get some rest!


We left Cebu on the 7 p.m. RORO ferry to Tubigon. From Tubigon, it's a one and a half drive to Danao (which includes several kilometers of rough road). We stayed at the Jose L. Gonzaga Farmers Foundation, Inc. (JLGFFI) which has five fan rooms available and could accommodate up to 20 people.

The next day, we did four activities. The first was kayaking. I was still a bit sleepy and since I've done a lot of kayaking last month, I decided to take a nap while the rest navigated the Wahig River. After the kayaking, we made a short river trek to the root climb area where packed lunch was waiting for us.


The root climb is harder than it looks and is among the more difficult activities at the Danao Adventure Park. It physically drained me in fact. From the top of the 15-meter cliff, we all rappelled down back to the river bank.


The last activity was the Suislide, the highest zipline in the country! It's close to half a kilometer to cross the 200-meter deep gorge. And you cross twice, first going to the opposite side, then again when you slide back. Dinner was at the JLGFFI.

Danao Adventure Park
Booking Office: Ma. Wiena Saguid (0921)7594403 / (0917) 3021700
Tourism Office: Ana Loinda Saluan (0917) 3021701 / (038) 5100033
eatdanao@ymail.com

Kayaking - Php200/head
River trekking - Php200/head
Root climb with 15m rappel (minimum of 5 pax) - Php400/head
Suislide (zipline) - Php350/head
...more activities in the next post

Jose L. Gonzaga Farmers Foundation, Inc.
Ian Gonzaga (0917) 3252426
Php300/person per night

They also arrange airport and ferry terminal transfers to Danao and meals. Ask about their custom-made tour packages. And I highly-recommend that you have them arrange your visit to Danao.

Bohol: Panglao Island and Chocolate Hills

Panglao Beach looks so much better during low-tide since the expanse of white sand is wider. The view of the beach during breakfast was relaxing. Too bad we couldn't go for a swim since we had to start driving early. Today, we were covering the eastern part of Bohol, most of which I have not seen.

Another thing I learned, thanks to this Honda City test drive, is that it is more convenient to rent a car if you want to visit these towns off the regular tourist route. I would have wanted to check out the church of Dauis in Panglao, as well as the many other colonial churches we saw along the way including those in Dimiao and Duero. We could not stop though since we had a tight schedule to follow. At least I know now which towns to visit if ever I go back to Bohol.

We drove as far as Trinidad in the north before driving down to Carmen for our first and only major stop of the day, lunch at the Chocolate Hills view deck. So much has been said about the Chocolate Hills, a National Geological Monument, so I won't talk about it anymore. But few people know that there is a hotel and restaurant at the view deck. So if you want to experience sunrise by the Chocolate Hills, that is possible.

After lunch, we made a brief stop at the Man-made Forest for some pictures before rushing back to Tagbilaran to catch our flight. It was a really hectic day but a lot of fun. Thanks to Honda for the invitation!

Part 1: Honda City test drive in Bohol
Part 2: Bohol by car (Day 1): Loboc River Cruise, Baclayon Church and Panglao Island