Lolet's Eco-Park in Dao, Capiz: A Perfect Place for the Fans of the Outdoors

Summer is not about to end yet. Definitely not. It's just May 8th and it's still a month away before the next school year opens. People still have the luxury of time to go around and explore different summer possibilities. Common, hit the road now and go to the town of Dao in Capiz. I have sussed out one terrific getaway for you - Lolet's Eco-Park!

Every month of February, the whole Assumption-Iloilo Community holds what is called the 'Integration Week'. We usually put this towards the end of the school year as a venue for students to 'find meaning and connection' in what they have learned throughout the school year. Part of the 'Integration Week' is the much-awaited 'Educational-Exposure Trip'.

In any trip, you either save or splurge. In Assumption, we save. A little bird told me that in some Iloilo schools, they usually have their field trips outside Iloilo, if not abroad. In our case, in choosing places to visit, we usually take into consideration the learnings the students might get from the trip. Students' safety is also another thing. The pleasure part takes a backseat.

Hence, recreational eco-parks and nature conservation centers are in vogue among Assumption girls and boys. Actually, 'eco-park' is a relatively new concept. It's a carefully designed area that promotes sustainable wildlife habitation and is a safe place where people of all ages and abilities can enjoy time together or on their own. Any eco-park offers a wealth of learning opportunities. 

I had the chance to join the Year III girls in their 'Educational Exposure Trip' to Lolet's Eco-Park in Dao, Capiz last February 2011. There were around 110 of us - 100 Assumption Iloilo girls and 10 chaperons who were all Assumption Iloilo personnel. We hired three buses. Since these were provincial buses plying the Iloilo City-Passi City route, they were not allowed to enter the major thoroughfares of downtown Iloilo City. We decided to meet at Total Gasoline Station in Tagbac, Jaro, instead. Call time was 7AM. 

Dao, Capiz is a little more than 80 kilometers from Iloilo City. If you use a private car, it takes around 2 hours to reach. Should you use a public bus, travel time ranges from 2 to 3 hours because of the occasional stops. Well, in our case, we had a restroom break at the Passi Bus Terminal. The City Government of Passi operates well-maintained toilets at the terminal for the public to use at a fee of Php3. Way to go, Passi City! Abanse, Passi!

From Passi City, we passed by the towns of Dumarao and Cuartero before reaching Dao. This to me was one great road trip. In my younger days, road trips meant freedom and the joy of the unexpected. Just hearing those two simple words 'road trip' would have me fluttering with excitement. I was hoping that these girls I was with were having the same feeling.

Along the way, meeting big trucks loaded with harvested sugarcane was a common thing. These sugarcane stalks were being transported to the mill for processing. The bus driver told me that there's a sugar central in Brgy. Man-it, Passi City. No wonder, Passi is dubbed as the 'Sweet City in the Heart of Panay'.

From the poblacion of Dao, it took 10 more minutes before we saw the concrete Lolet's Eco-Park marker. The entire place was vast, more than four hectares, I was told. The place was named after after the owner's father Luis 'Lolet' Escutin who used to serve as mayor of Dao. The eco-park is part of Brgy. Duyoc.

Owner Benedicto Escutin boasted, "This is the only eco-park in the whole of Dao. It is frequented by domestic and foreign tourists. People flock here to relax and have fun. You can do a lot of activities within the eco-park premises."

Of course, the main attraction of Lolet's is its swimming pool but we did not allow the girls to swim for security reasons. Instead, they turned their attention to the 100-meter zipline crossing the man-made lagoon. Others went boating. Generally, the eco-park is good enough for water entertainment but don't expect too much. 

Lolet's too, is a home to a good number of tropical birds, creepy reptiles, and monkeys.  Visiting the place is the ideal opportunity for families, visitors, and especially school boys and girls to find a unique nature experience right in the town of Dao, Capiz. 

When asked about her Lolet's Educational Trip experience, Assumption girl Regina Gustilo shared, "Going around the mini zoo, I found out what threats these animals are faced within the wild and the things that I can do to help protect the environment for future generations."

Should you decide to stay overnight, Lolet's offers affordable rooms with friendly rates ranging from Php 1000 to Php 1,600. These rooms are fully air-conditioned and can accommodate quite a number of people. There are two sets of rooms - the 'Lagoon View' rooms and the 'Residencia' rooms.

Teachers' Day 2011, Assumption Iloilo -- February 14, 2011

Around the world, the 'World Teachers' Day' is celebrated every 5th of October. This started in 1994 after the proclamation made by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ).  It was in celebration of the great step made for teachers in 1966 when a special intergovernmental conference convened by UNESCO in Paris, France in cooperation with the International Labor Organization ( ILO ) adopted the ILO-UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of teachers in all corners of the globe.

In Assumption Iloilo, however, we have a different date for our 'Teachers' Day' - February 14. On this very special day, students let their teachers know how important they are to them. Most Assumption students have high regard for their teachers. 

Teachers' Day 2011 was extra special to me because it's my first in Assumption Iloilo. I received lots of letters from my students both in Grade School and in High School. In some of my classes, they serenaded me with songs of appreciation and gratitude. But one class did something different, which in a way awed me.