Sleeping under the trees & stars at Brookes Point

Brookes Point, here we come. This is it. It’s breathtaking, the speed at which things are unfolding. I have an absolutely spectacular team headed by Kate Capulong. Kate is this amazing person with really perky energy. I gave her something “impossible” to do. In the back of mind, when she nods and says, “Yes, ma’am, I will take it on, we will make it happen by summer,” I am thinking: “My God, she is taking it on! She is going to do it!”

I leave her alone because I am so busy trying to get signatures for Palawan. She goes at it with her own speed and energy, with the help of James Bicaldo (the community organizer assigned to Brookes Point). Now, after two months, they have done the seemingly impossible. They have launched the Bantay Kalikasan Eco Academy at Brookes Point. The mayor, the sanggunihan bayan and the barangay have agreed with the vision, which is to uplift the lives of the 3,000 families in the two barangays through care of the environment. James deserves special mention. His background is that of a chef who was Kate’s student in CCA Manila. When Kate took on this project, she sidetracked James who was planning to go to Australia. Now I want to keep him at Brookes Point forever, which probably won’t happen. I feel such appreciation for the effort that has gone into all of this.

The campsites are set. The indigenous people have learned culinary skills from Center for Culinary Arts Manila who gave their services pro bono. The marketing is ongoing in full force. The open-air classrooms have been set up. After 10 weeks and an investment of about P2.5 million we are going to be providing income to the 45 indigenous people employed in the camp, and the 50 farmers who will be providing the food. We have accredited suppliers for chicken, rice and vegetables. We are going organic under the guidance of Oyen Padilla and the plan is to eventually go full-scale agro-ecotourism.

Cooking demo of chefs from the Center for Culinary Arts (CCA) to the katutubo

Laundry has been outsourced. Upon arrival, the campers will be using shampoo, soap and conditioner that has been produced by the indigenous people. It’s so exciting! An initial 10 people have learned to give massage therapy. Then there are the van drivers, the tricycle drivers and the people selling their handicrafts. The economy will jump-start big time.

The curriculum has been done by the group of Sister Mae who is the head of the Agustinian missionaries. I was thrilled when Dave Pardo, the head of Bantay Kalikasan, told me that the campers were so happy they were requesting a week instead of just two nights. In this light, Globe deserves special mention. They sponsored the first batch of 50 campers who were the achievers in Brookes Point and Palawan: valedictorians, student leaders, editors in chief. What we want to do is to have the course accredited by CHED. Tati Licuanan, CHED secretary, has already professed interest.

This is the history. Mt. Matalingahan is a protected mountain. Conservation Internationale had done a study and concluded that the biodiversity in Mt. Matalingahan is literally worth billions. When I saw the place I was overwhelmed by its beauty. I asked Mike de Jesus, an economics professor at the Ateneo, to do a rapid assessment of the place and propose an economic path. He came up with eco-educational tourism, agri-tourism, “glamping” (or nature camping) and small- or medium-scale enterprises.

So we have sunk in P2.5 million to make it happen. Ten percent goes to the LGU, 10 percent goes to AFI for administration. (Since we have used private sector funds, it’s important that AFI ensures the success of the project.) The rest goes to the people. It’s so exciting!

When this succeeds — and it will — it will then domino into the other barangays, until we have a very, very vibrant economy at Brookes Point where they are able to conserve their environment and address poverty at the same time. The vision is education, livelihood and total well-being for all involved. What I am most excited about is the makings of an industry involving their own biodiversity. Sister Mae already has products that cure headaches, coughs, skin conditions, muscle pain. She has soaps, shampoos, conditioners. It just needs creative pizzazz, packaging and marketing. But the people there swear by its effectiveness. The products are currently processed by hand. My intuitive sense is that this can be really big. I am thrilled that it comes from forest products, which were sourced without even an iota of destruction to the environment and which are therefore sustainable.

Papaya herbal soap: Gawa ng indigenous people’s health workers

Right now, we have a unique eco-educational tourism package that you can take part in. For the experience of literally sleeping under the trees and seeing the stars, listening to forest sounds and the gushing of the river, eating food prepared by the katutubo, learning about our culture and living it — the cost for 50 people for the whole camp is P48,000. This includes five meals a day, classes and activities and very comfortable tent accommodation. Rox has been amazing. They gave us a big discount on the tents — and in my other ecotourism place at Sibuyan they are providing facilities plus training our staff. If you want camping gear, Rox at Bonifacio High Street is the place to go. It is an excellent business institution with a heart.

For an individual setup it’s P1,488 per person for three days and two nights. So reasonable. Plus the comfort of knowing that 100 percent of the revenue goes to help the community.

We will also have two forest trails with spectacular views. The experience includes a guided tour trek, two refreshments, lunch, walking sticks, and an optional massage and bathe in the river at the end of the tour. This will cost P500 per person.

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For those interested, call Brookes Point Reservation at (0915)4061070. Ask for James. Or e-mail jasbicaldo@gmail.com.

I can be reached at regina_lopez@abs-cbn.com.

Please come! Bring your savings... spend your money there so you can enjoy yourself while helping the community upgrade its quality of life. Good way to spend your summer!