Tags: Beaches and Water Activities, Festivals and Fiestas, Travel Tales and Tips
By KC Santos
CARAMOAN, CAMARINES SUR – Very rarely does one cross paths with a tour guide who, apart from his main responsibility of touring guests, extends his commitment to the preservation of Caramoan Island’s natural beauty.
The Caramoan peninsula has become a popular destination, thanks largely to the reality show Survivor. The European franchise of Survivor keep coming back to Caramoan, spending months filming in different islands.
Forty-year old Genaro Galang wasn’t born in Caramoan but his dedication towards preserving its natural beauty goes beyond his day job as tourist guide.
Mang Genaro was one of the first locals here to become licensed tour guides in 2008. He was then working for the owner of the West Peninsula Villas, which hosted the Survivor film crew, including the show’s contestants.
“I was determined to learn the ropes on circling the island to the extent that I did not care whether or not I will be compensated for assisting in tours,” he shares.
Back then, there was very little information gathered by the local government on the history of the islands. With the help of a local priest, Mang Genaro started Caramoan Adventures.
“It was the end of the peak season and piles of garbage were left behind by tourists and previous castaways. Caramoan Adventures was made by a priest named Father Joseph Salando who asked us that in return for the favor, we must allot a certain portion of what we can make from touring guests to maintain cleanliness of the islands,” he recalls.
It took months before Mang Genaro’s group formed the Caramoan Tour Guide Organization, whose main advocacy was to protect the island by conducting clean up drives on the islands ever so often.
His group also maintains a Facebook page wherein they would campaign for the preservation of the Caramoan Islands and raise the funds to help their activities.
“I try to exploit as many means possible to invite people to the island and take part in our environmental cause,” said Mang Genaro, a former salesman who relocated to Caramoan with his family.
Mang Genaro says Caramoan has other hidden attractions not yet explored by tourists. There is more to Caramoan than its stunning beaches – there’s also spelunking, kayaking, trekking, and underground river “discovery”.
“We are working closely with the tourism office so that visitors can see more interesting sites in just one visit,” he says.
On the average, he charges an average of P700 per person for big groups staying in the island for 2-3 days. This covers accommodations and tour expenses such as boat rentals.
This isn’t much when compared to other destinations like Boracay and Palawan that have more organized tourist guide associations and charge standard (and higher) rates.
“My wife is a teacher and I’m proud to say that my earnings helped her focus on her career as she doesn’t have to worry about the needs of our four children,” says Mang Genaro, adding he hopes to become the first to open a licensed tourism operations office in the island.
“Seeing my clients enjoying themselves and I feeling content with how I have served them is my reward. I will never trade this for any other job in the world,” he says,
(You can contact Mang Genaro through the Caramoan Adventures Facebook page or via mobile 0917.9629977 or 0999.4071613)
Get more information about West Peninsula Villas
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West Peninsula Villas in Caramoan is the house that Survivor built
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