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.

With the Asher Tribe Members Justine Ariane Cordon and Aurelia Nava - Intramurals 2011, Assumption Iloilo

The theme of Intramurals 2011 is 'Assumption Without Borders Through Sports'. The different tribes both in the Grade School and High School got their names from the famous 12 Tribes of Israel in the Old Testament. The girls here belonged to the Asher Tribe.

Pagpanalawsaw -- A Day with the Atis of Sitio Balagon, Barangay Badiang, Anilao, Iloilo

Yes, I see them everytime I go downtown. They're everywhere. They beg. They sell native stuff. And they're actually interesting. -- They are our Ati brothers and sisters. 

January 22, 2011, Saturday. Iloilo City was in a frenzy because of the Kasadyahan and the Dinagyang festivals. While everybody was going to the city, I was scheduled to take the opposite direction - Anilao, Iloilo!

This was a part of our course requirement in 'Socio-Cultural Foundations of Education' class at the Graduate School of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV). With us were two UP professors, Dr. Aurora Fe Bautista and Prof. Donne Jone Sodusta. We're going to see the modes of education practiced by the Ati community of Sitio Balagon, Brgy. Badiang, Banate, Iloilo. 

I woke up at 4 AM which was quite unusual for me. I'm not a morning person, you know. Nanay had woken up 30 minutes earlier, so the food was already ready on the table. I was excited because it was our first time as a class to go out together.

Our meeting place was in front of Andoks-Jaro Branch. I actually arrived in good time. I saw my classmates busy buying their breakfast but I opted to stay inside my assigned van. I took a short nap and when I opened my eyes we were ready to go. I slept all throughout the trip which lasted for almost an hour and a half. Dr. Bautista was with us. We were 15 inside the van excluding the driver.

I knew we were approaching the place when the bus took a sudden turn. The bus traversed a dusty road lined with sugarcane plantation. When we reached the dead end, we were told to get out.

We were welcomed by the village chieftain and his wife. I shook their hands. They were rough. I told myself, "Oh, there are many kinds of hands. There are manicured hands. There are perfumed hands. There are smooth hands. The best hands, though, are those that work."

I wasted no time. I scoured the whole place to look for somebody whom I could interview. I found one - the village chieftain's daughter. I was happy to know that she had gone to school and she knew how to read and write. She brought me to several houses and introduced me to some of the village folks. 

In the community, I met one pastor. He had gone to school and now he's helping his fellow Atis learn how to read and write. He also serves as the spiritual guide of the natives. Every Sunday, he leads in the worship service and he introduce the Word of God to them. He gave a very assuring remark saying that the Atis, however, are very resilient people. Their natural way of life is often hampered by calamities both natural and man-made. With numerous organizations composed of educated Atis, they are now active in promoting and upholding their rights particularly to their ancestral domains.

The pastor introduced Iko to me. He's 12 years old and was in 4th Grade in elementary. I had seen Iko before during the doxology and he was very graceful in the interpretative song they delivered. I told myself that this child would go a long way if given enough opportunities. He was very docile, a mark of a successful person. 

Iko was shy at first, but I managed to let him talk after a lot of motivation. He told me that school was fine but he thought helping his parents make a living was more important. I showed him some texts in my book and asked him to read. Surprisingly, he read with acceptable pronunciation and speed. I sighed. This kid only needs opportunities, indeed. 

When the clock struck 12, everybody gathered around the makeshift table to partake the food that the field trippers had brought and the delicacies the natives had prepared. I just sat in a corner and meticulously observed. Suddenly, I remember the lines from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech saying, "I have a dream that one day, on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood."

I'm not the adventurous type when it comes to food. Exotic food is a no-no for me. Moreso if it's 'halo' or 'taklong', a native clam teeming in the area.

I promised myself I would try this time. So I did. The lizard tasted just like beef or poultry but in my mind it was still lizard no matter how tasteful it was. I devised a technique - swallowing it whole followed by lots of water. The aftertaste was strange, though. 

The natives on the other hand were busy eating our pork adobo, noodle soup, and juice in tetra packs. We also brought junk food like chips and candies. The Ati kids were in bliss receiving these gifts from us. This to me was a humbling experience

We stayed in the place until around 2 in the afternoon. The time might have been short but the memories we had of the place and the Atis themselves were vast. 

I personally felt blessed to have experienced such an opportunity to be with our Ati friends even for just about six hours only. I have learned to understand them more. Out of this comes appreciation and eventually respect. After all, they are our brothers and sisters. 

More photos...

The vast sugarcane plantation in Sitio Balagon, Bgry. Badiang, Banate, Iloilo

Me and Tessa Gulanes with the village chieftain's wife and their grandchildren

Are You a Library Rat, Too? -- At the Assumption Iloilo High School Library

Well, library rats are students who hang out in the library before school, during break, at lunch, and any other intermission during the school day. Based on the definition given, no doubt, I'm a library rat. One thing though, I'm not a student.

Assumption Iloilo maintains three libraries, one each per growth community. That of the Primary Grades is located near the St. Martin's Court. The High School and Intermediate Grades libraries are both found on the 2nd floor of the ARC (Assumption Resource Center) Building. These libraries are managed by licensed librarians. 

Of the three libraries, the biggest is of course the High School Library. It's also my favorite library. The librarian in charge here is Mrs. Filomena Tornalejo or simply Ms. Fely. Her assistant librarian is Ms. Elena Examen. Ms. Carla Arendain used to hold the post before she was transferred to the Information Office.

The High School Library is spacious and with comfortable chairs. It is fully-airconditioned and with an ambiance conducive for study, reading and research purposes. It has a media center, a storage of non-print materials and equipment and is provided with a Viewing Room and a Recording Room. 

The Research Center in the High School Library is also air-conditioned. It has 19 computer units to answer the online needs of the clientele. The in charge of the center is Mr. Ricky Tolentino.

Now, are these not enough reasons why every Assumption Iloilo learner and facilitator should visit the AC Library? By the way, Ms. Fely and her library staff also offer fun programs in order to encourage everyone to love reading and visit the library more often. Every quarter, they give away prizes to 'Frequent Users and Borrowers'. They post new acquisitions on the bulletin boards just outside the High School Library and the Jeremiah Bibliotheque. 

Memories at the Swing - Intramurals 2011, Assumption Iloilo

With fellow Assumption Iloilo facilitators Shela Ladrido-Sardua and Rahjni Escare.  - Real friends are people who make your problems their problems, just so you don't have to go through them alone.

Rahjni Escare and Shela Ladrido-Sardua with the latter's former student in Assumption Iloilo

Until We Meet Again - At Intramurals 2011, Assumption-Iloilo

With fellow Assumption-Iloilo facilitators Christine Segobre, Jomel Guintivano, Mary Grace Layson, and Tina Olvido-Paragsa