I Am Blogie

About half an hour’s ride by speedboat from Davao City is a charming beach resort that can melt your worries and bring you much-needed rest & relaxation. Leticia by the Sea on Talikud Island, Samal, is one of the many beach resorts now dotting the Samal coastlines, but it’s one of the better resorts in its class. In terms of location and amenities, Leticia by the Sea tops the others of its class.

Leticia by the Sea at night

Recently, the owners of the resort — who, by the way, also operate Casa Leticia, Tsuru Japanese Restaurant and Hanoi Vietnamese Cuisine — hosted a group of bloggers and photographers to an overnight stay, which all of us thought was close to an enchanted experience. (Disclosure: I am related to the resort owners.)

Leticia by the Sea markets itself as an exclusive resort, which groups can “own for a day,” so to speak. Their most popular package is for groups of 20 who stay for a night or two and they get to have the run of the place exclusively.

I will let the following photos tell you more about the resort:

The idea is to get your friends or your family (or your organization) to own the island resort while you’re all there, with no strangers except for the resort attendants who are there to keep you reasonably comfortable. There are modern amenities that you might expect from a resort, such as clean running water in the bathrooms, privacy when needed, air-conditioning. There’s no wi-fi (yet), but I’m happy to report that all the mobile carriers do reach the resort and broadcast 3G Internet signals.

Aside from lounging and enjoying the idyllic ambiance of Leticia by the Sea, there are plenty of other activities for everyone on the resort. There are kayaks, jet ski, thrilling inflatable rides, snorkeling gear, and even an aquatic trampoline. But the best marine pursuit for me at the resort is scuba diving.

Just in front of the resort is a vibrant undersea ecosystem. Again, I will let the photos below do the talking. The first set are photos by resort proprietor, Ray de la Paz.

This next set is by one of Davao’s best photographers, Bing Peña.

(For even more awe-inspiring photography of undersea life in Davao’s waters, you must check out Steve de Neef’s account of the recently-concluded Philippine Seafari – Davao edition. He has a breathtaking collection of macro shots that will make you want to take up scuba diving and spend all your weekends underwater!)

That day we went diving, the sun was ablaze and visibility was excellent, which made for great photography and hours’ worth of underwater wonderment. It was pure pleasure observing delightful sea creatures and schools of varicolored tropical fish. (What I’d like to be able to do next is dive at night, when the undersea environment is bound to be drastically different and mysterious.)

The resort does not have its own scuba diving facilities. However, it’s very easy to engage the services of dive shops in Davao City. The Leticia by the Sea staff can arrange this for your group if you indicate that you’d like to go diving while at the resort.

Sunset cruise

One other activity that I vigorously recommend is their Sunset Cruise. You and your pals are taken by speedboat to the mouth of Samal Strait to view the sun as it sets behind Mt. Apo, with drinks and eats and soothing music on board.

To get to this tropical paradise, you have two options: go in style by speedboat, or by commercial ferry (which takes a little more than an hour). Either way, you will have to book in advance, because the resort does not allow walk-ins. Call +63(82)224-0501 or visit the beach resort’s website for more information.

They also offer day trips… But that’s not a good idea, because once you’re on the island, you’re definitely going to want to stay!

Here are other blog posts about Leticia by the Sea Beach Resort:

• BYAHILO: Ito ang trip ko!
• Life Online
• Dabaw Pinoy
• lost… in Davao!
• Shuttered Identity
• JuanDerPul PINOY

Press Statement – 27 April 2011
Philippine Eagle Foundation

Four Eagles in Five Months:
A Statement of Alarm Over the Rate of Eagle Retrievals

The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) expresses alarm over the spate of captures of Philippine Eagles in the last five months. The PEF team has retrieved four Philippine Eagles since December 2010, making up one of the highest rate of retrievals since the year 2000. More alarming is that two of these four eagles were rescued with serious injuries, and that a third eventually died from fungal infection.

In December 2010, the PEF rescued a female eagle estimated to be about 5-6 years old in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte. The eagle was missing two out of three toes on her right foot.

A month after, on 31 January 2011, DENR – Region 11 personnel turned over a one-year-old male eagle which originated from Sitio Biasong, Don Salvador, Mati, Davao Oriental. Details are still sketchy about the history of the bird.

Then on 4 April, a juvenile Philippine Eagle was retrieved from Sen. Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat. PEF staff believe that the eagle had already been held captive for over a month by the time it was in PEF custody. It was to be released back to the wild, but the bird died on the 24th of the same month, from stress leading to multiple organ failure due to extensive fungal infection.

Finally, on 19 April 2011, an eagle about a year old was brought to the Philippine Eagle Center by residents of Sitio Biha, Bgy. Tambobong, Baguio District, Davao City. Only two primary feathers remained on its right wing.

What we gather from this wave of retrievals is that:

We are extremely distressed about these events. We call on all local government units and the media to advise their constituencies on the appropriate response when a Philippine Eagle is found. The PEF offers the following guidelines:

Further, we call on the Philippine government and its law enforcement and judicial agencies for stronger enforcement of Republic Act 9147. Crimes committed against nature have effects of a much bigger impact than we can imagine (deforestation; the landslide of Guinsaugon, Leyte) and can reach generations beyond our own (global warming).

The Philippine Eagle is important not just because it is our national bird and therefore a symbol of our country, but more so because the abuse and harm caused on Philippine Eagles illustrate our recklessness in managing our natural resources. If the Philippine Eagle, which is already perhaps the most prominent and recognizable of Philippine wildlife species, suffers a fate as grim as the above four eagles have experienced, how much more other species?

What bigger injustices could possibly be happening to the rest of the Philippine environment?

We condemn these acts of violence against nature and call on our fellow Filipinos to adopt more sustainable paths towards progress. Our economy is built on natural resources — the indiscriminate killing and plunder of these resources is not development. This will only bring us several steps backward.

For more information, and to find out how you can help, please contact:

Ms Tatit Quiblat
Manager for Development, Philippine Eagle Foundation
Mobile: +63(917)712-2895 • Email

Philippine Eagle Foundation
Malagos, Baguio District, Davao City
Tel. +63(82)271-2337 • Fax +63(82)301-1033 • Email

[Media Release]

Manila—Birdwatchers, conservationists and eco-tourism promoters from all over Asia and elsewhere have their eyes on the Philippines, which is hosting Asia’s first-ever region-wide bird festival.

The Wild Bird Club of the Philippines said the First Asian Bird Fair will be held in Davao City from 24 to 26 September 2010, in tandem with the 6th Philippine Bird Festival, the country’s premier avian conservation and eco-tourism event. The milestone event is co-hosted by the Philippine Eagle Foundation and the Davao City local government.

The First Asian Bird Fair — themed “Nurture Nature, Save our Future” — is a common initiative of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, the Chinese Wild Bird Federation, the Wild Bird Society of Taipei, the Malaysian Nature Society and the Nature Society (Singapore).

The Asian Bird Fair, which highlights the respective bird festivals of the participating countries, seeks to enrich eco-tourism through birdwatching and promote the natural and cultural heritage of host cities.

The Asian Bird Fair and 6th Philippine Bird Festival will be held at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao on 24-25 September, in time for the autumn migration of birds from Japan, China and parts of Siberia. Entrance to the Asian Bird Fair exhibit area is free of charge, according to organizers.

Highlights of the fair include the Bird Conservation Forum and turn-over ceremony to representatives of the Chinese Wild Bird Federation, host of next year’s Asian Bird Fair in Tainan City. International and Philippine delegates will also tour the Philippine Eagle Center and Eden Garden Resorts while in Davao.

WBCP president Michael Lu said the fair will include photo exhibits, presentations and fun activities for the young “and young at heart.” Children can also look forward to a guided tour at low tide of the tidal flats fronting the Waterfront Insular Hotel, where children can have a close look at marine species like fiddler crabs and mudskippers as well as spectacular views of herons, egrets and shorebirds.

Lu expects the event to draw birdwatchers, conservationists, eco-tourism promoters, sustainable development providers, and nature lovers from around the country, Asia and Europe.

Alice Villa-Real, chair of the committee organizing the 1st Asian Bird Festival and 6th Philippine Bird Festival, said the latest initiative is a significant move to draw attention to pressing conservation issues.

“We can make a significant difference to protect the rich bird life and habitats of our islands, whilst promoting responsible enjoyment of nature and encouraging related sustainable businesses in the local communities,” Villa-Real pointed out.

International groups participating in the Asian Bird Festival are Chinese Wild Bird Federation, Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, Malaysian Nature Society, Nature Society of Singapore, Wild Bird Society of Taipei, the Shanghai Wild Bird Society, Fujian Birdwatching Society, Kaoshiung Wild Bird Society, Wild Bird Society of Tainan, Hong Kong Birdwatching Society, Eco-education and Resources Center, Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, Borneo Bird Club, Hornbill Research Foundation, the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association, Bird Conservation Nepal and the Oriental Bird Club confirmed participation in the event.

Local organizations joining are Conservation International, Fauna and Flora International, Katala Foundation, WWF-Philippines, Birding Adventure Philippines, Kaakbay, Malagos Garden Resort, Monfort Bat Cave & Conservation Foundation, Philippine Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, Philippine Wild Bird Photographers, My Zoo Foundation, City of Alaminos (Pangasinan), City of Balanga (Bataan) and the Municipality of Candaba (Pampanga).

Event sponsors include the Philippine Eagle Foundation, the City Government of Davao, Team Energy Foundation, Primer Group, Aboitiz Power, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Tanduay Distillers, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Fauna & Flora International, Philippine Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, C. K. Lu Enterprises, Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao, Grand Men Seng Hotel and NCCC Mall.