Stranded in Boracay

Stranded sounds negative. Marooned is a better word.

So what do you do when you’re stranded in Boracay?

Here are some ideas.

1. Watch Rachel Lobangco play with fire.
The flame in her fire dance matched her copper-toned skin. She’s the famous girl behind the She-boom TV commercial and Boracay’s adopted celebrity.







2. Look like a foreigner.
I covered the 3rd International Dragon Boat festival opening right infront of the Boracay Regency.





3. Have dinner with an Ambassador.
I enjoyed a sumptuous meal with the Special Envoy to China, Ambassador Alfredo Yao and ZestAir Chief Operating Officer, Captain Tabora.



4. Get ‘adopted’ by the owners of Ambassador in Paradise Resort.
Dutch Joop Van Der Tak and Filipina wife Nikki Van Der Tak are not only exceptional hosts. The couple are serious investors, just what the country needs at this time.





5. Step into this pair of odd-looking sleepers.

I tried a pair at the Talipapa.



6. Enjoy Inasal at D Talipapa.
Too much fine dining makes being stranded too boring.



7. Eat special food.
Special in the sense that it’s the resort owner herself who cooked the meals. The Van der Tak children asks special orders from Mommy Nikki.





8. Kumain ng nakakamay.
Daing, tuyo, talong, isda, pusit, nilagang itlog. All these tasted differently when eaten in a windy restaurant that overlooks one of the greatest beachfronts of Boracay.



10. Read a project management book.
Near Fridays…



Near Discovery Shores…





And at my favorite spot at the Ambassador in Paradise…



9. Continue reading the book.
Learn new management concepts from LogFrames, hierarchy of objectives, causal logic...mga terms na nakakaubos ng buhok...
In front of the sari-sari store.



Pati sa bukana ng Talipapa.





10. If you find Boracay views too beautiful, just imagine you’re at the Driftwood Public Beach.
Take note Nizza. Enjoy the jologs crowd in Station 2 near 3.



11. Watch a Dutch celebrate birthday with family.
The lechon served was crispy. It was a simple celebration yet full of love and care, sans the show off that’s typical in society.







12. Pose like a hunk at the beachfront.
I tried with lovely friends Anita, Business Manager of Moments and Flovs, Director of Homepage.



13. Help Save Boracay!
We documented the beach erosion, one of the major problems of the island. Ambassador owner Nikki Van der Tak shows us the visual status of the beach erosion.



It’s almost a meter in this drainage which was unexposed some time ago. The ocean is slowly eating up the beach of Boracay. An internet site said “Boracay without its white beach is like the ocean without its water – nothing”.





Palm trees are also victims of beach erosion. Soon after the waves “reclaim” the beachfront, palm trees like this will disappear.



Resort owners like Joop resort to sand bags to protect the beachfront and not to haul white sand. Government offices, local authorities including the police must help these resort owners to protect Boracay. Public and private sector must collaborate for people like us to continue enjoying what is left in this paradise island. Harrassment, protection of vested interests and jealousy are unnecessary. Common interest to preserve Boracay glory must prevail.



14. Be a fashionista.
Have a photo shoot with Rachel Lobangco look-a-like. Anyone can be a fashionista when in Boracay. Accessories at 10 pesos, beach wear at 50 pesos.



Just avoid crazy and bad taste photos like this. For the sake of fun, I'm posting it for a little humour (after that mind-boggling LogFrame).



15. Magpakaturista.
Have a pic in almost all of the establishments including Boracay Regency and Boracay Peninsula.




16. Capture father and son star-gazing.
Enzo, come to Kuya!!!




17. Watch your wife and sons shown on MOMents at NET 25.
It was Lyra’s turn to share her momstyle. Ambassador Resort has LCDs even at the bathroom.




18. Sleep well in Ambassador’s softy, sweet smelling beddings.
Wake up and update your facebook courtesy of the resort’s wi-fi.



19. Meet dentist friend’s brother.
After the worship service at the grand house of worship in Boracay, I met Frederick Ibanez with his wife who were spending good time at Station 1 with their friends.



20. Enjoy the boat ride leaving the island.





21. Get a VIP treatment from the ZestAir frontline staff.
Compared to the first time we had an encounter with them, they were now very accommodating, gracious, smiling and very approachable. Thanks to Nikki Van der Tak of Ambassador Resort, CEO Amb. Yao and COO Captain Tabora.



Before getting stranded on this island, I had a long experience with Ro-ro.
Have fun signing your name in the Passenger’s Manifesto.



The sail was smooth. Humid. Not so bad, actually it was fun. Only that it was a 16-hour travel from Manila to Caticlan, roll on-roll out. And we're almost awake for 48 hours.





I look forward to being stranded on this island again.