Hundred Islands National Park

All the more reason to be there!

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Alaminos City Spelled as I-N-V-E-S-T-M-E-N-T

An area made up of four administrative regions occupying half of Luzon offers a smorgasbord of investment prospects from gold mining to sea farming and food processing. Each province has its own strengths and potential niche in the investment market.

The main problem in the past was the dearth of information on what those provinces have to offer to local or foreign investors — big, medium and small.

The shortcoming is getting corrected as a cash-strapped government hammers up partnerships with the private groups in evolving more focused investment promotions initiatives for the super-region.

One such initiative was the drawing up last year of a tourism investment program for the Ilocos - Cordillera tourist corridor that includes the province of Pangasinan, and its premier tourist destination the Hundred Islands of Alaminos City.

Why and where to invest in Alaminos City?

No other city in the Philippines other than Alaminos, and maybe few in the world, holds the distinction of having a globally known tourist spot, the Hundred Islands, while the host city remains in relative obscurity.

The city is dead set, however, to ride on its unique natural allure as its trademark in earning a bigger niche in the tourism trade. It is no wonder that the city government has been strongly pushing for investments anchored on eco-tourism.

It has succeeded in getting the services of Palafox Associates (see related story in the next page). Prior to Palafox, the city leaders from its first city mayor to the incumbent have evolved an investment zoning plan that divides the city for focused investments based on the strengths of clusters of villages or barangays.

The city has been divided into seven investment zones. Four coastal villages outside the protected area that covers the Hundred Islands have been classified for aqua-marine-based industries.

A larger segment of the town made up of six other coastal villages fronting the popular islands make up the tourism zone. The rolling-hill barangays nearby of four villages have been set aside for commercial forest plantations, orchards, recreation and amusement parks.

Three barangays in the downtown area is the commercial center, and behind it, in two sparsely populated section of the city, light industries are to be built.

Still the widest section that make up the rest of the inland area and suburbs, are devoted to agriculture, 26 barangays in all. Sixteen of them flatland, both irrigated and rain-fed, are devoted to rice, corn and other high value farm crops while the rolling hills are for livestock raising and orchards.

Out-of-the Box Tourism

The city government gained direct management of the Hundred Islands National Park from the Philippine Tourism Authority on September 29, 2005 by virtue of Executive Order No. 436 issued by President Gloria Arroyo last June 24, 2005 transferring the management, administration and maintenance of the HINP to Alaminos City. The city government has focused on tourism as its flagship investment area. It has expanded the tourist zone to include Bolo Beach, Telbang and Victoria for resorts, retirement villages and other nature-friendly investment projects fronting the island clusters.

As the crowd of guests drawn in multiply, support services and micro and small industries have been anticipated and encouraged to mushroom.

It has poured in public resources for additional cottages on some of the islands, floating bridges across some of the islands, renovated existing pavilions and upgraded other support facilities to add comfort to visitors. It is also professionalizing services in the acquired hotel, restaurant and other facilities turned over by the Philippine Tourism Authority.

It has likewise lined up the building of the Lucap Wharf Boardwalk project that will serve as a viewing point,promenade park and common eating place for tourists. The accent in the out-of-the-box tourism development for Alaminos City is in ecotourism.

It has lined a plethora of water sports, old and new festivals, spelunking, bird watching and other fun-filled and outdoor activities that are meant to attract a bigger number of daily foreign and local tourists at reasonable rates. Ongoing festivals include the City Fiesta and Homecoming, Hundred Island Summer Camp, Images of the Hundred Islands, and Island Adventures.

As guests multiply, support services and micro and small industries have been anticipated and encouraged to mushroom. These include food, souvenir items, water sports paraphernalia and about every item or services to answer the needs of guests.

The bigger ticket and medium investments would be in beach resorts, shopping and rental centers, recreational facilities, specialty restaurants, hotels, inns and vacation and retirement villages, tour and travel services, and other institutional services to foreign and high-end local tourists.

The strategic investments lined up include: the Hundred Islands Underwater Marine Theme Park; the roll-on,roll-off seaport in Victoria; the Alaminos Regional Airport at Alos; a potable water project; expansion of telecommunications facilities; real estate development catering to tourists and a growing and getting more affluent population and world-class hotels and resorts.

Commerce and Light Industries

The city government has drawn a plan for the construction of an integrated bus terminal and supermarket in preparation to the influx of tourists as a result of the on-going tourism development program and projects.

The terminal and market would not only expand commerce and trade in the city but will be the unifying economic activity that ties together all the investment zones. The market will serve as the wholesale outlet of the farm and fishery sectors, the distribution center of consumer and other basic goods for satellite towns, a multi-sport gymnasium and information center for tourists, and the immediate outlet for slight industries that would locate in the city.

The light industries have been envisioned to add value to the products and services of the farming and aquamarine culture communities. Some are seen to engage in food processing and storage and other light industries that draw strengths from the resources and produce of the city and nearby towns. But also welcomed are knowledge-based industries like call centers and business process outsourcing outfits.

Farm and Forestry

The city leaders have prepared its rural residents to the challenges of the new economic order by clustering farmers into groups of larger production units tilling eight hectares each employing modern and environment-friendly methods, and raising high value crops at economies of scale. This has prepared them for partnerships with established or new fresh and processed food companies including restaurant chains and exporters.

Orchards and tree plantations are being pushed either to be developed for farming hobbyist to enjoy an active and fulfilling rural life in a tourist town with the basic comforts of modern society, wood-based industries that are running out of wood and other forest-based raw materials and plain nature lovers who want to share, not only enjoy, a natural, safe and healthy habitat.

To complete the food self-sufficiency programs of the city and its satellite towns, its farming industry is enhanced through its Bayanihan Integrated Program for Sustainable Agriculture (BIPSA) or more popularly known as Agri-Volution aimed at creating a new green revolution and a vibrant livestock and poultry industry which forms part of the integrated development plan. Investments could be small, home-based and family-owned, or medium, corporate or contract farming with the big players.

Fishery

The fishery resources are opened for the creative investors as the city fine-tunes its coastal management plan. The bottom line is the sustainability, people-oriented and environment friendliness of the investment project, be it a fishpond, a fish pen, a seaweed farm, a cultured pearl farm or storage or canning projects.

Good Governance

The city has been putting in place a system of governance that is investment and business friendly. It is a system of processing business related permits and licenses that is cheap, fast and without hidden costs through the employment of information technology and a pool of public servants trained to help make business prosper.

At the end of the day, excellent governance in any city or town equals progress with equity and sustainable development.

The Road Ahead

Much of what have been planned at building a modern green city are still dreams, not yet on the ground. The logistical needs are enormous. City leaders realize that on their own, the people of Alaminos could accomplish only so much. With partners in the rest of the Philippines and elsewhere, much more can be done, and done fast.

The city leaders have therefore decided to seek partners among development institutions, believers, tourism entrepreneurs, developers, international hotel chains and those who are convinced that investing in nature-friendly projects is worth the risk, and a smart business decision to preserve undeniably the world’s eight greatest wonder, the Hundred Islands.

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The Alaminos Niche in the Next Boom Region

In the mid-90s, Southern Luzon, popularized by the acronym CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal) was successfully marketed by the administration of former Philippine President Fidel. V. Ramos as the Philippines investment location of choice in the last decade. It now hosts a wide range of industries led by electronics, semiconductors, machine parts, electrical wiring and garments, mostly focused on exports.

On one hand, the northern half of Luzon outside the congested Metro Manila has been positioned to be the new century’s boom area. These make up the provinces in Central and Northern Luzon of which the province of Pangasinan is at its vortex and the biggest. It was dubbed as the North Quadrangle Development Area or NORTHQUAD

The new growth region is well prepared to assume that role. It now boasts of three international airports opened for cross-country chartered passenger flights and unlimited cargo air shipments. These include the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport at the former Clark Airbase in Pampanga being developed as the logistics hub of East Asia, the Subic International Airport inside the Subic Free-port in Olongapo City, Zambales and the Laoag International Airport in Ilocos Norte.

Its two international seaports at the former American Naval Bases of Subic and Poro Point in San Fernando City, La Union can accommodate large cargo ships including oil tankers. These will be joined soon by Port Irene off Cagayan Province being developed as the new international gateway to the Pacific side of Northern Luzon.

In recent years, two large and cost-competitive power plants were built by the Ramos administration, a 1,200 megawatt coal plant in Sual close to the city of Alaminos, and the 350 megawatt San Roque hydro-electric dam in the town of San Manuel, both in Pangasinan.

As host province, Pangasinan, can assure investors reliable and cost-competitive wholesale power rates until the next decade.

The NORTHQUAD area has, since the nineties, a network of the best all-weather road network in the country. The network is set to be expanded and made more efficient with the scheduled completion of the Subic to Tarlac superhighway next year. It has a modern and expanding landlines and mobile telecommunications facilities practically covering all provinces.

These, plus and highly educated, easy to train labor force backed by a network of technical schools and public and private colleges and universities, provide the basic physical and human infrastructure necessary to spur rapid development.

The new development zone took the identity as the Northern Quadrangle Development Area or NORTHQUAD and positioned to be linked up directly to the booming economies of East and South Asia led by Japan, China and India.

In the latest state-of-the-nation-address of former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, it has been dubbed as one of the five super regions that enjoy top priority in the dispersal of industries to the less developed portions of the Philippine Islands.

No other city in the Philippines other than Alaminos, and maybe few in the world, holds the distinction of having a globally known tourist spot, the Hundred Islands.

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Alaminos City Major Events and Festivities

Hundred Islands Festival

The most anticipated and largest crowd-drawer event in Alaminos City. An annual festival that combines sports, adventure and agro-tourism aimed at enhancing environmental and cultural awareness. This is a unique event that can only be experienced in Alaminos City. Rolled into one – you can enjoy the summer youth camp, images of hundred islands, adventure race and hundred islands tour. Lavish celebration marks the Hundred Islands Festival. String of athletic and challenging pursuits like sky diving competition, skills Olympics or island adventure race are among the activities that attract thrill-seeking foreign and local tourists. The best aqua products are exhibited in the agro-trade fair while seafood cuisine takes center stage as restaurants showcase their best and most sumptuous menus. The most awaited spectacle is the fluvial parade, showcasing floats made of shells and other fabulous marine themes. Magnificent designs only get better at each competition. The streets come alive with the sound and beats of the street dancing contests alongside a drum and lyre competition by different schools and an exhibition by a professional drum and bugle group. Night glitters with the charming smiles from beautiful muses vying for the Hundred Island maiden pageant. Young crowd flock the concerts featuring famous bands or celebrities.

Adventure Hundred Islands

The Hundred Islands Adventure is an annual event primarily catered to the tourists and visitors who take part in some of most breathtaking activities, fun and exciting adventures and unforgettable experiences such as para-sailing (400-600 above sea level), bird and bat viewing, banana boat ride, sailing, Tyrolean traverse, spelunking, kayaking, camping, snorkeling, scuba diving, jet ski, fishing, picnic, trekking and a lot more.

(Click images for a larger view)

City and Barangay Fiestas

Festive, colorful and vibrant. Alaminos City celebrates a traditional Filipino fiesta. The weeklong celebration usually starts on March 17 with events and fairs decorating the whole city before, during and after the actual date of the fiesta. Alaminians and visitors are treated to a galore of concerts by famous artists, beauty pageants and sports competitions. Food and product fairs spice up the city fiesta showcasing the people’s ingenuity and various products of Alaminos City. The action and spectacle continue until the wee hours of the evening highlighted by a fireworks display. Fiesta is incomplete without the carnival rides like the Ferris Wheel or Merry-Go-Round. Children especially enjoy going to the circus, chomping and gulping treats as their eyes silently gape at trapeze artists, magicians and sword eaters. A barangay fiesta in Alaminos City is a scaled version of the city fiesta. Local bands take the place of famous recording groups. Pageants for ladies and gays and sometimes mini-fashion shows are staged in the evening. Basketball competition is a popular day event. Host families usually prepare sumptuous food intended for guests and friends from neighboring barangays.

Moro-moro / Zarzuela

Traditional musical plays center on the rich history or colorful origin of the place, thus is usually set before or during Spanish regime. Legends are sometimes given the stage, reintroducing to the people a part of their heritage. Zarzuela is often presented in different festivals and barangay fiestas. Contemporary versions are staged in big celebrations brought about by the remarkable creativity of local literary artists. Most use the vernacular dialect but are now more inclined to use Filipino, to reach more audiences. The youth are often the active participants in these undertakings. The adults readily share the art of living up the heart of the script of the musical play on stage to these young flames.

Passion of the Christ (Senakulo)

Senakulo is the most awaited spectacle during Lenten season in Alaminos City. It is a reenactment and solemn parade of Christ’s passion and death. Households near the church wait eagerly for the visit of acting Roman soldiers with their menacingly painted masks and armors, pounding on doors to search for Jesus. At the day of Christ’s suffering and death, people gather at the church to witness the reenactment, the judgment of Jesus, the Crucifixion and His Seven Last Words. The routine of the reenactment has not changed, but its presentation is infused with a fresh flavor to reach the modern-world absorbed consciousness of the new generation.

Flores De Mayo (Flowers of May)

The traditional praying of the Novena for nine days, in honor of the Virgin Mary ushers in the festive Santacruzan in celebration of the Holy Cross. The loveliest ladies in the city are selected to participate in the late afternoon procession that often stretches into evening. They wear elegantly designed and exquisitely embellished gowns, portraying characters in the story of Queen Elena’s search and eventual find of the Holy Cross. Every barangay is well represented providing different characters like the queens and other important biblical women like Esther, Judith, Veronica, and the Queen of Sheba. Others opt for the Marian characters like Reyna de las Flores (queen of flowers) and Reyna de las Estrellas (queen of stars). Other focus on the representation of moral characters like Reyna Hustisya (Justice; in the earlier celebrations, she wears a blindfold), Esperanza (the representation of hope), and Caridad (symbolizing charity and love), and still others, enjoy the combination of any or all of the three.

Talaba Festival

The talaba (oyster) is among+ the gems of seafood cooking in many of the city’s households, especially those near the sea. A festival is held to promote the oyster’s succulent taste. People cheer contestants in an oyster-shucking contest and for their creative presentations of various delectable dishes in a cooking showdown.

Agri-Trade Fair

The annual Agri Trade fair showcases the best of Alaminos City products as a result of the Agri-Volution, Ocho-Ocho and BIPSA programs of the city government. Exhibited delicacies are the finest in the city, like the irresistible Alaminos longganisa, the grilled bangus belly, the unique ‘binungey’ and oyster nuggets.

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The Magic of Hundred Islands

Tears of a giant. Tips of a lost continent. These are some of the many legends, surrounding the origins of the Hundred Islands National Park. For it was, still is, and will remain one of the few wonders in the world carved by nature. Those pearls of islets and islands are millions of years old and may be there a million years more.

Seeing the place from up close or stepping on the shore of one islet — is magic. It blows one’s imagination. It reminds one of creation.

The magic is still there waiting to be rediscovered. It is those white beaches in many of the islands previous guests failed to see. It is in the secret caverns of the many caves waiting to be explored.

The magic pops up whenever dolphins visits the islands and frolic among them, in the giant clams native to the place called Taklobos, whose greenish shells are seen above waters, in the multicolored coral reefs where schools of fish move around, the picture perfect coves and unspoiled Bolo beach.

A stroll along the beach ends up with a dip into the soothing warm waters. Colorful schools of tropical fish glide among coral gardens.

Out of the water, discover not only one isle but a throng of numerous islands ambling along each other.

Bolo Beach Hideaway

Ten kilometers from the city, Bolo beach has become a favorite weekend family hideaway. Highly accessible, its long, horseshoe-shaped beach and shallow waters offer playgrounds for children and a refreshing retreat for adults. The coarsely formed rock formations near the shore are given new looks by the local folk. They topped these rough, blank rocks with colored, smaller rocks, creating works of

natural art.

Fun seeking troops relax on the beach’s wooden sheds and cottages, complete with picnic tables and videoke facilities. Or one may rent “rock sheds” carved out of protruding sandstones above water, slightly flattened and furnished with benches, tables, and videoke, Bolo’s signature floating huts.

Coral Reefs

The Hundred Islands National Park is rich with a wide variety of corals, seaweeds and sea lives. Its alluring cerulean waters, strewn with 123 islets, is also home to the fragile and diverse jewels of the Philippine Sea – the Coral Reefs. They shelter, feed and protect a copious number of sea creatures in the Park. They also aid the 123 islets in protecting the city’s coast from the onrush of giant waves. The hard and soft corals with awe-inspiring forms and interesting hues that glistened mystically in the deep, create a magical underwater vista. Divers and snorkelers have the time of their lives gliding with the many magnificent fishes and other sea creatures.

Underwater Caves

Extraordinary caves abound at the Hundred Islands which many scientists see as part of a continuing evolutionary process that creates an aura of a breathing earth. Today, up to ten caves have been identified and some were named based on some myths, legends and the stone formations namely Alama Cave (Brgy. Sabangan), Nalsoc Caves (Brgy. Sabangan and Brgy. Pandan), Simmimbahan Cave (Brgy. Sabangan), Milagrosa Cave (Milagrosa Island), Cuenco Cave (Cuenco Island), Cathedral Cave (Cathedral Island), Century Cave (Century Island), Quirino Cave (Quirino Island) and Virgin Cave (Virgin Island).

Giant Clams (Taklobos)

The Giant Clams, locally known as taklobos, are sea creatures regarded as the world’s largest bivalve mollusks. Each clam has a shell length extending over a meter and can weigh over 225 kg. It is the faithful ally of the coral reef in supporting the marine life in the Park. Its massive size and interesting hues that gleam underwater prove to be a magnificent attraction, marveled at by visiting tourists who either dive or snorkel in the area. Its soft flesh is coveted the world over for its delectability.

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The Hundred Islands National Park

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Sparkling like diamonds, the waters glisten as the sun’s golden rays touch the pristine sea. The powdery blue sky casts a bright gleam beneath. The spread of white sand shimmers against the stream that changes hue—from emerald green to turquoise and azure—as the briny deep seems unfathomable.

How many islands? The count, even greater (actually 124 at low tide and 123 at high tide), sums up the grouping of isles scattered incidentally along Lingayen Gulf, many of which are still unexplored.

Covering an area of 1,844 hectares, the islands are believed to be some two million years old. According to certain folklore, the islands were tears of a primeval giant who lost his ladylove. Others tell of tall-tale of mermaids that once inhabited its seas.

Some other legends claim that the Hundred Islands are remnant tips of the lost continent of Lemuria, fabled as the Pacific continent at war with Atlantis before both advanced civilizations disappeared under the sea. Its legendary past is attributed behind the frequent emergence of psychics and faith healers in the province of Pangasinan.

How Hundred Islands was discovered, became a national park and always considered as a priceless natural jewel. These are just but a few of the unanswered facts about the world’s eight wonder which is now back in the caring hands of Alaminians.

Below is a historical timeline of the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP.

1937. President Manuel Quezon visited Alaminos and appointed Dr. Gonzalo Montemayor, then the provincial health office, to oversee the development of the Hundred Islands.

1940. President Manuel L. Quezon issued Presidential Proclamation No. 667 on January 18, 1940, declaring a group of islands in the Municipality of Alaminos, Pangasinan as the “Hundred Islands National Park” (HINP) for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the Philippines.

1962. President Diosdado Macapagal issued Republic Act No. 3655 on June 22, 1962 that created the Hundred Islands Conservation and Development Authority (HICDA), for the conservation, development and management of HINP.

1974. President Ferdinand E. Marcos transferred the HINP including Lucap Bay from HICDA to the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) by virtue of Section 35 of Presidential Decree No. 564.

1982. President Marcos issued Proclamation No. 2183 on April 27, 1982 declaring the HINP, including the Lucap Bay and its foreshore areas beginning from Sitio Telbang in the east to Sitio Recudo in the west, as a Tourist Zone and Marine Reserve under the control and administration of the PTA.

1982. President Marcos issued Proclamation No. 1282 on June 21, 1974 certain parcels of land reserve for Marine Fisheries Multi-Purpose Farm under were withdrawn and placed under the control and supervision of the PTA for development purposes as provided for under Presidential Proclamation No. 2237 dated November 06, 1982, 1990. President Corazon C. Aquino signed Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, which encourages the transfer of power and authority from the national government to the local government units, in line with the government’s devolution program as mandated by the Constitution.

1994. President Fidel V. Ramos issued Executive Order No. 145 on April 20, 1994 creating the Lingayen Gulf Coastal Area Management Commission and placing the entire stretch of 2,109 square kilometers, from the tip of Bolinao in Santiago Islands , the Hundred Islands up to the coastal barangays of San Juan in La Union, as endangered zone due to illegal fishing and wanton abuse of its vast marine resources.

1997. President Fidel Ramos issued Executive Order No. 450 creating the Inter Agency Task Force on Coastal Environment Protection placing the Philippine National Police to dismantle over 3,000 illegal fish pens and fish cages in the entire stretch of Lingayen Gulf and its inner tributaries.

2001. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9025, otherwise known as “An Act Converting The Municipality of Alaminos, Pangasinan into a Component City to be known as the City of Alaminos.” Principal author was Pangasinan First District Rep. Hernani A. Braganza of Alaminos.

2004. Mayor Hernani A. Braganza initiated a serious move to ‘reclaim the Hundred Islands National Park’ for the City of Alaminos.

2005. President Arroyo signed on June 24, 2005 Executive Order No. 436 transferring the management, administration and maintenance of the HINP from the Philippine Tourism Authority to the City of Alaminos.

2005. The Philippine Tourism Authority headed by its General Manager Dean Barbers formally turned over the HINP to Alaminos City Mayor Hernani A. Braganza.

Getting there

From downtown Alaminos City, a breezy tricycle ride brings you to Bolo Beach, Barangay Pandan. At the beach, one sees a few of the islands. The best way to get there is by chartered boat. The port doubles as a parking lot for a fee. Outrigger motorized boats can be rented here to ferry you to a cluster of islands and islets collectively known as the Hundred Islands.

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