Adventures in Pangulasian

As a curious and observant Palawan Water Monitor Lizard (most people call me Bayawak) on Pangulasian Island, I watched with interest as three young interns arrived on our shores. The staff welcomed them with a classic, heartwarming Palawan March performance. When they finally met some of my friends, one of the interns couldn’t help but express some concern about us roaming through the island. However, we might look frightening because we can be large creatures, I promise these young ladies that we are harmless. Besides, all of us were very excited about their arrival!

The resort on Pangulasian Island was more extensive than the previous ones they visited, so they initially opted for a golf cart tour instead of walking (they are lazy girls). However, their eagerness to learn and explore got the better of them. It was heartening to see them immerse themselves in our natural environment.

Upon reaching their room, they discovered some lovely souvenirs: big floppy hats and flip flops, which they happily decided to bring home as mementos.

The interns wasted no time, and I saw them embark on snorkeling adventures the next day, hoping to spot harmless sharks. One of them was quite hesitant at first and jokingly said, “What if they eat one of my fingers?”. Out of the five Blacktip reef sharks that were there, one of them saw three. During their snorkeling activity, they also searched for crown of thorns starfish (COTS), which are increasing in population because of the decline of their natural predator. If their outbreak is not controlled, it can be harmful to coral reefs.  Unfortunately, one of the interns got injured while handling a COTS, but luckily the injury wasn’t severe. They learned some first-aid tips to deal with such incidents, which was useful during the rest of their stay. I am happy to see that this incident did not prevent the interns from continuing to explore.

After a fulfilling lunch, they joined the resort’s staff in a coastal clean-up activity, which is a part of the Plastic Free July global movement. They were astonished by the immense amount of plastic littering the beach! This experience motivated them to educate the guests about the negative impact of plastic on the island’s biodiversity during their upcoming Green Night. I am happy to see that they want to make an impact here on the island and help wildlife not die from eating plastic. 

However, their plans for a sunset and sunrise hike got disrupted by a storm, but they remained optimistic about returning in the future to experience those activities.

On the following day, the interns felt both excited and nervous about presenting their Green Night. They wanted to make a strong case for sustainable practices, even during vacations, but the presence of guests taking pictures occasionally distracted them. Nevertheless, I must say they did a good job, and I think they successfully inspired the guests to be more environmentally conscious.

As their time on Pangulasian Island came to an end, they felt a tinge of sadness, as did I. I think the weather was that bad because none of us wanted these interns to go. Anyway, I hope that they keep on exploring and have good experiences at their next destination. It has been a transformative experience, and they definitely made a positive impact during their stay.