This is the second
part of my blog post with the City of Zamboanga as the main subject, my first
time to write two articles out of a single visit in a single destination.
Because the place is special to me, I would love to inscribe a separate post
about The Great Sta. Cruz Island, one of
the most popular places in the entire Zamboanga Peninsula. I realized now is
the very time to share my story about the island that was also responsible of
itching my restless feet.
This island nestled in
between the city of Zamboanga and the province of Basilan is by far the only
beach front with pinkish white sand. Amidst the growing controversy about the island
being abode of the notorious bandits in Mindanao, Sta. Cruz Island still stood
out as one of the most sought-after beach destinations in the Philippines.
From the mainland of
Zamboanga City, we were ferried by a boat to the island with a travel time of
15 minutes passing the Basilan Strait. The Paseo del Mar is the docking point
where we were also provided by a police escort prior to our departure. An
escort had already been a standard procedure in going to the island to ensure
safety of the guests as imposed by the Local Tourism Office. While on our way,
I saw several ferry boats cruising from Zamboanga to other portions of the
Autonomous Region in Muslin Mindanao (ARMM). In the northeastern part of the
island we spotted the two prevailing towns of Basilan, Lamitan and Isabela.
After 15 minutes of
cruising we finally docked at The Great Sta. Cruz Island. Actually there are
two islands comprising it, the other one adjacent to the bigger island where we
settled is the small Sta. Cruz Island. As expected, we were all set to witness
the pink sand. At first glance, the pink in it could never be distinguished but
if you try to zoom in the sand, the pink colors will be very clearly laid out
and spewed evenly to the white color that made the combination very saturated.
Also,
when you position yourself some meters away from the island, the pink shadow
will be very visible especially if it is kissed by the sun rays, very beautiful
scenery in a place portrayed badly by others. The bigger coral formations in pink
are other attractions in the island. To a colleague and friend who is afraid to
visit Zamboanga, you really missed this island Doreen Joy Durano Bauya, and all these pictures (hehehe).
The seawater is very
tempting, as well. You could not see single garbage floating around at least 500 meters from the perimeter of the island. And because the island is declared
by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as a Protected
Area, strict implementation of environmental laws is being observed by the
local authorities. At this point, the management of the island is done by the
city government of Zamboanga while the promotion is handled by the Department
of Tourism.
The community in Sta.
Cruz also takes part in the protection of the island. We were informed that the
eastern tip of the island is where the community settles; perhaps, to my mind
also include residents who are members of the Abu Sayyaf, MILF and other groups.
There were local folks selling souvenir items in the area. Some fishers even
sell their catches of fish and crabs.
I really saw some
fervent reasons to make ecotourism as the only way to save the island from
further destruction and to ignite peace in this place. Looking at the natural facets of Sta. Cruz Island
and the friendliness of the residents, those potential visitors who voluntarily
swayed away from this lovely place should take a second look. For me and my
friends who reside in region XI, we are just two regions away from this island.
We should not be hounded by the wrong notions that Zamboanga and the rest of
region IX is not worth a single visit. After all have been said and done and in
the final analysis, we are all mortals. If we do not try, nothing will really
happen.
If I may quote the Eraserheads,
“kung
magsisi sa huli, kaysa naman walang nangyari.”
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