Travelers' Safety Is at Stake

 

  When I visited Rizal Beach last April 23, 2011.

                     

                  We should explore and share our nature's beauty. But exploration means not only enjoying things but also being aware of the danger they may entail. Rizal Beach in Sorsogon poses risks that all of us should be apprehensive.

          Though Rizal Beach isn't exactly the same with the white beach and luxury in Boracay, it has something to say when it comes to view, seawater and sand. The hotels and cottages there show that local and foreign travelers enjoy this beach. It's more of a new discovery and closer to nature. This is because at the other side of the road, you can see the mountains and rice farms lying. You can even see seafood being sold there. The calm atmosphere is really inviting with warm people around you. 

 It was in January 2009.

              The new thing now at Rizal Beach is surfing. It was not usual before to see some guys surfing even if since before the seawater waves there have been high enough I think to surf. But because of the surfing lessons they offer these days, especially this summer, people get attracted to surf there.

     LGU- Gubat(Barangay Rizal belongs to the town of Gubat) offers surfing lessons.

             However, I noticed a strange thing like the seawater of Rizal Beach now moves closer to the shore than before.I asked my mom why and she said that after the tsunami in Sendai, Japan, the seawater especially in its high tide state gets closer to the houses, cottages and hotels there. Take a look at the picture. Those coconut trees were not being washed away by the waves before, but it's different now. You can see that the trees are almost being taken away from the shore by the seawater and these are ready to fall down anytime. It's dangerous for people there especially those tourists who go there and cannot notice the situation.

               We cannot control the nature but we can control ourselves. The local government has an important role to perform to be able to recover from this havoc.This may mean protecting ourselves and our environment from total destruction.

Bicol: A Place of Memories

A view of the Mayon Volcano from the airport.

At Legazpi International Airport.

                                   At Lignon Hill with my friend Vanessa.


                  I just have been to the place where I grew up and that's in Bicol, especially in Albay. I was born in Sorsogon but my Dad was transferred to Nueva Ecija when I was 7 years old, that was in 1989. We went back to Bicol in 1991 after two years of stay in Nueva Ecija. Our first location was in  Donsol, Sorsogon. We lived there for 1 year. After that, we moved to Albay in 1993 and I was already 11 years old that time. I lived in Albay until March 2008 even though I also stayed here in Manila sometimes for months. It was for my ICT (In-Company Training) and I did some stuff after graduating college. I also stayed in Calbayog City and Catbalogan, Samar and did also some stuff there. I was able to see and experience almost the whole Eastern Visayas. In spite of that, I considered Albay as my home that time.
               Bicol is really a place that I can be proud of. I was able to see the place and people again last week. When this country of ours is full of chaos because of people, its location still lies an attractive one. You really can tell that, right? If the people in our country knew the life in order, we would never be beaten, we would never be losers, we would "win." Just like the beautiful province of Albay, many places are developed. Many things have changed since we first came to live there. Tourist attractions are better than before. We used to go to beaches like the one that we have in Gubat, Sorsogon, it's the Rizal Beach. I  grew up knowing and going back to that beach. Since it's my mom's place, we usually went there even if we didn't have a house yet back then in Gubat. Now that we already have, I always include it in my plans when I go home to see that beach again and go back to the memories that are still alive.
           I never had a chance to visit Masbate and Catanduanes since those provinces are islands and I didn't have any reasons to go there.  But I can always see and experience the provinces of Camarines (Norte and Sur), Albay and my home now, Sorsogon. The first two Bicol provinces I mentioned need attention from the government. If only the leaders of our nation were honest enough to execute the possibility of developing our nation more, we would be more developed than we could ever imagine. Our region will be more beautiful and developed if the government serves right.
                 I started my life, learned and created things in Bicol. I was able to witness and do some things beyond my imagination. I have dreamed and experienced things right there. I was able to come up with things I dreamed about. I was able to listen to people and share with them the beauty that life has. I was also hurt and learned from my mistakes in that exact place. Many things happened, many things are left spoken and unspoken. Many regrets, many successes and many wonders of life lie there. Most especially, those things made me what I am right now.