I returned to Coron/Culion last week; it would be my second visit to the area in less than a year. I have over a dozen posts from my last trip which appear in the archives in late March and into April 2007. My assistant and the most senior member of our crew (and his family) was embroiled in a land dispute/ inheritance case that was threatening to get ugly. I had reviewed the documents and the case and thought I understood the situation enough to know that “we” were definitely in the right, in the “white”, and with the “forces of good”, as it were. If there is anything that gets me riled up, it’s when someone who is apparently in “the wrong” rides roughshod and takes advantage of others who may not have the ability or the resources to fight for their rights. But in this part of the archipelago, “wild west” rules prevail, and I am not exaggerating much when I write that. If you have read this blog for a while, you would have a feel for what service situations get me hot and bothered, so you would understand why I got involved in this land dispute case. I always root for the “underdog” and particularly so if the underdog works with me…
So this was to be the proverbial showdown. With one of our lawyers in tow, a thick consulting like report I prepared that detailed all the relevant facts, folders full of documents and other evidence, we arrived unannounced in a modest banca and to cut a long story short, completely fixed the problem in less than 8 hours. Our version of ammunition and firepower were the facts and the ability to go to court and fund a fight if necessary. We sought a win-win situation and nailed it right on the head. Needless to say, it worked out in the best possible way. Assistant and family is ecstatic, lawyer was brilliant, and Marketman can place a rare notch on the the tree in favor of the “good guys.” Lately, the other tree for the “bad guys” is so cut up with notches it’s about to die. You need a good story like this every once in a while. I was in brilliant spirits at the end of that first day. So now we had some time to take in the sights, and boy did we have the ultimate view…
After a courtesy call to the lady mayor wherein we simply told her we had finished our business to our satisfaction, she graciously invited Marketman and party to view the surrounding islands from a place they called “Pulang Lupa.” She sent us on our way with her driver in the municipality’s only four wheel drive vehicle. This vantage point, 30 minutes by dirt road from Culion town proper, high up on a hill, had a SPECTACULAR view of dozens of islands on the northeastern side of Culion island. In the distance was a glimpse of the islands that make up what is touted as the next “Boracay (II)” and areas with several stunning beaches that are being masterplanned into what folks hope will be a better version of Boracay, say 10-15 years hence. I had heard about this last year, and knew where the beaches were, but at the time I frankly hoped it would fail miserably, so that the pristine area would remain so… but development is sadly, inevitable, I fear. At any rate, this is one of the FIRST views you will see from Pulang Lupa on the internet, and some of the islands of the future Boracay II. The view was spectacular. I hope I don’t see it totally ruined in my lifetime.
What is amazing about the area is also the clarity and cleanliness of the water… several sandy spots were an incredible hue of blue and little inlets, passageways and waterways between islands just made you think of Robinson Crusoe or other such tale. I fell in love with the area last year, and this trip just increased my appreciation of places far from civilization, and unsullied by extensive human occupation. I was fortunate enough to tour several islands and visit a few beaches in the short time we had there, but I am convinced this is one of the nicest areas of the country. If you have never been to Northern Palawan, try to get there before the maddening crowds that have, in my opinion, ruined so many other brilliant spots in our country. When we were in Boracay last year, walking back on the beach to our hotel one evening, I passed two Filipino tourists urinating a few feet into the shallow water, too drunk, stupid or careless to walk a few more meters to find a proper toilet. I hope they went swimming the next day and gulped a few millimeters of sea water with someone else’s fecal matter. I am not inclined to return to Boracay. But I could return to Coron in a flash…
63 Responses
you have a good heart, mm. God Bless you for rooting for the underdog as you say.
i’m not too hot to set foot in Boracay too after hearing about the sewage problem. i think my past seven visits are enough.
pulang lupa is stunning. i hope it remains untainted. may the island never be mauled by a Jollibee and Andok’s Litson Manok and any other commercial edifice…
hi marketman, glad to hear that your trip was a success.
did you notice that the colour scheme of all your pictures are within the blue, green and brown shades, including what you’re wearing? tee.hee. :))))) they’re all postcard-perfect, by the way :)
Hi MM: Glad to know your Senior Assistant’s embroiled land dispute has been resolved with your help.
Your stunning photographs of Pulang lupa makes me wanna cry. Buti ka pa.. Wish I could have chance to see the place in person before its too late. Cry? Well with the way tourism development seems to be creeping in… i shudder at the thought that the beaches and islands might be ruined from too much human occupation and commercialism. Look at Boracay today..Noisy..crowded ..no longer well maintained..trash becoming a problem..and they still have plans to build another hotel complex. Sigh.
God bless your soul MM! :) Your kindness brightened my god-awful day. Thank you.
When I was 10 years old I had the privilege of seeing Boracay in all its pristine purity, no commercial establishments just a whole stretch of the most beautiful beach I had ever seen with lush plants where the hotels now are. We were actually the only people on the whole beach front. So sad that its beauty has been greatly diminished.
buti na lang you’re one of the good guys!
congrats! it’s nice to encounter stories like these. and the photos are a refreshing sight. i do hope that this place remains shielded from the threats of big mining projects which are such a big issue elsewhere in palawan.
MM, you look slim pag nakatalikod. Have you lost weight already??
You truly have a big heart. And thanks for sharing Pulang Lupa. That is truly a beautiful place and I hope too that it stays that way.
It’s sad that conservation of areas like these in the Philippines is never top priority. It takes years to restore land to its pristine state once we mangle it.
How about printing a shirt that says, MM for President!
This is awesome! First I heard about this and saw a picture. Thank you for sharing.
Magnificent and breathtaking views! Good heart and deeds are always rewarding and fulfilling!
Are you Chief Technology Officer of _ _ _ _ – _ _ _ _ _ _.com
and owner of n _ _ _ s.com, and working at h_ – _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
? If yes I am on of your funs hahahah.. always visiting this
site, if thats you its like seeing you personally, because in market manila you always hide your face and a handful of people are lucky enough to see and eat with you personally. I’ just asking..
Hi MM. These are beautiful pictures! Can you tell us how to get there and where to stay? Thanks.
bravo, MM! there’s no losing with you on anyone’s side. your passion for food and to do good is quite a combination.
and your generosity in sharing your knowledge is astounding and touching. because of you, we who do not travel much (for various reasons) have vicariously traveled and imbibed so many cultures and scenery.
from the bottom of my heart and my shoe soles, a big big THANK YOU!!!! the help that you extend will return to you a thousandfold.
I like happy endings. So good of you to help out. In my corner of the world, I do the same, and have succeeded several times. Isn’t it wonderful that one can actually help some people in need? There’s a famous saying that plays in my mind everytime I embark on one of these activities (which can really be time consuming): “I shall not pass this way again… whatever good I can do, let me do it now… for I shall not pass this way again”.
Well done, MM. Congratulations!
As for the photos, they’re stunning! Let’s hope that place stays pristine and “green” for a long, long time.
Avic,you take a flight from Manila (on SEAIR or Asian Spirit) to Busuanga, a jeep to Coron town and you can stay there at several hotels, but I used the Village Lodge. You can then arrange for bancas to take you out to the islands. My previous posts cover these. Juan, thanks for guessing… but I am so computer illiterate I thought a virus was a cold, so my being the Chief Technology Officer of any enterprise is as improbable as my ever becoming President… I don’t own any other domain names and I don’t work full time anymore… :) Tricia, I only publish pictures that don’t show too many bulges…hahaha! No, I haven’t lost a lot of weight.
MM am plotting my holidays… am digging blog files.. yours, Joey to check all these wonderful places….Great photos MM surely this place will become a tourist spot sooner or later.
Land issues are such volatile areas everywhere. Here, where I live, just yesterday, one of our municipal’s (two) lawyers was gunned down by a hired killer because of a land dispute. We had (in the past) sought legal advises from this lawyer and found him good—direct to the point and even generous with his ideas. He would win many cases and write idealistic treatises in our local newsletter. Yes, he won that land dispute which caused 5 bullets that snuffed out his life.
Your story is indeed a refreshing one! God bless people like you and your likes!
we went to corn just a couple of weeks back for a graduate school project. being in the company of architects, we needed plans and titles of exact dimensions for site. but what are available are sketches handed out as demarkation of ownership, thus it is hard to really pin point the land boundaries, unless you are talking about islands as whole. but they really talk about land for sale in terms of hectarage. but some of the islets and islands have immeasurable beauty. there was one, i mean two islands where there is a sand bar in the middle (called twin islands), sand part becomes fully submersed in high tide, so island becomes separated.
did you get to sample food stuff there? are there any outstanding plant ingredients? but i heard that the soil in the calamianes group is poor thus their produce comes mostly from mindoro.
I love Coron, and have heard a lot of good things about Culion. I do hope it doesn’t become too commercialized. I read that Gatchalian of Waterfront bought an island there and is planning to build a result within the Culion/Coron area…
Wishing the best of luck to the underdogs!
By the way, if you’re the man in the photo…I don’t see bulges hehe :)
MM don’t mind the the weight too much, as long as the intellect is sexy and so is the culinary skills. :) One can’t have everything. I guess the expansive view works to your advantage. By the way, job well done.
MM, nice to see your pic, kahit nakatalikod lang. at least it gives an idea of how old/young you are. because you constantly write about food, i had the impression that you’re old and really fat.. hehehe
Oh Juan… I know who marketman is… He is a man, he goes to the market, he blogs, he rants, we read.
Coron/Culion is really scenic and pristine. I wish to wander there sometime.
Boracay is seenic, see and be seen.
I’ve never been to Boracay. I’ve always been curious though. The sewage problem has dampened my desire to go.
I hope whoever develops this place does not overdevelop and make the same mistakes as Boracay.
could i ask how much a banca ride is. we went there and the banca ride was paid for by the lot owners.
Well, I hate to sound a bit depressing but the chances are pretty high that this part of the world is heading for big change. Part of the reason it is called the ‘next Boracay’ is that many Boracay resort owners have been hanging around the area for several years and trying to buy many of the small islands. Apparently they have had mixed results because, as MM shrewdly points out, it is the Wild West and many of the normal-ish rules concerning land ownership and purchase just don’t seem to apply.
Land prices are increasingly expensive and there are continued reports that some of the larger Interntaional hotel chains are heading to the area. You can see why – it is beautiful. The slight plus side here (if there is one) is that many of these will be private resort islands so they are unlikely to develop in a Coney Island / Boracay type way. I also guess to be fair that if you live in this under resourced area there is an obvious attraction to some of the more positive aspects of increased tourism – more employment, better salaries, less reliance on over-fished waters, possibly better healthcare and education (badly needed) etc etc. Of course this depends hugely on properly managed, sustainable, eco-friendly and people friendly development – so don’t hold your breath.
Other bad news? The Busuanga airport is currently being extended ( apparently courtesy of contributions from overseas) so that it can take direct international flights from Inchon….. There is a proposed promenade in Coron Town…. lots of promises of instant money make people trigger happy… it’s not going to remain unspoilt for much longer. Culion will probably remain in a better place than Coron though.
lee, I am just asking if he is the man I saw on an article in the site. thats all. checking on his name though confirmed by marketmanila that he was that man.
I’m sure your crew must feel very fortunate to work for someone like you…my mother and her friends are now in Palawan for their ladies’ pre-valentine weekend getaway…hmmm, I wonder if you had time for food tripping or market hopping but I did enjoy the pics(you always take good pictures, nice shots of food/nonfood),Mr.MM :)
hubby and i are planning to go to palawan next month, thanks for sharing this post!!
am going to palawan 1st week of april.we were thinking of other resorts but now because you said so , we will go to culion. is this the former leper colony.mm how come you always face backwards.
I found your blog through the previous post of your trip to Coron/Culion. It was a bonus that you loved cooking, I was born and raised in Culion. My heart sank when I read that plans are underway to develope a “Boracay” there. I can’t say I’m happy that the place will improve and provide jobs to locals. I think it is sad. Strange though that I have not heard this news from my siblings. I’m not sure locals know about this.
Thank you for your kind heart. We need more people like you in our country.
“juli says:
I found your blog through the previous post of your trip to Coron/Culion. It was a bonus that you loved cooking, I was born and raised in Culion. My heart sank when I read that plans are underway to develope a “Boracay†there. I can’t say I’m happy that the place will improve and provide jobs to locals. I think it is sad. Strange though that I have not heard this news from my siblings. I’m not sure locals know about this.”
hi juli. could i email you privately? i am doing my thesis on culture and landscapes and i have some questions about culion. my email is metscaper@yahoo.com
i look forward to your reply. thanks.
Thank you for your kind heart. We need more people like you in our country.
Hello MM,
Been a while since I last posted a comment. But I continue to enjoy this wonderful site of yours. It’s a Saturday and I should be sleeping in late but I ended up waking up at 5:30 am. Must be the disturbing news (again) on this whole ZTE brouhaha. I needed something to cheer me up and guess what? This post lifted my spirits up. Yes sometimes the “good” people DO actually win , I just wish it were more often.
This post also reminds me of what Leonardo de Caprio did. To ensure that an island he fell in love with would never ever get blemished by commercialization he went out and simply bought it. I’m sure if all of us here had the means to do so we will all do the same.
Its good to hear that you enjoyed your trip- I love Coron, but more for its wreck diving… sadly, thats about ALL there is to do on the Island. The new Banyan Tree project will help, the vast swaths of land leave plenty of room for development, however I certainly hope that local investors and the government think this through carefully. Boracay and Palawan are natural stunners– Coron, will need to define itself differently.
when we went there, it was ms marian nash that accompanied us. there are islands with sparse plant cover and she said the soil is ric in manganese or some other metal. but on coron exposed soil is reddish (maybe that is why it is called pulang lupa). i would assume that a reddish soil is rich in iron. my assumption is soil wit rich iron tends to make plants grow well and reddish in color.
one word.. WOW! keep up the good work man!
Bless your good heart, Marketman! May your tribe increase. It is good to know that there are people like you around. It makes me feel more hopeful about the times.
I hope the comerciantes never, never discover Culion because it would be a pity to let such a beautiful place go to waste.
But if you keep on writing about it, MM, next year you might find Jollibee and company there. :P
Seriously, thanks for the beautiful pictures (though I wonder if I’ll ever get to such a distant place). I’m also happy you and your crew were able to settle the dispute to your satisfaction.
bugsybee , Adam et al, unfortunately, I am mortified to report that a rapidly reclaimed area at the Coron town port has already booked deals with 7 fast food chains to open their branches there within the next two years… Coron is just about an hour away from Culion so you can see the dread on the horizon…
Hi MM, congrats to you and your staff for the early settlement of the land dispute case. Cheers to that! Been to Puerto Princesa before and Boracay too, but I’m dying to see Pulang Lupa after you’ve posted it here. Thanks for sharing about this wonderful place.
I never realised that Culion was(is) this stunning. I grew up having a psychological ‘aversion’ towards Culion Island due to what my mother used to do – burn all letters and correspondence coming from that area. The reason was that my uncle – a doctor – worked there at the Culion Leper Colony, so she was scared that the letters were infected!
i went to coron last july and it was stunning! part of the charm of the place, for me, was the fact that it was not yet commercialized. so it comes as a sad news indeed to know that plans are underway to “develop” the place.
MM, bless your kind, kind heart. no wonder you are so blessed
Greetings!
I am happy that you gave a good review of Culion. The island is not only proud by being composed of beautiful islands but is also accessible to numerous other prestine and well developed islands (El Nido, Amanpulo and Club Paradise among others), marine protected areas and sunken japanese warships (located at the Coron Bay).
In addition, the island prides itself as rich in history because of the story of the lepers who were forced to move here during the American Occupation. Structures where they are confined and restricted still abound the area.
The developmental thrust for the island is towards a sustainable eco-tourism endeavor that balances history, environment and community development. No other island can compare to what Culion has to offer!
With access to the island not being a problem, the Calamianes group of islands offers a better alternative to the crazy madness offered by Boracay!
Means of getting to Culion:
Expensive and brief way – Take the Asian spirit or Sea Air small planes to Busuanga. There are 10 to 15 seater planes that flies daily, twice a day. Fare cost about Php 4,000.00 one-way. From Busuanga, one has to talk a 1 hour jeepney ride to Coron (fare is Php 150.00). From there, you can take the 1 hour boat ride to Culion.
Affordable, scenic and relaxing trip
Take a 12 hour ship rides (Negroes Navigation or Super Ferry). Negroes leaves Manila on Thursday for Coron and returns to Manila on Saturday while the Super Ferry leaves Manila on Friday for Coron and back to Manila on Sunday. From there, one can take a 1 hour boat ride to Culion
your right marketman, the view from up there is as good as it gets. i’ve stood there.
hey thanks mm for the photos.
waaah, i plan to go home to Culion this summer vacation.
you give me an idea where to go.
tnx…
wow!I was surprised…I was born and raised in Culion. I had my vacation there last christmas holidays. My mother was telling me always “punta tayo sa Pulang Lupa” which was the first time I heard, according to her it was discovered few months back by the locals.Unfortunately wasn’t able to visit the place, now have some regrets…thanks for visiting Culion.nice shots!
Maganda dito punta kau smen, tga dito ako!!!
We should be grateful for people like you who truly appreciate the true beauty of Culion. Should anybody plan on visiting the magnificent Island of Culion and is looking forward to experience a different kind of adventure and nature tripping, just visit Tabing Dagat Lodging House and Restaurant located at Brgy. Balala, Culion, Palawan. For more information, you may also visit our muliply account: tabingdagalodge.multiply.com.
I’ve seen Pulang Lupa during my last visit to Culion Island and not only did I felt amazed at its beauty, I was even stunned at the magnificent views of Culion Island itself. My family and I stayed in Tabing Dagat Lodging House and Restaurant (I think it was also known as Aplaya Lodge) and we were very much thankful that we met the owner and the rest of their family. They were so accommodating and even gave us us the best service they could offer. Mind you, sila lang ang nag-o-offer ng aircon rooms sa island. One would really feel at home while staying in the lodge. Promise sobrang ganda! Ang sarap bumalik ulit. You guys should try and visit Culion Island see for yourself an extraordinary adventure you will surely never forget.
Alex and Kayla, actually, I got off my banca just behind the Tabing Dagat lodging house, and my assistant who I went to Culion with knows the Mercado family. However, I wasn’t thrilled with the lodging options on Culion and would still recommend a stay in Coron unless you have several days of business or pleasure in Culion…
hellow everyone!!My hometown (CULION PALAWAN) is doing a great job of attracting more visitors by increasing job development and growing the economic base. They are also revamping the downtown and possibly adding an attractive areas and views LIKE “PULANG LUPA”.I never heard that when i was there..actualy last month ko lng narinig sa sis ko..well,,I’m going home this may 24 up to may 30…hope to see what they called”pulang lupa!!
imiss my place..my families,,my friends and lhat laht tlga…especially seafoods..wow!great!..dito kc sa dampa lang nkakatikim..napkamahal pa!kahit n yung “LATO”..haiz….
hmmm… culion is nice place…
but one thing that ican say… the municipality
is very disgusting…. so sad…
Jade186 says:
I never realised that Culion was(is) this stunning. I grew up having a psychological ‘aversion’ towards Culion Island due to what my mother used to do – burn all letters and correspondence coming from that area. The reason was that my uncle – a doctor – worked there at the Culion Leper Colony, so she was scared that the letters were infected!
February 10th, 2008
I think letter coming from the island will not easily infect you at all. It is only ignorance that isolate Culion from the society.
thanks for posting the pulang lupa,nakita q narin cya kh8 sa picture lang..actually i was born in culion palawan marami na akong napuntahang island sa culion pero yan ay di q pa narating..excited na nga akong mag-open ang boracay II para may reason na q na puntahan yan..im here in boracay now kaya gusto kong malaman kung ano nga ba and the best sa dalawang place na to….
Culion is definitely different from the Culion we knew then. For me, it’s NOT just an ordinary, sleepy town that offers a nice view of the sea BUT RATHER IT IS a new born island, tranquility and quaint at its best.
For those who don’t know what is CULION now?…CULION,,yES! Is a former leper colony(as we all know)…FORMER means “occuring in the past .Past is past…although we can never change it..but we can improve it for good image..Culionares are hospitable,,I am assuring u all..
Culion, for a time was nicknamed, unfortunately, The Island of the Living Dead.
Not that creatures of the underworld roamed the streets at night or scared its inhabitants but it was an act of government that made it compulsory for lepers in the country, from Luzon to Mindanao, to be segregated into this forlorn of places. Leprosy is an ancient scourge and before the medical breakthroughs in the middle of the 20th century, there were no known cures. Sufferers were treated like pariahs and left deformed for life.
Actually being a leper colony before, it contributed greatly to the understanding and treatment of leprosy worldwide. Now, those memories are enshrined in the museum. Its archives a rich testimony to the suffering and eventual liberation of its patients and of the island.
It’s an island of the living dead no more!
Hi,
I’m Arlene Campus.I live here in Manila.And I’ve been in culion lastyear.And I stayed in tabing ilog lodging house.I stayed there for 3days.I’ve never seen the “pulang lupa”.Is that a new recovery place?You know what,i checked this website.You made a nice story about pulang lupa but my comment is why do you call that boracay II? There’s no beach there. And your talking about the pulang lupa on this website but you never showed up the picture of pulang lupa.Only the mountains in culion. I think you should take more pictures of pulang lupa and make it closer. Anyways,that’s all I can say about that now..Thanks!
I got the hint of your story about Culion and your physique. You must be my friend. Anyway, I don’t need to mention your name though. What is important is that I am happy to know that you worked out the land dispute. The land should be for the people of Culion and not for anyone else who has the money.
Yup, I went to pulang lupa and it gives a fantastic view. But I wish it should be maintained that way. I am also happy to know that not much has been altered in culion’s landscape. wish it could remain that way – the way I used to see it 15 years ago.
Well, I was looking for you when I went to Culion last May 22-24 but you’re not there. Just take care, people can be monstrous when it involve land and money. See you in my next visit to Culion perhaps next year.
jess, I don’t live in Culion… I was there to help someone else, who is from Culion.
Well, I thought you’re sir G.L. but anyway it doesn’t matter who you are. What is important is your deed which is a great contribution to the people of Culion. Way back when, that land issue has been my concern, too. I was even offered to have a 2 hectares somewhere in Patag to me shut up but I didn’t take the bait. I’m back now in Cebu and when I was in the United States, that island Culion kept hounding me so I decided to visit the place last May this year. I don’t know, it must be because of my love for that island which made me nostalgic.
Anyway, I’m happy that I’m not all alone thinking about Culion and Culion will always be part of my heart for I was also a former Hansen patient.
Well, so much for that my best wishes for you and your staff for doing a noble job. I know no one will ever be able to pay you materially but I do trust there’s one omnipotent up there who’s watching us.
God bless and more power!
…good day guys, for those people who still know me,
I am one of the residents in CULION, and i can say that this place is SOOOOOOOOOOO,, AMAZING… That’s all.. thank you..and take care. Have a nice vacation here in my hometown.
……………hi to all palawenos……………………….