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By Arvy M. Ocheda, Pandan, Antique, Philippines
Beautiful! That is the Bugang River. With the majestic Mab-o Mountain as backdrop, the crystal clear, serene, and turquoise headwater illuminates purity. Home to old, grown trees, aquatic plants, animals, and fishes, the river attests to its cleanliness. The river's picturesque view has earned the recognition and admiration of the entire nation.
Pandan's desire to share the beauty and richness of Bugang River to tourists has led to the creation of the Bugang River Nature, Cultural and Adventure Tour, a collaborative effort of the Tourism Office of Pandan with the barangays of Sto. Rosario, Guia, Candari and Zaldivar. The tour, through the management of the Bugang Community Based Eco-Tourism Organization, aims to present the exquisite sites of Pandan while showcasing the cultural heritage of the community and the environment. It is composed of three aspects:
nature, culture, and adventure. The nature aspect is to appreciate
the beauty of nature by viewing the scenic spots of the Bugang area. The culture aspect is to facilitate a better understanding of the local customs, traditions, practices, and beliefs of the community. And the adventure aspect is to experience a real sense of adventure on the river such as rafting, boating and trekking.
The tour starts at the Community Interpretative Center in
barangay Sto. Rosario, which serves as the reception area for the guests. Indigenous materials such as hal-o, lusong, busog, sulo, sungya, and arado are used as ornaments of the Center and to depict the culture and livelihood of the community. Moreover, there are displays of pictures and other informative materials concerning the government's environmental protection programs. Local products such as bags, mats and hats made of buri and other local materials are also sold at the Center.
The guests are greeted by the community with leis,
maps of the area, and their itinerary. Nametags are also given out.
A tourism officer briefs the guests on the essence of the tour, and
a resource speaker enlightens them on the impact of the environment and the significance of the local government's biodiversity and conservation program.
 Following the 15-minute discussion and orientation, local musicians serenade the guests with popular Filipino music using a musical instrument known as the "ngut-ngut." This single-stringed instrument, which can only be found in Pandan, is made of bamboo, nylon, and abaca fibers. It is tuned with a comb and played
like a violin. While the local musicians entertain, the guests watch a demonstration of buri and bariw-weaving. They may try doing it with the assistance of the demonstrators. Morning snacks of pina-is, puto, bibingka, kalamayhati, and bukayo, are also provided, along with coffee, juice, mineral water, and tahô (ginger ale).
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continued on page 4a
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