Promoting eco-cultural tourism in Batanes #itsMoreFunInThePhilippines

May 9th, 2012 by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado

Despite our preconceptions about the allure of the place, we were still floored by the actual experience of being there. A clear light seems to suffuse the entire province – real life in HD. The drama of the juxtaposition of the landscape and seascape left us gushing and groping for words. We have literally never seen any place like it, although we have done a fair amount of traveling here and abroad.

Better and more insightful travel writers have written about Batanes, and it behooves the curious tourist to seek out their colorful and informative narratives. Thus, an enumeration of the province’s many wondrous sights need not be repeated here. These are just the impressions of a first time traveler who was enchanted by Batanes and will surely return.

Our gracious host was former Governor Telesforo Catillejos, a civil engineer by profession and now a board director of BCTA. It was Mr. Castillejos who gave us a backgrounder on the culture, economics and political life of the province. He seems to personify the typical Ivatan: warm, welcoming and eager to share the charms of their native land. Having served Batanes as governor for 3 terms, Gov. Castillejos has a unique understanding of the province and how it relates to the rest of the country.

The one other absolute about Batanes, apart from its natural beauty, is its physical isolation. Its relative inaccessibility is both a blessing and a curse. The land and its people have been shaped by an oftentimes harsh environment. Farming, fishing and livestock raising are still the main sources of livelihood. Ivatans are hardy and resilient, attuned to the vagaries of a temperamental climate. They have a strong sense of community. Neighbors look out for each other and every person is either an auntie, uncle or cousin. Bartering is still prevalent. The often-idealized concept of “bayanihan” is actually alive and well in Batanes.