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ABW June 2018

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<strong>2018</strong> COMMODORE’S CUP REGATTA<br />

PUERTO GALERA EASTER REGATTA<br />

ZAMBALES LIFE SAVING CHALLENGE<br />

FEAR SHARKS? NO, REVERE THEM<br />

AN ANCIENT SEAFARING NATION<br />

SWIM SAFE <strong>2018</strong><br />

PHILIPPINE HOBIE CHALLENGE<br />

<strong>2018</strong> WOMEN’S HELM REGATTA<br />

PRINCESS 62 Experience the Exceptional Performance page 26<br />

Destination<br />

MASBATE ACTIVE<br />

JUNE <strong>2018</strong> Vol. VII Issue 2<br />

BOATING & WATERSPORTS PhP150<br />

1


2


3


<strong>2018</strong><br />

Commodore’s<br />

4


Cup Regatta<br />

I<br />

by Stephen Whiting<br />

was lucky enough to be invited to observe the<br />

11th Commodores Cup Sailing Regatta <strong>2018</strong>,<br />

being run here in Subic Freeport Zone, by Subic<br />

Sailing and the Lighthouse Resort. Both these<br />

groups have been working hard to turn Subic Bay<br />

into the number one spot for sailing and related<br />

activities in the Philippine’s, and from what I have<br />

seen they are well on the way to succeeding with<br />

that goal.<br />

Competitive sailing is one of<br />

the fastest growing sectors<br />

in any area of water-based<br />

sports, the sport has much<br />

to offer, both in terms of fun<br />

and confidence building in the<br />

youth of the Philippines and<br />

provides an exciting platform<br />

for spectators and competitors<br />

alike, and the additional<br />

positive aspects associated<br />

with the sport of sailing. The<br />

Commodore’s Cup Regatta has<br />

been attracting hundreds of<br />

top notch sailors from all over<br />

the globe as they converge<br />

in this extreme sailing action<br />

from the yacht racing capital<br />

of the Philippines.<br />

I was extremely<br />

impressed with the<br />

level of organizing,<br />

in short, the event<br />

has been truly world<br />

class.<br />

Sailing enthusiasts and most especially, grand prix<br />

race boats have been attracted to the challenges<br />

that this race brings. The shifting winds in Subic<br />

Bay may cause headaches for the unwary, but<br />

opportunities for the observant and make hard<br />

work for the crews.<br />

I was extremely impressed with the level of<br />

organizing, and the variety<br />

of different activities that<br />

have been presented over<br />

the 4 days of the event,<br />

in short, the event has<br />

been truly world class. The<br />

organizers have refined a<br />

formula for success that they<br />

tweak every year to further<br />

enhance the experience not<br />

just for the competitors but<br />

the spectators as well.<br />

The Subic Sailing Club is the<br />

primary organizer of this<br />

premier international yacht<br />

racing event that has helped<br />

put the Philippines on the<br />

sailing map in the local<br />

and international sailing<br />

community for more than a decade.<br />

Words by<br />

STEPHEN<br />

WHITING,<br />

BARRY<br />

DAWSON<br />

Photographs<br />

as credited<br />

It is one of the most anticipated races in Subic Bay.<br />

It comes after the Hong Kong’s famous Rolex China<br />

Sea Race which finishes in Subic every second year<br />

and the San Fernando Race that finishes in San<br />

Fernando, La Union every other year.<br />

The 11th Commodores’ Cup Regatta on April 2 to<br />

7, <strong>2018</strong> is part of the <strong>2018</strong> Asian Yachting Grand<br />

Prix Circuit involving 12 events across 6 countries<br />

with 75 inshore races and 3 offshore races. It is<br />

participated by 245 yachts from across the globe.<br />

5


Young people play an<br />

integral part of the event<br />

with kids as young as 8<br />

years old sailing in races<br />

especially geared for<br />

kids.<br />

6<br />

Subic Bay Freeport Zone has become the premier<br />

destination for yacht racing. As a sailing haven,<br />

regular regattas are held in Subic Bay to enhance<br />

yachtsmanship for<br />

international competitions<br />

and foster camaraderie<br />

among sailors. It has<br />

become a playground for<br />

grand prix keelboats from<br />

various countries as they<br />

compete in the prestigious<br />

international regattas<br />

hosted here. Of course,<br />

there are many hotels,<br />

restaurants and bars for entertaining –indeed many<br />

of the daily awarding parties of the Commodore’s<br />

Cup will be held in different hotels or bars in the<br />

vicinity. However, the Welcoming Party and the<br />

Awarding Ceremony will be held at The Lighthouse<br />

Marina Resort.<br />

The Commodore’s Cup Regatta this year will hold<br />

special events at the RACE VILLAGE including<br />

workshops with the most accomplished sailors in<br />

the sport here to help participants become better<br />

sailors, seminars on Philippine Maritime Heritage,<br />

Watersports Exhibitions, Dragon boat Racing and<br />

other fun activities for spectators and participants.<br />

There is an art exhibition by local artists depicting<br />

a maritime and oceans theme with paintings<br />

available for purchase. A water sports display by<br />

Networx that includes the use of ‘Hover Boots’,<br />

activities for the kids like face painting and henna<br />

tattoo’s, food and drink stalls and much more.<br />

The event is not just about racing, but also the<br />

future of sailing in the Philippines, young people<br />

play an integral part of the event with kids as<br />

young as 8 years old sailing in races especially<br />

geared for kids. The organizers want young people<br />

to realize their heritage and history with the sea<br />

and want to promote sailing as a sport for people<br />

from all backgrounds, just as one might promote<br />

Basketball. It is through these young people<br />

that awareness of the environment, a love of the<br />

oceans and the future of sailing will be ensured for<br />

generations to come.<br />

The highlight for me, apart from the sailing, is the<br />

arrival of the historic sailing vessels the ‘Balangay’.<br />

The Balangay (formerly synonymous with Butuan<br />

boat) is a plank boat adjoined by a carved-out<br />

plank edged through pins and dowels. It was first<br />

mentioned in the 16th Century in the Chronicles<br />

of Pigafetta and is known as the oldest watercraft<br />

found in the Philippines. In 2009, the Kaya ng<br />

Pinoy Inc. that conquered Mt. Everest in 2006<br />

announced plans to re-construct the Balangay<br />

boat, with the help of Badjao and other tribal<br />

members. The Balangay was sailed, tracing the<br />

routes of the Filipino Ancestors during the waves<br />

of Austronesian settlement through Maritime<br />

Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The special wood for<br />

construction came from the established traditional


DEDICATED ENGINEERING SPECIALISTS<br />

7


It was also very pleasing<br />

to see 5 of the Hong<br />

Kong yachts that had just<br />

finished the Rolex China<br />

sea race from Hong<br />

Kong, competing in the<br />

Commodore’s Cup.<br />

8<br />

source in southern Philippines, specifically Tawi-<br />

Tawi. The team have pinpointed Badjao master<br />

boat builders, whose<br />

predecessors actually<br />

built such boats, and used<br />

traditional tools during<br />

the construction. The<br />

Balangay was constructed<br />

at Manila Bay, at the<br />

Cultural Center of the<br />

Philippines Complex and<br />

will be here in Subic bay at<br />

the Lighthouse Resort for<br />

members of the public to see and even experience<br />

a sail on these historic craft.<br />

The Cup by Barry Dawson<br />

This year the Commodore’s Cup like every event<br />

staged by Subic Sailing was again a complete<br />

success and another step in promoting superior<br />

sailing in the Philippines.<br />

The only thing not to go as planned was the opening<br />

ceremony, with a beautiful table arrangement on<br />

the foreshore at the Lighthouse Marina, everything<br />

was in place for an evening to remember, but<br />

unfortunately the weather gods were unkind,<br />

with unexpected torrential rains arriving before<br />

the evening ceremonies had started, forcing the<br />

organizers to abandon the ceremony and settle for<br />

a dinner undercover. The weather might have put<br />

a dampen on the ceremony but had no effect on<br />

the sailors who were all chomping at the bit to get<br />

started early next morning.<br />

The first day of racing, seen some excellent starts<br />

with, some fair winds to assist in some excellent<br />

racing. This year the committee boat was “Lost<br />

in Asia” generously supplied by Mr. Peter Baird,<br />

managing director of Broadwater Marine, a major<br />

sponsor of sailing events in the Philippines.<br />

There were 16 starters in total competing in four<br />

classes, IRC1, IRC2, Cruising Class and the newly<br />

introduced to Subic Sailing the Fareast 28’s. It was<br />

also very pleasing to see 5 of the Hong Kong Yachts<br />

that had just finished the Rolex China sea race from<br />

Hong Kong, competing in the Commodore’s cup.<br />

Each day of racing over the entire week brought<br />

something different to the event with some great<br />

sailing by all those who competed in the regatta.<br />

The week’s events culminated in a fabulous awards<br />

dinner, again hosted by the Lighthouse Marina, an<br />

avid and staunch supporter of Sailing in Subic Bay.<br />

After a sumptuous meal, that was enjoyed by<br />

all. Awarding got underway in earnest, firstly<br />

acknowledging those who support sailing in the<br />

Philippines and the Commodores Cup, like Air


FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK<br />

Wow! Already halfway through <strong>2018</strong>, time marches on and waits for<br />

no man. In this issue we have so much for you to enjoy and great<br />

places to visit, like our feature destination, Masbate. This beautiful<br />

part of Bicol has so much to offer we decided to outline many feature<br />

attractions of the Island as well as leave many to find for yourself<br />

as you discover the many faces of this magical place. With the help<br />

and assistance of the Department of Tourism Regional Director<br />

Mr. Benjamin Santiago and his staff of region five we were able<br />

to discover and write about in better detail some of the magic of<br />

Masbate, a place we know you will enjoy.<br />

Provinces all over the Philippines should all take notice of what<br />

happened to Boracay as they completely disregarded or protected<br />

their environment, and are now paying the price. They must take<br />

the protection of their environment very seriously, because if they<br />

neglect any of these important issues they will eventually suffer the<br />

consequences. Protecting the beautiful beaches of the Philippines<br />

must take precedence over making big profits. This was the major<br />

downfall of Boracay.<br />

Also a must read is our article on swim safe on page 46, please take<br />

the time to read this very important article.<br />

In our next issue we are looking at revisiting Marinduque.<br />

WHAT’S INSIDE?<br />

<strong>2018</strong> Commodore’s Cup Regatta 4<br />

Puerto Galera Easter Regatta 12<br />

Standard Insurance 20<br />

Zambales Life Saving Challenge<br />

PRINCESS 62 Experience the 26<br />

Exceptional Performance<br />

SEA KISSED The History of an Ancient 30<br />

Seafaring Nation<br />

Fear Sharks? No, Revere Them 36<br />

Boase Cohen & Collins 42<br />

Inter-School Sailing Festival<br />

Swim Safe <strong>2018</strong> 46<br />

Destination - MASBATE 50<br />

18 For The 18th 74<br />

Philippine Hobie Challenge<br />

Sailing Tips - Handling the Mainsail 78<br />

Taal Lake Yacht Club’s 80<br />

<strong>2018</strong> Women’s Helm Regatta<br />

Barry Dawson Editor<br />

Destination MASBATE<br />

PRINCESS 62<br />

Cover photo courtesy of Rayomarine<br />

Published quarterly by: <strong>ABW</strong> PUBLISHING<br />

House 16, Madrigal Compound, 2550 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City<br />

Editor & Production: BARRY DAWSON<br />

Contributing Writers: BRUCE CURRAN & JAMES WEBSTER<br />

Contributing Photographers: TERRY DUCKHAM & JOHNNY MARTINEZ<br />

Advertising: 551-4587/ 0928-714-4461<br />

Email: info@activeboatingwatersports.com<br />

Website: www.activeboatingwatersports.com<br />

Printed by: House Printers, Taytay, Rizal, Philippines<br />

Active Boating and Watersports is a copyright© production<br />

No part can be copied or reproduced without the express<br />

permission of the publishers.<br />

The views expressed and advertisements published in Active Boating & Watersports<br />

are those of the authors and advertisers, and not <strong>ABW</strong> Publishing.<br />

<strong>ABW</strong> Publishing does not accept any liability whatsoever for errors or omissions.<br />

9


Juan, Broadwater Marine, Active Boating and<br />

Watersports and many more who rightly deserved<br />

the accolades of the organizing committee.<br />

In the final results the winners were; in IRC 1<br />

Mandrake III (Nick Burns & Fred Kinmoth) took<br />

first place convincingly, while the ever popular<br />

Martin Tanco’s Centennial II came second and<br />

Phoenix (David Ho & Victor Huk) was third. IRC2<br />

Division was won by Jo De Ros (George Hackett),<br />

While always present at the awards Jun Avecilla’s<br />

Selma Star taking second place and Gordon Liu &<br />

Cowen Chiu on Kings Man secured third spot. The<br />

cruising class winners<br />

The speedy Fareast<br />

28’s, the newest<br />

introduction to Subic<br />

Sailing had 6 boats<br />

competing over the<br />

course of the regatta.<br />

were Li Jian and crew<br />

secured first place on<br />

Apsaras, while Peter<br />

Sherman on Selma<br />

was placed second<br />

and Philippe Grelon<br />

on TBS Aya was third.<br />

The speedy Fareast<br />

28’s, the newest<br />

introduction to Subic Sailing had 6 boats competing<br />

over the course of the regatta with, Standard<br />

Insurance PSA with Emerson Villena taking out<br />

first place honours, while its counterpart Standard<br />

Insurance PSA 1 with Ridgley Balladares coming<br />

second, while Sean Mitchell skippering SMC Go<br />

Pro Subic Sailing Team came third.<br />

Overall the week was a fantastic success and<br />

another first for Subic Sailing and overall sailing in<br />

the Philippines.<br />

10


L E O P A R D<br />

Welcome the newest addition to the<br />

award-winning fleet<br />

DEDICATED ENGINEERING SPECIALISTS<br />

11


PUERTO<br />

Easter<br />

Regatta<br />

12


GALERA<br />

Each year Puerto Galera holds a number of well<br />

patronized regattas, Like the Easter Regatta<br />

held on Holy Week. This year<br />

sponsored by The Philippine<br />

Retirement Authority (PRA).<br />

With Fifteen entries ready to<br />

battle it out in the waters of<br />

Puerto Galera the weekend<br />

was full of promise and<br />

with the event again being<br />

well organized no one was<br />

disappointed.<br />

There was seven entrants in the<br />

PYC class consisting of Aragorn<br />

(Gundolf Ahrens), Xiao Long<br />

(Paul Leggatt), Neptunus III<br />

(Mark Petrie), Forever Young<br />

(Frank Radstake), Princess<br />

Arieta (Dale Godkin), Wild<br />

Honey (J & V Villareal) and<br />

Ichiban (Lorenzon Lewis), racing in the four Multihulls<br />

were Kerida (Garry Kingshott), Magayon II<br />

One thing about<br />

sailing when it’s<br />

in your blood,<br />

it takes a lot to<br />

prevent you from<br />

competing.<br />

(Martin Grummert), Zenity (Ricky White) and<br />

MYG 2 (Vincent Ruais), with Anthea (John Quirk),<br />

Sandoway (Alan Burrell), Red<br />

Shift (Hans Woldring) and a<br />

very pleasing return in Dany II<br />

again racing and skippered by<br />

Mel Smit making up the four<br />

in the racing class.<br />

One thing about sailing<br />

when it’s in your blood, it<br />

takes a lot to prevent you<br />

from competing, like Hans<br />

Woldring for instance, on<br />

his way from Subic to be in<br />

the regatta, snapped the<br />

halyards, not to be denied<br />

the chance to compete a<br />

few late night frantic calls to<br />

Broadwater Marine and the<br />

problem was solved with new<br />

rope waiting for him when he<br />

limped into Puerto Galera, working through the<br />

night and Red Shift was ready to race.<br />

Words by<br />

BARRY<br />

DAWSON<br />

Photographs<br />

as credited<br />

13


Albeit there are no<br />

exciting starts at Puerto<br />

Galera, because of<br />

the staggered starting<br />

system they use.<br />

The rogue of the Puerto Galera Yacht Club, Peter<br />

Stevens was master of ceremonies and got things<br />

under way at the skippers meeting in his usual<br />

cheerful way, and then handed over to the racing<br />

officer and handicapper to outline the courses<br />

for the days racing. There<br />

was some great racing once<br />

the boats were out on the<br />

course. Albeit there are no<br />

exciting starts at Puerto<br />

Galera, because of the<br />

staggered starting system<br />

they use. Staggered starts<br />

are not everyone’s cup of<br />

tea, especially the media<br />

who like to photograph all<br />

the boats together at the starting line vying for pol<br />

position and a good start, but it works well for the<br />

handicap system used by the club.<br />

After the days racing everyone enjoyed the buy<br />

one take one happy hour provided by the club,<br />

and in the evening the most mouth-watering BBQ<br />

Ribs were served while all the crew reminisced<br />

14


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Like Never Before<br />

For bookings & reservations:<br />

www.airjuan.com<br />

or contact landline:<br />

+632 7188111<br />

15


about what they did or should have done in the<br />

races. Before everyone enjoyed the delicious meal<br />

awaiting them the traditional Tanduay awards for<br />

the days winners were given out, giving most some<br />

extra rum to have with their meal.<br />

Over the next two days there was some great<br />

racing enjoyed by all, with the ever changing winds<br />

keeping everyone on the alert.<br />

The final day’s racing culminated in a awards<br />

ceremony and a delicious meal, before everybody<br />

had to start heading home after a fantastic Holy<br />

Week Regatta of great sailing and comradeship<br />

amongst the sailors, The final overall winners<br />

Over the next two days<br />

there was some great<br />

racing enjoyed by all,<br />

with the ever changing<br />

winds keeping everyone<br />

on the alert.<br />

16


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ANTIBES :: AUSTRALIA :: CHINA :: FORT LAUDERDALE :: HOLLAND :: HONG KONG :: LOS ANGELES :: MALAYSIA :: NEWPORT :: NEWPORT BEACH :: NEW YORK :: PALMA :: PHILIPPINES :: SAN DIEGO :: SINGAPORE :: THAILAND :: VIETNAM


of this most enjoyable weekend were; Martin<br />

Grummert and crew on Magayon II taking the first<br />

place honours, while Paul Leggatt and his crew<br />

sailed Xiao Long into second place with Vincent<br />

Ruais and his crew claiming third spot on MYG 2.<br />

Needless to say everyone went home with smiles<br />

on their faces, looking forward to the next regatta<br />

held at one of the most popular yacht clubs in the<br />

Philippines. So why not come to Puerto Galera<br />

next holy week and enjoy being part of the Easter<br />

Regatta. One never knows, even the thrill of<br />

sailing might just make its way into your blood.<br />

Watch out for other top events from Puerto Galera<br />

like the famous All Souls Regatta, held end of<br />

October Each Year. For more details on the Puerto<br />

Galera Yacht club events you can check them out<br />

at https://www.pgyc.org.<br />

One never knows,<br />

even the thrill of<br />

sailing might just<br />

make its way into<br />

your blood.<br />

18


19


StandardIn<br />

Zambales Life SaS<br />

Words by<br />

BARRY<br />

DAWSON<br />

Photographs<br />

as credited<br />

The importance of water safety while having<br />

fun on any of the many pristine beaches<br />

throughout the Philippine Archipelago would have<br />

to be a top priority for anyone,<br />

and to know your family is safe<br />

while enjoying a day at the<br />

beach is re-assuring. So with this<br />

in mind the Zambales Surf Life<br />

Saving, headed by Roger Bound<br />

each year hold a challenge<br />

so our young life savers can<br />

further hone their skills with<br />

the challenge. Sponsored by<br />

Standard Insurance, and fully<br />

supported by, Elton Cummings<br />

of Lifesaving Development in<br />

Australia, Broadwater Marine,<br />

RDH Marine, Palmera Gardens<br />

Resort, Active Boating and<br />

Watersports Magazine, were<br />

“One of the most<br />

valuable was that of<br />

riding a rescue board,<br />

something none of us<br />

had done before, and it<br />

was a joy to experience<br />

and learn this part of<br />

lifesaving.”<br />

some of the other sponsors, this annual event is now<br />

getting international recognition with teams from<br />

Malaysia and Singapore competing in this year’s<br />

challenge held at the beautiful<br />

rustic Palmera Gardens Beach<br />

Resort. The resort, which, fully<br />

support the event, and again<br />

this year opened their facilities<br />

to the challenge to make the<br />

weekend a memorable one. It<br />

was gratifying to welcome with<br />

open arms the international<br />

teams competing here for<br />

the first time. The Team from<br />

Malaysia Consisting of Nickly<br />

Dasan (39), Dalton Dale Leo<br />

(35), Royzems Bin Selutan (32),<br />

Christinus Bin Jonal (29) and<br />

Masuari Bin Mini (27) had this<br />

to say about the event and the<br />

20


Insurance<br />

aving Challenge<br />

organizers. “This was an awesome experience for us all,<br />

we learnt so many new skills that we are able to take<br />

back to Malaysia with us. One of the most valuable was<br />

that of riding a rescue board, something none of us had<br />

done before, and it was a joy to experience and learn<br />

this part of lifesaving. As for the organizers of this event,<br />

they had everything so well organized for us it was<br />

heartwarming to be here and make many new friends.<br />

We hope to see the Zambales team one day at our events<br />

in Malaysia ”. Likewise, Eunice Chan (24), Yong Zhi Pan<br />

(25) and Bi. Xun Thng (24), the team from Singapore<br />

had this to say “This was our first time to the Philippines<br />

and we enjoyed it so much, with the challenge, there<br />

were so many different types of challenges here that<br />

we learnt a lot of new techniques we can take back<br />

with us and share with our friends. The experience and<br />

new friends we made while here is something we will<br />

cherish for a long time. ” Elton Cummings of Lifesaving<br />

Development, was a great asset to the event and is a<br />

powerful force in Australia in obtaining equipment for<br />

underprivileged countries so they can be a major player<br />

in saving lives in their own countries.<br />

Held over two days, with the senior teams competing<br />

on the Saturday and the junior teams on the Sunday,<br />

with 8 events for the seniors and six events for the<br />

juniors it was a full on weekend. The events for the<br />

seniors were – rescue board and transfer relay where a<br />

team of 2 players, and a victim. At the signal of start,<br />

number 1 player runs to pick up the rescue board and<br />

paddle towards the victim and load the unconscious<br />

victim to the board and paddle to the shore line waving<br />

his hands for assistance as he approaches the shoreline<br />

the 2nd player runs to assist player 1 with the victim.<br />

Players 1 and 2 carry the victim using two man carry<br />

technique to the finish line and place the victim in<br />

recovery position and players raise their hands. Run-<br />

Swim-Run Medley Relay consists of a team of 2 Players.<br />

The first player from start line runs, swims breaststroke<br />

then runs and touches his team player next who runs<br />

21


then swims front crawl stroke back to shore and runs<br />

to the finish line.<br />

Rescue Tube & Transfer Relay– Team of 2 players, with<br />

weak victim coming from the organizer.<br />

Player one runs and picks up the rescue tube and does<br />

a beach entry and swims towards the victim, strapping<br />

the tube to the victim and tows victim to the shore line<br />

waving his hands for assistance, then the second player<br />

runs to the victim and players one and two carry the<br />

victim using two man carry to the finish line, placing the<br />

victim in recovery position and players raise their hands.<br />

Rescue and resuscitation assessment relay – Team of<br />

2 Players with unconscious victim coming from the<br />

organizer. Player one runs and swims towards the<br />

victim and carry/tows the victim towards the shoreline<br />

and waves for assistance, Player two runs towards the<br />

victim and players one and two carry the victim with<br />

two man carry to the designated area and perform<br />

two rescuer DRS-ABC, until advised by the observer<br />

to stop, then place the victim in recovery position and<br />

raise their hands.<br />

Lifeguard Challenge Relay – Team of two Players. Player<br />

one runs, player two swims, player one paddles, player<br />

two runs to the finish line.<br />

Beach flags; This is an elimination event; heats will<br />

consist of maximum 12 players.<br />

Course length, maximum 15 meters, minimum 10<br />

meters. Under 7 may be shorter.<br />

Rules; This is a<br />

game of reaction,<br />

observation and<br />

running skills.<br />

Player one runs and<br />

swims towards the victim<br />

and carry/tows the victim<br />

towards the shoreline and<br />

waves for assistance.<br />

Players will lay<br />

face down, feet<br />

together, facing<br />

away from the<br />

flags, with hands on top of each other under their<br />

chin. Start procedure will be in this position with head<br />

raised. Start command will be, feet together, heads<br />

down (on hands) followed by the start signal.<br />

Upon start signal, player will raise and turn and run to<br />

recover the flag (plastic tubing) from the finish point.<br />

There will always be less flag than competitors, those<br />

who do not claim a flag are eliminated.<br />

Each player possessing a flag will report to the judge to<br />

be directed back to the start line.<br />

22<br />

If 2 player grasp the flag at the same time, judge’s<br />

decision will decide the situation.


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23


There will always<br />

be less flag than<br />

competitors, those who<br />

do not claim a flag are<br />

eliminated.<br />

Depending on the number of entries, heats may be a<br />

fast elimination system, example; 12 to 8, 8 to 5 then with<br />

elimination to the final 2 or 3 (depending on entry numbers)<br />

to go to the final, final will be maximum 10 players.<br />

Fair play will prevail, no blocking, hands of a player<br />

may not pass in front of an opposition player with<br />

intent to delay the other player, but shoulder charging<br />

is DQ. Shoulder contact is permissible<br />

False start, 1 warning, 2nd. false start DQ. Snatching<br />

the flag from another player DQ.<br />

Run – swim – run.<br />

Just as it says, run, swim and again run. Number per<br />

heat to be determined.<br />

Course length, run, maximum<br />

15 meters, swim, minimum<br />

50 meters, run, maximum 15<br />

meters.<br />

All heats will be finals, with<br />

winners determined by time,<br />

first 6 players report to the<br />

timers for their names and<br />

numbers to be recorded.<br />

Rescue Board run – paddle – run. Junior styro rescue<br />

boards. (Max 5 players per heat)<br />

Course length, run, maximum 15 meters, swim,<br />

minimum 50 meters, run, maximum 15 meters.<br />

Run pick up board, paddle the course upon reaching<br />

the shore abandon the board and run to finish.<br />

All heats will be finals, with winners determined by<br />

time, players report to the timers for their names and<br />

numbers to be recorded.<br />

Run – swim – run with rescue tube. This will be run<br />

with maximum 10 players per heat.<br />

Course length, run, maximum 20 meters, swim,<br />

minimum 50 meters, maximum 20 meters.<br />

Upon the start signal, player will run to the waters<br />

edge, pick up a rescue tube and, towing the rescue<br />

24


tube, swim the designated course, upon reaching the<br />

shore the player can either abandon the rescue tube, or<br />

carry it and run to the finish. Dragging the rescue tube<br />

on beach, when running will be a DQ.<br />

All heats will be finals, with winners determined by<br />

time, first 6 players report to the timers for their names<br />

and numbers to be recorded.<br />

Run-Swim-Run medley surf race. This will be run with a<br />

maximum of fifteen players per heat. Course length, run,<br />

maximum 20 meters each, swim, minimum 50 meters,<br />

maximum 100 meters. Upon the start signal, player will<br />

run to the waters edge, swim breast stroke until the first<br />

marker and upon turning the marker can change to any<br />

preferred stroke, upon reaching the shore the player will<br />

run to the finish. All heats will be finals, with winners<br />

determined by time, first 6 players report to the timers<br />

for their names and numbers to be recorded.<br />

Iron-kid. This event will be for only the top players from<br />

overall results of each division, it will be a run – swim –<br />

paddle – run event, course will be maximum 300<br />

meters, encompassing run, swim and paddle.<br />

Number of players will be determined by number of<br />

boards available.<br />

All heats will be finals, with winners determined by<br />

time, players report to the timers for their names and<br />

numbers to be recorded.<br />

The official results after a weekend of well-organized<br />

competition, resulting in a fun weekend where new<br />

friendships were made with international teams, fun<br />

and enjoyment were:<br />

SENIOR TEAMS<br />

1 Zambales Lifesaving Sth. Issac Emanuael Daylo Mark Anthony “Tonton” Jereza<br />

2 Team Hammerhead. Russel Baltazar Rydnar Dee Alzona<br />

3 “Torpedo Lifesaving team”, Singapore Thun B Xun Al Jeraeu Ladiero<br />

4 Team “Lucky Dingo”, Singapore. Pan Yong Zhi Eunice Chan Wan Qing<br />

5 Zambales Lifesaving Nth. Donell Wayne “Arweng” Sanchez Arnold Abad<br />

6 LGU. San Narciso (MAYOR) . Adonis Belecina John Mark Gruspe<br />

7 Team Sullivan. Bebbing Daniel Villenuva<br />

8 Iba LGU Team Ebdane. Jiyos Jenius R. Sadernas Dios Fred<br />

9 Team Sabah, Malaysia. Christinus Bin Jonal Dalton Dale Leo<br />

10 Team Sabah 2, Malaysia. Royzems Selutar Masuari Mini<br />

FEMALE TEAM<br />

1 Zambales Lifesaving<br />

JUNIOR TEAMS<br />

1 Zambales Lifesaving. Miguel Villamin Sylvern Bound<br />

2 Zambales Swim Team 1. Daniel Tapado Heather Coleen Sanguyo<br />

3 LGU Iba Team Ebdane. Christian Paul Vasquez Ivy L. Bernal<br />

4 Zambales Swim Team 2. Rayne Japhet R. Salin Liana Alexa T. Aguila<br />

5 LGU. San Narciso (VICE MAYOR) . Vincente R. Anamonce Marichris B. Jimenez<br />

For further information regarding lifesaving in the<br />

Philippines and swim safe programs contact Roger<br />

Bound on 0918-922-2863 or email Zambales<br />

Lifesaving Inc. at slszambales@gmail.com.<br />

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Sea Kissed<br />

Words by<br />

BRUCE<br />

CURRAN<br />

Photographs<br />

as credited<br />

T<br />

he Philippines stretches 2000 kilometres from<br />

north to south, and 1000 kilometres from west<br />

to east. Within this vast realm of ocean lie its 7000 +<br />

islands, but the fact remains that for every one part<br />

of land there are seven parts of water, making this<br />

archipelago indisputably a water country. This is the<br />

essential geographical background to a nation that<br />

has long been ruled by its maritime nature.<br />

An archipelago spread out across an open sea is<br />

reached by new arrivals on boats. The ‘habagat’<br />

winds blowing in from the south west brought<br />

traders and migrants from Indonesia, Borneo, and<br />

the Malay peninsula. The ‘amihan’ winds, that blow<br />

from out of the north east, between October and<br />

April, carried traders and raiders back to these lands<br />

to the south. These summer winds also brought in<br />

people from China, Taiwan and Japan in the days<br />

when wind-power was the only choice.<br />

The great traders of Asia passed through these<br />

islands over a thousand years ago, when China was<br />

the most powerful sailing nation on earth. The legacy<br />

of China is to be found in the many wrecks of junks<br />

that litter these sea beds, many still undiscovered.<br />

The National Museum in Manila has some fantastic<br />

displays of artifacts. The Pandanan Chinese-style<br />

wreck dating from the 15th century was discovered<br />

in 1993 south of Palawan. This was a remarkable<br />

find and 4,722 items were recorded after 947 dives,<br />

Balangay<br />

30


The History of an<br />

Ancient Seafaring Nation<br />

including North Vietnamese ceramics, Chinese Ming<br />

plates, Chinese copper coins and crocodile teeth<br />

pendants up to four inches long.<br />

Islamic traders brought with<br />

them items from as far away as<br />

the Middle East, and way before<br />

Christianity washed ashore<br />

with the Spanish. Islam had<br />

established a stronghold in the<br />

very south by 1380, some 141<br />

years before the first Spanish<br />

Christian Mass on Philippine<br />

soil.<br />

Asia was already interlinked<br />

by sea trade well before the<br />

European Nations arrived on the<br />

scene, an event which changed<br />

the face of the Philippine<br />

archipelago forever. The British,<br />

the Dutch, and the Portuguese<br />

were soon basing in the Asian<br />

region, and then Magellan<br />

sailed into the Visayas. On board his ship was a<br />

Filipino slave bought in the slave markets of Malaca<br />

on the Malaysian peninsula. This man Enrique had<br />

been taken to Spain, and sailed with Magellan<br />

on his epic journey, had arrived off Cebu,<br />

and suddenly recognized his Cebuano<br />

home-tongue, thus becoming one of<br />

the first men on earth, perhaps the<br />

very first, to have sailed around<br />

the world.<br />

The leg from Acapulco<br />

to Manila could take up<br />

to 3 months, depending<br />

on weather, and<br />

typhoons came and went<br />

randomly, inflicting<br />

losses along their way.<br />

Trading - Treasures and Pirates<br />

The Spanish set up a remarkable trade rout linking<br />

their territories in Mexico with the Philippine<br />

archipelago. Spanish galleons<br />

were soon being built in these<br />

islands, with Chinese and<br />

Philippine labour and crewed<br />

by these and Europeans of<br />

several nations.<br />

The Chinese brought silk<br />

and ceramics from the China<br />

mainland, as well as other<br />

items like precious stones, and<br />

these were traded for Mexican<br />

silver, Philippine gold, as well<br />

as forest and sea products.<br />

Honey, sea slugs, swallow<br />

nests, tortoise shells, camphor<br />

wood, mother of pearl, and<br />

the beautiful south sea pearls<br />

were all to be found in these<br />

exotic tropical islands and<br />

were much sort after in China.<br />

The Spanish Galleon Trade, as it became known,<br />

was a reflection of the peak of the centuries of<br />

long distance sailing. The trade flourished for 250<br />

years, and hundreds of thousands of sea miles were<br />

sailed by master mariners who were exposed to the<br />

unrelenting dangers of the open seas in the vastness<br />

of the Pacific Ocean. The leg from Acapulco to<br />

Manila could take up to 3 months, depending on<br />

weather, and typhoons came and went randomly,<br />

inflicting losses along their way. It is estimated that<br />

up to 50% of the Spanish ships that were lost, sank<br />

within 50 miles of the St. Bernardino Strait, which<br />

runs between southern Luzon and northern Samar.<br />

A typhoon reaching shallower waters will buildup<br />

vicious seas, and the very fast currents around this<br />

Strait would add to a cauldron of hell in confined<br />

waters. Some Spanish galleons were swamped at<br />

sea, some were thrown onto coral reefs and rocky<br />

shores, and many lie still in the darkness of the deep<br />

ocean with their treasures as company for fishes.<br />

31


On the other side of nature, when winds failed<br />

altogether, galleons would be swept by fast currents<br />

on to coral reefs, where they sank, releasing their<br />

rich cargoes into the shallower waters of eastern<br />

Luzon and north and eastern Samar. Other ships<br />

foundered within the complicated islands of the<br />

Sibuyan Sea en route to Manila.<br />

The Maritime trade with Latin America began in 1565<br />

when several Spanish ships sailed from Acapulco,<br />

and the ‘San Lucas’ was the first of these to return<br />

to Mexico in October 1565. The ‘Magallanes’ was<br />

the last to sail to Manila arriving in 1815.<br />

250 years of trade saw some of the most lucrative<br />

maritime cargoes of their day ever shipped, and they<br />

called the vast Pacific Ocean the ‘Spanish lake’. At<br />

one stage 25% of all the annual production of silver<br />

mined in South America found its way to Asia on<br />

these Spanish ships. The galleons would set out<br />

from Acapulco in January to pick up the ‘amihan’<br />

north easterly winds. In Manila the merchants<br />

It was a disaster when<br />

the Spanish charting<br />

vessel ‘Argo’ sank off the<br />

Cavite coast with most<br />

surveys on board.<br />

bought goods from the 30 to 40 junks that arrived<br />

from China around March each year. Ming and<br />

Ching dynasty porcelain was highly prized, along<br />

with the Chinese silk. By July the galleons would<br />

set off from Manila with the goods, and up to 1000<br />

people would crowd on board as passengers, which<br />

meant that Filipinos were soon to be found settled<br />

in California and Mexico.<br />

In 1593 three or more ships would sail each year, but<br />

then, in order to ensure tighter control, the Spanish<br />

restricted the trade to 2 ships from each port per<br />

year. The early ships were as small as 300 tons, but<br />

profit soon saw these ships being built in the Cavite<br />

shipyards up to 5 times larger, at 2000 tons.<br />

The first sinking of a Spanish galleon took place in<br />

1568, just three years after the start of this route,<br />

and it is reckoned that at least 40 ships sank over<br />

the two and a half centuries of the trade. Dramatic<br />

stories have conjured up as many as 110 ships lost<br />

on this route alone, but be that as it may, this was<br />

a serious sail normally over 3 months from Mexico<br />

to the Philippines, and as many as 7 months on<br />

the return journey. One ship recorded a whole 12<br />

months for a one-way journey to Acapulco. These<br />

were massive expeditions across the ‘Spanish Lake’.<br />

As though these journeys were not enough of a<br />

challenge on their own, the galleons were also prone<br />

to being attacked by marauding British and Dutch<br />

ships that knew of the potential wealth aboard<br />

these trading vessels. It was soon discovered<br />

that the local hardwood ‘lanang’ was resistant<br />

to canon balls fired by these booty hunters,<br />

and these sailing ships soon found the<br />

benefits of sturdy rigging possible<br />

with Manila hemp roping, and later<br />

32


on cotton sailcloth produced from the Philippine<br />

cotton fields. All in all, the Spanish galleon trading<br />

era produced a lot of wealth, a lot of employment,<br />

and a lot of focus between the Philippines and Latin<br />

America. Strange though it might seem, these long<br />

and strong historical links have not been exploited<br />

in the modern world.<br />

Mapping the Waters<br />

However, despite the end of the cross-pacific trade<br />

route in 1815, due mainly to the war for Mexican<br />

Independence, the ‘Spanishness’ of the Philippines<br />

has remained in the maritime legacy of a bygone<br />

era. The Spanish commissioned the building of over<br />

40 classic stone lighthouses, of which 22 were built<br />

between 1884 and 1896, before North Americans<br />

took over as the colonialists.<br />

The North Americans left another maritime legacy,<br />

before they relinquished power to the Filipinos in<br />

1946, by charting the entire archipelago between<br />

1901 and 1942. In the days of old, one chart was<br />

a valuable resource coveted by mariners, so it was<br />

a disaster when the Spanish charting vessel ‘Argo’<br />

sank off The Cavite coast with most surveys on<br />

board. British charts of scanty patches of the Sulu<br />

area date from about 1882, but it has been the<br />

north Americans that have contributed significantly<br />

to modern navigation by charting this archipelago.<br />

However, today, with the pinpoint accuracy<br />

of the Global Positioning System (GPS), it has<br />

become necessary to re-chart the archipelago. The<br />

Philippine charting agency, the National Mapping<br />

and Resource Information Agency (NAMRIA),<br />

in recent times, signed a joint agreement with<br />

the British charting agency, which has assisted<br />

in upgrading Philippine charts to international<br />

maritime standards. Previously NAMRIA acquired<br />

two sophisticated maritime survey vessels through<br />

Spain to significantly improve the accuracy of depth<br />

surveys since they record not only a vertical depth,<br />

but also an arc of depth.<br />

A Nation of Seafarers<br />

Since the earliest of settlements, those who chose<br />

to live along the coastline washed by the open<br />

seas necessarily developed their sea skills and built<br />

boats for criss-crossing the archipelago for many<br />

purposes. Traders from afar brought with them the<br />

language of trade, Malay, and today many Malay<br />

words are part of the local languages, adding to<br />

the impression that many the people here were<br />

originally of Malay stock.<br />

Local boat building skills were developed long ago<br />

as evidenced by the finds of ancient planked boats<br />

in Butuan, in north Mindanao, proving these skills<br />

were ingrained in this archipelago in distant times.<br />

One such hull discovered in 1976 in Butuan was<br />

carbon-dated as being built in 324 A.D.. There is<br />

evidence to show that these so called ‘balangays’<br />

used to sail regularly and trade with Japan, China<br />

and India. It is also evident that they even sailed as<br />

far as Africa in this era of trading recorded up to a<br />

1000 years ago.<br />

Today, in the Batanes Islands in the far north of<br />

Luzon, single hulled planked boats, developed from<br />

centuries past, are still built and used.<br />

The most commonly used boat in the Philippines<br />

today is called the banca (bangka), which comes in<br />

all shapes and sizes and designs. Some of the original<br />

boats were the ‘Balangays’, which is the origin of the<br />

word ‘barangay’, and why every defined, regulated<br />

community today has a barangay captain as the<br />

commander of this defined area. This system of<br />

control is used throughout the whole archipelago,<br />

and clearly reflects just how deeply ingrained this<br />

nation is, in the Maritime Heritage of its past.<br />

Today, in the remote areas of Palawan you will still<br />

see the simplest watercraft - several large bamboo<br />

poles strapped together with natural twine to form a<br />

raft - paddled to fishing grounds, or to the far side<br />

of a bay for another purpose.<br />

By contrast, Filipinos have built sophisticated<br />

modern watercraft, as evidenced on the west coast<br />

of Cebu in 2004. It was a supercraft successfully<br />

delivered, for search and rescue use, to the British<br />

Royal Navy.<br />

Modern Seafaring<br />

Today it is a fact that up to a quarter of all merchant<br />

mariners serving with the maritime nations of the<br />

world are picked from a long legacy of Philippine<br />

maritime stock. Over 400 years ago the Spanish<br />

33


ecognized these resident maritime skills and<br />

developed the galleon Trade. Latin America became<br />

connected to the rest of Asia through the Philippine<br />

archipelago. In the modern world the Filipino<br />

remains a world class mariner, part of a maritime<br />

history linked by skills that keep the nation in the<br />

forefront as a ‘Nation of Seafarers’.<br />

In the modern<br />

world the Filipino<br />

remains a world<br />

class mariner.<br />

Sail Boats<br />

Meanwhile, there is a new<br />

and vibrant consciousness<br />

in the archipelago revolving<br />

around sail boating.<br />

The largest local ‘Paraw’<br />

sailing event is held<br />

annually near Iloilo city<br />

in Panay Island around<br />

February, when over 75 paraws race and take<br />

part in the local fiesta. These days alongside this<br />

classical traditional sailing event has sprung up a<br />

host of other sailing events:<br />

‘The Hobie Challenge’ with 16 foot catamarans<br />

sailing around different parts of the country<br />

annually.<br />

The ‘Subic to Boracay Yacht Race’ in February<br />

through to March annually.<br />

The ‘Commodore’s Cup’ in Subic<br />

While the Puerto Galera Yacht Club host a number<br />

of annual sailing and racing events.<br />

There are several other events around the country,<br />

which go to show that sailing is becoming a national<br />

pastime.<br />

This is evidenced by the Subic Sailing group which<br />

offers sail training in all sizes of boats from the<br />

small dinghies to larger long distance-capable<br />

racing boats. The Puerto Galera Yacht Club has<br />

had a fleet of sail training dinghies for many years.<br />

Filipinos are increasingly now entering<br />

international sailing races, and getting better and<br />

better results.<br />

Sailing is definitively becoming a national pastime.<br />

Past, Present and Future<br />

Overall, the link with the sea throughout the<br />

Philippine Archipelago is a golden reflection of its<br />

rich and influential and ancient Maritime Heritage.<br />

World class mariners, and a blooming and rapidly<br />

growing sailing fraternity are a sign that this is a<br />

proud water based country.<br />

Over recent years several replicas of the 1000 year<br />

old Balangays have been built. Some went on an<br />

epic 17 month cruise off to Malaysia, Singapore,<br />

Thailand and to Cambodia before sailing home to<br />

their home base of the Philippines.<br />

This March 3 Balangays will be sailing to China<br />

from Manila Bay en route to visiting the memorial<br />

of a Filipino Sultan who used to trade with China<br />

over 700 years ago.<br />

The future looks bright for this Seafaring Nation<br />

at many levels, and long may it grow … and<br />

continue to flourish as a water country with a<br />

Philippine Maritime Heritage deeply Sea Kissed<br />

and Proudly Afloat.<br />

34


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FEAR SHARKS? NO N<br />

Words by<br />

JAMES<br />

WEBSTER<br />

Photographs<br />

as credited<br />

T<br />

he sight of a shark automatically curdles our<br />

blood with fear. Our minds envisage them as<br />

vicious, mindless killers, probably because shark<br />

attacks are glorified by the press and movies such as<br />

jaws and have instilled the fear of god in our Psyche.<br />

Nothing could be further from<br />

the truth, however. The fact is<br />

you are more likely to trip over<br />

your own feet, hitting your<br />

head on a garbage bin and<br />

dying than being killed by a<br />

shark.<br />

These magnificently elegant<br />

lords of the sea have been<br />

around for more than 400<br />

million years evolving into<br />

the most efficient predator<br />

alive and yet not one of the<br />

shark species has humans on<br />

their menu. Most shark bites<br />

are cases of mistaken identity<br />

and once they have a bite of<br />

These magnificently<br />

elegant lords of the<br />

sea have been around<br />

for more than 400<br />

million years.<br />

36


O, , REVERE THEM<br />

37


Snorkeling<br />

with dolphin<br />

Most shark bites are<br />

cases of mistaken<br />

identity and once they<br />

have a bite of human<br />

flesh they grimace at the<br />

foul taste and spit it out.<br />

human flesh they grimace at the foul taste and spit<br />

it out. Even if you go swimming in the ocean every<br />

day, you are still more likely to be struck by lightning<br />

or bitten by a domestic dog than<br />

be bitten by a shark so, why this<br />

abnormal fear of sharks?<br />

We marvel at the power and<br />

beauty of thoroughbred horses,<br />

we do not have an overwhelming<br />

fear of them and yet there is<br />

an average of 20 deaths a year<br />

in Australia alone in equine<br />

accidents against 2 deaths from<br />

shark encounters in the most shark infested waters<br />

in the world.<br />

Beach sign<br />

warning<br />

against falling<br />

coconuts<br />

38<br />

The Philippine islands are right up there in world<br />

statistics with the number of sharks trolling their<br />

waters. The population of the Philippines is in excess<br />

of 100 mil souls and there are no real statistics on


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how many of those people participate in water<br />

activities such as swimming, fishing, scuba diving<br />

and numerous other water sports each day but one<br />

could hazard a conservative guess of maybe 25<br />

million people entering the sharks habitat each day<br />

with only an average of 10 shark related deaths a<br />

year. How many of that population would you guess<br />

walk under a coconut tree? I would say far less but<br />

they do it with gay abandon and no fear what-soever<br />

and yet statistics show that 150 people die, on<br />

average, each year from being hit on the head by<br />

falling coconuts. You are 15 times more likely to be<br />

killed by a coconut than a shark in the Philippines.<br />

Do we cringe with fear at the site of a motor cycle?<br />

I think not, instead when jump on them and tear<br />

You are 15 times<br />

more likely to be<br />

killed by a coconut<br />

than a shark in the<br />

Philippines.<br />

Swimming near<br />

Tiger Shark<br />

40


around with little respect for our wellbeing and yet<br />

when we go to the beach, shark attack is always on<br />

our mind. The fact is that in 2017 there were 88<br />

confirmed cases of unprovoked shark attacks on<br />

human’s worldwide with around 20 deaths against a<br />

global road death toll of more than 1.25 million, and<br />

we fear death by shark attack above all else?<br />

There are around 8,500 killed on Filipino roads a<br />

year and 52% of those are on motor cycles with an<br />

average of 66 motor cycle accidents recorded a day<br />

in Metro Manila alone. Why do we fear sharks so<br />

much and don’t even exhibit a healthy respect for<br />

far more dangerous adversaries. You might say that<br />

there are many more people on the roads than those<br />

entertaining water sports each day. That may be so<br />

but the figures still do not add up to being more<br />

fearful of sharks.<br />

It is estimated that somewhere between 26 and<br />

73 million sharks are killed yearly by humans. Who<br />

should fear who?<br />

We should revere the shark as one of our magnificent,<br />

majestic and relatively harmless creatures and<br />

transfer our fears and more than healthy respect to<br />

the world’s real killers. Mosquitos (725,000 a year),<br />

humans (475,000 a year), snakes (50,000 a year),<br />

domestic dogs (20,000 a year), snails, yes snails<br />

(10,000 a year), fast food, motor vehicles and of<br />

course coconuts.<br />

According to the “International Shark Attack File”,<br />

statistically you have a 1 in 3,748,067 chance of<br />

dying at the hands, or fins, of a shark and yet you<br />

have a 1 in 5 chance of dying of a heart attack. You<br />

have a 1 in 7 chance of dying from cancer and a 1 in<br />

84 chance of dying in a motor accident.<br />

Killer cone snail<br />

41


Words by<br />

RHKYC<br />

Photographs<br />

as credited<br />

42<br />

I10 and 11 March <strong>2018</strong><br />

t doesn’t get much better than this: two days of<br />

perfect sunny conditions on the race course, with a<br />

light easterly breeze on Saturday which increased a<br />

little on Sunday with gusts to<br />

12kts. 24 teams representing<br />

18 educational establishments<br />

from across Hong Kong and<br />

Macau battled it out over the<br />

weekend at the 16th annual<br />

Boase Cohen & Collins Inter-<br />

School Sailing Festival. Racing<br />

took place in Deep Water Bay<br />

off the Royal Hong Kong Yacht<br />

Club’s Middle Island clubhouse.<br />

Teams of three boats per school<br />

competed in two divisions,<br />

with the older sailors in the<br />

Feva and younger sailors in<br />

Teams of three boats<br />

per school competed in<br />

two divisions, with the<br />

older sailors in the Feva<br />

and younger sailors in<br />

the Pico Division.<br />

the Pico Division. 126 competitive short races were<br />

sailed over the weekend in the team racing format.<br />

In team racing it’s not about who finishes first but<br />

having your points add up to the lowest score, so<br />

if one teammate is coming<br />

last it’s better to help them<br />

out rather than finishing first.<br />

(A low point scoring system is<br />

used to determine the results<br />

the boat that finishes 1st earns<br />

1 point, a boat that finishes<br />

2nd earns 2 points, and so<br />

on – with the winning team<br />

decided by adding together<br />

the points of all the boats in<br />

each team.)<br />

Saturday saw all teams racing<br />

against each other in a round<br />

robin format. In the Pico


Boase Cohen<br />

& Collins<br />

Inter-School<br />

Sailing Festival<br />

43


division Tai Po Regional Squad and the ISF Academy<br />

took wins in all their races, pushing them into the<br />

Gold fleet going into the final day of racing.<br />

Due to a breakage in the Feva Division only 16<br />

races were sailed on Saturday; the remaining races<br />

were sailed this morning<br />

to decide the Gold and<br />

The competitors had<br />

to be on their toes<br />

to contend with the<br />

shifty conditions.<br />

Silver fleets. Island School<br />

maintained their winning<br />

streak putting them in the<br />

Gold fleet.<br />

With gusts funneling<br />

down the gap between<br />

Middle Island and Hong<br />

Kong Island and diverging into Deep Water Bay, the<br />

competitors had to be on their toes to contend with<br />

the shifty conditions. There was some tight racing<br />

with many tackling battles resulting in a few penalties.<br />

were tied with 4 wins each, requiring a countback with<br />

French International School victorious over West Island<br />

School in second and ISF Academy in third.<br />

In the Pico Gold Division the Jockey Club Ti-I<br />

College took the win followed by the ISF Academy in<br />

second and Hong Kong Schools Sailing Association<br />

in third. The remaining provisional results can be<br />

found at: http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/sailingresults.<br />

aspx#INTER-SCHOOL SAILING FESTIVAL<br />

In preparation for the competition, many of the<br />

schools competing participated in a number of<br />

RHKYC sailing programmes throughout the year to<br />

get ready for the event.<br />

The event is also designated a Clean Regatta by<br />

the Sailors for the Sea Organization; a non-profit<br />

organization that educates and empowers boaters to<br />

protect and restore our oceans and coastal waters.<br />

In the end in the Feva Gold Division the ISF Academy,<br />

West Island School and French International School<br />

44


45


Words by<br />

BARRY<br />

DAWSON<br />

Photographs<br />

as credited<br />

46<br />

SWIM SA<br />

Z<br />

ambales Lifesaving Inc. will again be<br />

conducting its “swim-safe” program in <strong>2018</strong>,<br />

unfortunately though it will be less effective than<br />

last year, due to lack of interest and response from<br />

Resorts to participate.<br />

Basically this comes down to costs, which we<br />

can understand, but also one needs to balance<br />

reinvestment, not only into ones business, but into<br />

the local community and those<br />

who patronize such businesses<br />

As it costs money to run the<br />

program and that Zambales<br />

Lifesaving is a non-stock,<br />

non-profit organization,<br />

it has to rely on others to<br />

help fund community based<br />

projects such as the “Swimsafe”<br />

program. Even with<br />

lifeguards being mandatory at<br />

beach resorts most are at this<br />

stage surprisingly unwilling<br />

to participate in something<br />

so important to their own<br />

operation. Palmera Gardens<br />

resort at Iba is setting the<br />

correct example by supporting<br />

this worthwhile program that<br />

one day might possibly save your child’s life.<br />

These costs include such things as; transportation<br />

for the instructors, generally 3, also their foods<br />

and remuneration of their expenses, such as salary,<br />

as they need to take leave of absence from places<br />

where they are employed so as to instruct at<br />

the events, also depending on location, possibly<br />

overnight accommodations if the location is far from<br />

their home or work base.<br />

To be effective the program should run for a<br />

minimum of 2 days at each resort, the program is 4<br />

hours, with 2 sessions per day, morning 8:00AM till<br />

noon and 1:00PN till 5:00PM and consists of both<br />

an information seminar, which includes a number of<br />

safety tips including how to spot potential drowning<br />

dangers, at the beach, pool, swimming areas like<br />

creeks and rivers and also around the home.<br />

After the safety seminar there are pool sessions<br />

where the children and the adults, if they wish to<br />

participate, are shown basic safety skills, such as<br />

There are documented<br />

cases of people who<br />

could not swim<br />

surviving the Japan<br />

Tsunami because they<br />

knew how to float.<br />

“reach or throw – but do not go” if you are a non<br />

swimmer, how to recognize a person, especially<br />

a child in difficulties, as often a child in trouble<br />

is mistaken for a child just thrashing about in the<br />

water, which actually leads to many children actually<br />

drowning within meters of family or friends as the<br />

danger is not realized.<br />

In the pool the priority is to teach them how to float,<br />

anyone can float, if shown the<br />

correct technique, if you can<br />

float you can survive, how?<br />

Because you can regain your<br />

breath and your strength so<br />

as to await assistance or plan<br />

a means of getting out of the<br />

water.<br />

There are documented cases<br />

of people who could not swim<br />

surviving the Japan Tsunami<br />

because they knew how to float,<br />

Japan run a National plan called<br />

“Uitemate” teaching adults and<br />

children how to float.<br />

Mr. Roger Bound, program director<br />

of Zambales Lifesaving Inc. would<br />

love to hear from anyone, or business who would be<br />

interested to help support this program for next year.<br />

In most cases resorts are willing to supply their resort<br />

as the venue and supply the lunches and snacks for<br />

the instructors, what they seem unprepared to do is<br />

cover the instructors expenses, which is not a great<br />

deal. Example; to be most effective it requires 5<br />

resorts, with 2 days at each resort, 2 sessions per<br />

day, with 20 persons per session, this is 400 people<br />

who will not only be more safety conscious, but will<br />

also pass this onto other people.<br />

The cost estimate; based on 3 instructors per session<br />

is P2300.00 per day to cover their travel, salaries<br />

and out of pocket expenses, plus for banners<br />

and advertising, stationary and certificates of<br />

participation, add another P200.00 per day a total<br />

of P 2500.00 per day x 10 days is only P25000.00 or<br />

P62.50 pesos per person.<br />

One thing we are also planning is looking for a<br />

sponsor willing to cover a scholarship program to


FE <strong>2018</strong><br />

train 10 college students each year as lifeguards, as<br />

there is a high demand for part time lifeguards at<br />

resorts during the summer months, thus this will give<br />

them the ability to earn during summer to continue<br />

their education, it would be a requirement that they<br />

would do the swim-safe program for a minimum<br />

of 4 days for 2 years in return for the training they<br />

received.<br />

The cost of this is only P43,000.00 to train 10<br />

persons as qualified lifeguards.<br />

Which also raises another point, what is a “Lifeguard”<br />

(also often referred to as “Lifesavers”) this I feel is<br />

one of the reasons that many resorts are not wishing<br />

or willing to train or in many cases even employ a<br />

lifeguard, even though the law states every Coastal<br />

Beach Resort must.<br />

A lifeguard is multi functional, they are in fact a<br />

safety officer or first responder who is trained not<br />

only in aquatic safety and rescue, but also in basic life<br />

support and first aid, they can in fact respond to any<br />

emergency, for example; Heart attack, electrocution,<br />

accident, even choking, not just drowning. The<br />

training we do also covers public relations, a must<br />

if there is a serious emergency, also common things<br />

that can occur such as sun burn, heat stroke, fainting,<br />

cuts and abrasions and of course treatment of stings<br />

from such things a jellyfish.<br />

employer has available should there be no customers<br />

using the pool, beach or the lifeguards duty area.<br />

These are highly trained employees that any resorts<br />

should be proud to have on their staff.<br />

Report by Margaret Claire Layug/NB, GMA News<br />

on Line March 22nd <strong>2018</strong><br />

Those who are planning to go swimming during<br />

the Holy Week are advised to take precaution as<br />

drowning was found to be the leading cause of death<br />

in the Philippines during the season. According to<br />

Sandra Aguinaldo’s report on “24 Oras”, 59 people<br />

drowned during the Holy Week from 2013 to 2016.<br />

This was according to GMA News Research, citing<br />

data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction &<br />

Management Council (NDRRMC).<br />

People who drowned surpassed the number of<br />

people who died of vehicular accidents during the<br />

season.<br />

Those we train are encouraged to be versatile in<br />

their position, to assist is any work required, such<br />

as cleaning, maintenance or any work that their<br />

47


On the average, at<br />

least 40,000 Filipinos<br />

of all ages annually are<br />

involved in drowning<br />

accidents, with<br />

approximately a 75%<br />

fatality rate.<br />

The NDRRMC said that several of the drowned<br />

victims were drinking alcohol.<br />

Moreover, the most number of drowning incidents<br />

happened in beaches, followed by those who<br />

drowned swimming in rivers.<br />

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC)<br />

said all public swimming areas<br />

should have designated lifeguards<br />

who are certified and trained in<br />

cardiopulmonary resuscitation<br />

(CPR).<br />

If a person appears to be<br />

drowning, the PRC advised<br />

against jumping into the water in an attempt to<br />

rescue the victim.<br />

“Tumawag muna tayo ng tulong. Humanap ng anong<br />

bagay na ibato natin sa nalulunod na lumulutang,<br />

kunwari ‘yung gallon ng tubig,” PRC national field<br />

representative Ace Alvarex said.<br />

“Huwag tayong lumapit sa kanya dahil nga ‘yun pa<br />

ang magiging cause ng pagkalunod,” he added.<br />

Safety experts reiterated the importance of remaining<br />

calm and avoiding panic in such events.<br />

On the average, at least 40,000 Filipinos of all ages<br />

annually are involved in drowning accidents, with<br />

approximately a 75% fatality rate. More than a third<br />

affects children under the age of 14 years. Mortality<br />

is highest amongst children ages 1–8 years of age.<br />

Drowning far outranks the traditional causes of child<br />

mortality like meningitis, septicemia, malnutrition,<br />

tuberculosis and pneumonia, and is the 6th highest<br />

cause of mortality in children 1-4, 3rd in children<br />

aged 5-9 and the 2nd leading cause of mortality for<br />

children aged 10–14.<br />

The findings presented in this story only constitute<br />

reported cases of fatal drowning’s in children; hence,<br />

these figures need to be taken as the minimum<br />

of fatal drowning’s for the Philippines. There is<br />

also plenty of local data on the circumstances<br />

surrounding child drowning accidents in Philippines.<br />

So consequently, the burden of prevention of child<br />

drowning in the country now lies squarely on the<br />

shoulders of the local business community. These<br />

findings will also be the subject of a subsequent<br />

report of Safe Kids Philippines, Zambales Lifesaving<br />

Inc., the Department of Health and the World Health<br />

Organization.<br />

Your business can play a very big part in reducing<br />

these horrific figures in child drowning by becoming<br />

a sponsor of the swim safe program. Your business<br />

will be acknowledged as a sponsor in all promotional<br />

materials and swim safe stories printed in this<br />

magazine. You never know it could be your child your<br />

sponsorship could save one day.<br />

To find out how you can become a sponsor in this<br />

very important program on child safety contact Roger<br />

Bound on 0918-922-2863 or email to Zambales<br />

Lifesaving Inc. at slszambales@gmail.com.<br />

48


49


50MASB<br />

Words by<br />

BARRY<br />

DAWSON<br />

Photographs<br />

as credited<br />

M<br />

asbate, officially the Province of<br />

Masbate (Masbateño: Probinsya san<br />

Masbate; Hiligaynon: Kapuoran sang Masbate;<br />

Cebuano: Lalawigan sa Masbate; Central<br />

Bicolano: Probinsya kan Masbate; Filipino:<br />

Lalawigan ng Masbate) is an island province<br />

in the Philippines located near the middle of<br />

the nation’s archipelago. Its provincial capital<br />

is Masbate City. The province consists of three<br />

major islands: Masbate,<br />

Ticao and Burias.<br />

Masbate is at the crossroads<br />

of two island groups: Visayas<br />

and Luzon. It is politically<br />

part of Bicol Region in<br />

In 1605, Masbate<br />

was officially an<br />

Augustinian Mission<br />

and its first prior<br />

was Fray Francisco<br />

Guerrero.<br />

Luzon. However, from a bio-geographic and<br />

sociolinguistic perspective, Masbate has a<br />

stronger affiliation/connection with Visayas.<br />

From the chronicles of the early years of Spanish<br />

colonization, a relacion (report) about Masbate<br />

first appeared in Fray Martin de Rada’s letter<br />

dated July 1569 to the Viceroy of New Spain<br />

(Mexico), Marquis de Falces. He mentioned that<br />

in a place called Masbat there<br />

were plenty of gold mines.<br />

Other later documents such<br />

as Artieda’s Relacion (1573)<br />

and Andres de Mirandaola’s<br />

letter (1574) refer to a place<br />

called Masbat or Masbad. It


wasn’t until 1582 that Miguel de Loarca wrote<br />

about a place called Masbate.<br />

In the same year that the Augustinian Fray de<br />

Rada wrote about Masbat’s gold mines, his<br />

fellow Augustinian Fray Alonzo Jimenez landed<br />

in Burias and baptized its chieftain Buaya. This<br />

baptism is said to be the very first baptism in<br />

Luzon. Fray Jimenez also built a church in<br />

Burias before he sailed on to Ibalon in 1570.<br />

By 1575, Masbate had become a priority in<br />

the Augustinian Missionary Memoranda. Fray<br />

Francisco de Ortega reported on the pillaging<br />

activities of a pirate named Caxabic in the islands<br />

of Masbate and Burias. By 1600, the Spaniards<br />

had developed Mobo as a galleon shipyard and<br />

San Jacinto as a strategic port. In 1605, Masbate<br />

was officially an Augustinian Mission and its first<br />

prior was Fray Francisco Guerrero. Masbate had<br />

about 250 tributes and 1000 Christian natives. In<br />

1609, Fray Pedro de Arce, bishop-elect of Nueva<br />

Caceres, ceded the spiritual administration<br />

of Masbate to the Mitra (secular clergy). On<br />

May 28, 1682, bishop-elect Dominican Fray<br />

Andres Gonzales petitioned the King of Spain<br />

to revert some curacies of Nueva Caceres to the<br />

charge of religious communities. The petition<br />

was approved in 1685 and by 1687; the first<br />

Augustinian Recollect missionaries had sailed for<br />

the port of San Jacinto to begin the Recollect<br />

Mission in Masbate. In 1700, Fray Ildefonso<br />

de la Concepcion established the settlement<br />

DESTINATION<br />

ATE<br />

ATE51


Provincial capitol building<br />

of Uson as a<br />

visita (barrio)<br />

of Mobo.<br />

Fray Manuel<br />

de la Virgen<br />

del Tremedal<br />

established<br />

the town of<br />

Masbate in<br />

1791.<br />

The city is more or less situated at the centre of<br />

Masbate province and Masbate Island, about 212<br />

aerial miles and 362 nautical miles from Manila.<br />

It is noted for its well-protected port with Ticao<br />

Island acting as barrier against the effects of<br />

inclement weather from the north-east. Being<br />

located at the central part of the Philippine<br />

archipelago, the city serves as Bicol Region’s<br />

gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao. It is<br />

accessible through sea and air transportation.<br />

Masbate City, officially the<br />

City of Masbate: is a 4th<br />

class city and capital of<br />

the province of Masbate,<br />

Philippines.<br />

As the only city in the<br />

province, it serves as the<br />

province’s main commercial<br />

centre and chief seaport.<br />

Being located at the<br />

central part of the<br />

Philippine archipelago,<br />

the city serves as Bicol<br />

Region’s gateway to the<br />

Visayas and Mindanao.<br />

The Masbateño language<br />

is very closely related<br />

to Ilonggo or Capiznon<br />

language by almost 75 to 85<br />

per cent similarity and some<br />

degree. It can therefore<br />

also be considered as part<br />

of the Hiligaynon family<br />

of languages. The city is<br />

divided into 30 barangays,<br />

City Hall of<br />

Masbate City<br />

commons.wikimedia.org © Ringer<br />

52


DEDICATED ENGINEERING SPECIALISTS<br />

53


MASBATE<br />

54<br />

Aerial view of Masbate city<br />

and some of the more colourful barangays and<br />

how they were named are:<br />

Ibingay<br />

Barangay Ibingay was originally called Punta<br />

Ibingay the name came from the word “Bingcay”<br />

or assorted seashells, which children played<br />

with, while their mothers were busy with the<br />

entre cuatro or card playing. In 1973, it was<br />

renamed “Balo” or swordfish, the kind of fish<br />

often caught by fishermen in Ibingay waters.<br />

However, “Balo” did not stick. People continued<br />

to refer to the place as “Ibingay”. So, today,<br />

Ibingay remains as its official name.<br />

Bagumbayan<br />

Bagumbayan was formerly called “goma”.<br />

In time, the place was used by laborers as a<br />

temporary corral for cattle while the shippers<br />

were waiting for the vessel that would transport<br />

the animals to Manila. Later, the laborers called<br />

the place Bagumbayan or New Town when<br />

transients built their homes near the shore and a<br />

community was created. The name “goma” was<br />

forgotten due to disuse. Today, Bagumbayan is<br />

bursting at the seams so to speak, because of<br />

the influx of people.<br />

Bantigue<br />

Bantigue, a barangay across the sea facing<br />

the city poblacion is a fishing village founded<br />

by the Boholano fishermen who migrated to<br />

Masbate sometime in the 1950s. Its name was<br />

derived from the Borobantigue tree, a species of<br />

mangrove abundantly growing in the Bantigue<br />

mudflats in the olden days. Bantigue barangay<br />

is better known as the place where the native<br />

dance “Lapay Bantigue” originated.<br />

Masbate Rodeo<br />

The Rodeo Masbateño Festival was conceived<br />

in 1992 as a way of uplifting the local cattle<br />

industry. It was started by MAKUSOG, a group<br />

of ranchers and businesspeople of Masbate,<br />

who formed the Rodeo Masbateño Foundation.<br />

There had been a long tradition of cattle raising<br />

in the province, with some 81% of its land used<br />

for pasturing livestock, but at that point in time<br />

the industry was in a slump. With the support of<br />

the provincial governor Emilio Espinosa Jr., the<br />

first Rodeo was staged in 1993. Following this, it<br />

became an annual event that improved tourism<br />

as well as commerce in the region and increased<br />

the locals’ pride in their province’s unique<br />

identity and products. The event was initially


Jaro Cathedral<br />

Rodeo Masbateño Festival<br />

known as Rodeo Filipino, but the name was<br />

eventually changed to Rodeo Masbateño. It grew<br />

into a national event over the years, attracting<br />

tourists from all over the<br />

Philippines and abroad. In<br />

recognition of the success<br />

of this event, on September<br />

2, 2002, President Gloria<br />

Macapagal-Arroyo issued<br />

Executive Order No. 120<br />

declaring Masbate as<br />

the Rodeo Capital of the<br />

Philippines. Masbate has<br />

Its home-grown cowboys,<br />

whose rodeo talents have<br />

been honed at the festival,<br />

have participated in the<br />

National Rodeo Finals in<br />

Las Vegas.<br />

also become known as the Rodeo Capital of Asia<br />

and is now affiliated with the Professional Rodeo<br />

Cowboys Association of America. Its homegrown<br />

cowboys, whose<br />

rodeo talents have been<br />

honed at the festival, have<br />

participated in the National<br />

Rodeo Finals in Las Vegas.<br />

Held in April each year, the<br />

week is a long festival of<br />

fun frivolity and an intense,<br />

spectacular rodeo event<br />

such as bull riding is not<br />

to be missed. Come to see<br />

the rodeo then linger on to<br />

enjoy the rest of what Masbate<br />

has to offer in the way of<br />

beautiful white sand beaches<br />

with clear blue pristine waters,<br />

diving, snorkelling, watersports<br />

fun, island hopping or just relax<br />

in this spectacular part of the<br />

Philippine Archipelago.<br />

For all who want to enjoy<br />

provincial life at its best just<br />

remember, Masbate, an island<br />

province in the Bicol Region of<br />

the Philippines, and is a land<br />

55


Magallanes coliseum<br />

of many surprises, the<br />

provinces of Masbate<br />

offer so much variety,<br />

you will want to come<br />

back again and again.<br />

Right smack between<br />

the Bicol peninsula and<br />

the Visayan Islands,<br />

Masbate province, and<br />

its unique spots wait to<br />

be discovered as a tourism frontier.<br />

Finding Masbate’s<br />

nooks and crannies<br />

makes memorable<br />

moments when visiting<br />

Bicol.<br />

The boomerang-shaped island province, known<br />

as the rodeo capital of the Philippines, is at<br />

the centre of the Philippine archipelago where<br />

waters are hospitable for manta rays and sea<br />

snakes.<br />

Finding Masbate’s nooks and crannies makes<br />

memorable moments when visiting Bicol.<br />

The people speak languages belonging more<br />

to the Visayan tongue than the Bicolano’s.<br />

But Tagalog-based Filipino is understood and<br />

spoken anywhere. It is no secret that Philippines<br />

is home to beautiful beaches, white sands,<br />

amazing landscapes, and much more. Many of<br />

you may probably hear of Boracay, Palawan<br />

and Puerto Princesa, maybe those places I have<br />

mentioned are one of your target destinations<br />

© Pinoy Photographer www.flickr.com<br />

56


in the Philippines. But after the trip we had<br />

with Benjamin Santiago Region five Department<br />

of tourism Director and his staff, I recommend<br />

that you should also consider Masbate! Lacking<br />

the colourful blinding lights of beach bars like<br />

other resorts, it is perfect if you are looking for<br />

quietness and if you want to be more intimate<br />

with nature.<br />

Buntod Sandbar<br />

Buntod Is a small island with white sand and<br />

clear, clean waters very near the city, and is not<br />

expensive compared to other destinations. I have<br />

never seen a paradise so near to a city before.<br />

The water is really clean you can even see small<br />

fish swimming around the cottage made from<br />

concrete and hardwood stilts few meters above<br />

the sea. I enjoyed swimming the whole time I was<br />

there. You can see the mangroves; you can sit<br />

and go around the mangroves. Be careful cause<br />

of getting cuts on your hands that maybe caused<br />

from laser sharp shell edges. The view is really<br />

awesome! The island is not crowded. Sometimes<br />

less than 50 people at one point. You can run<br />

around the whole island in less than 15 minutes.<br />

Going there is an unexpected and unforgettable<br />

experience. One of my local friends told me that<br />

this the best beach in Masbate this is a great<br />

place to bond with families and friends. Highly<br />

recommended! The type of place you will want<br />

to revisit many times.<br />

There is plenty to do in Masbate city proper<br />

besides the Rodeo, with some great places to<br />

stay. There are also some entrepreneurs about<br />

to promote watersports in a big way in the<br />

city proper. People like Roger O. Villanueva III<br />

owner of the Gagay’s Hotel & Resort. This newly<br />

established resort has to be in the top 3 in Masbate<br />

City. Situated right on the shore line the resort<br />

boasts a café Bar on the boardwalk overlooking<br />

Buntod sandbar<br />

masbatecity.gov.ph<br />

A familiar figure to tourists<br />

Boardwalk at Gagay’s<br />

© Pinoy Photographer www.flickr.com<br />

©LibayL<br />

57


© Pinoy Photographer www.flickr.com<br />

Legacy Suites<br />

St. Anthony de<br />

Padua Parish church<br />

the ocean with nipa huts lining the boardwalk<br />

for guests to enjoy what the resort has to offer.<br />

They are also establishing new watersports toys<br />

for hire and for the guests like paddle boards.<br />

The owners are also<br />

negotiating to have an<br />

inflatable Island at the<br />

resort. If this eventuates<br />

will be a huge success for<br />

the resort and Masbate.<br />

The resort offers guests<br />

a beautifully appointed<br />

and serene place to stay.<br />

Located just outside the<br />

city centre to give you<br />

the peace and relaxation without the city hustle<br />

You can run<br />

around the whole<br />

island in less than<br />

15 minutes.<br />

and bustle, it also has a function hall that can<br />

accommodate up to 150 persons and catering<br />

services flexible to your budget.<br />

Palani Beach is a beautiful white powdery beach<br />

and just by distance this beach should not go the<br />

way of Boracay and will always remain beautiful,<br />

peaceful and serene with clean beaches and<br />

pristine waters.<br />

Lower your expectations if you want to enjoy the<br />

place. There are no big resorts but rather homelike<br />

resorts with home-like menu and food and<br />

that unmistakable Filipino rural hospitality and<br />

warmth.<br />

Palani Beach<br />

©thebigblackbackpack.com<br />

58


Lapay Bantigue Dance Festival<br />

masbatecity.gov.ph<br />

Map of Masbate<br />

59


Kalanay Falls are located in Brgy Nabangig,<br />

Palanas, Masbate. You can always feel the<br />

freshness and the cool water from the falls. The<br />

steps down to the falls are steep but very easy<br />

to navigate, the water is cool and refreshing so<br />

relax and take a dip.<br />

Halabangbaybay<br />

means [Long Beach],<br />

due to its elongated<br />

shoreline and white<br />

fine sand.<br />

Esperanza<br />

Esperanza is about four<br />

hours land travel South<br />

from Masbate City, the<br />

last municipality in the<br />

south located between<br />

Placer in north-west and<br />

Pio V Corpus in southeast<br />

and considered as<br />

among the smallest in<br />

the island. Esperanza was initially one of the<br />

barangays of the town of Placer. In early 1915,<br />

a group of first settlers sailed from northern<br />

Cebu using their paddled banca and settled<br />

the place. The settlers actively cultivated the<br />

area into a productive agricultural community,<br />

developing the place until eventually called<br />

“Halabangbaybay”. Halabangbaybay means<br />

[Long Beach], due to its elongated shoreline and<br />

white fine sand. Halabangbaybay at that era was<br />

a green-mountainous forest community. It was<br />

not recognized as a barrio or even a mere sitio.<br />

In the 1940s, Halabangbaybay became a Sitio of<br />

barrio Alegria, Cataingan, Masbate. Soon after,<br />

it was converted into a barrio named Esperanza<br />

as component barangay of Placer and Pablo<br />

M. Conag served as the “Tiniente del Barrio”.<br />

[ESPERANZA which means “HOPE”, PAGLA-UM<br />

in vernacular and PAG-ASA in Tagalog]. In the<br />

mid 1950s, Lawyer Alfonso E. Conag initiated<br />

vigorously and pursued for the conversion of<br />

Barrio Esperanza into an Independent Town.<br />

On July 2, 1959 - the set of Municipal Officials<br />

starts hold office and Santos Edem Conag, the<br />

eldest son of Felimo Serafin Conag became<br />

the 1st elected Mayor… Esperanza has a total<br />

population of 16,834 according to the National<br />

Statistic Office data as of August 1, 2007 and<br />

composed of twenty barangays that includes<br />

the following; Agoho, Almero, Baras, Domorog,<br />

Guadalupe, Iligan, Labangtaytay, Labrador,<br />

Libertad, Magsaysay, Masbaranon, Poblacion,<br />

Potingbato, Rizal, San Roque, Santiago,<br />

Sorosimbajan, Tawad, Tunga & Villa. Esperanza<br />

Esperanza<br />

60


61


The Marcelo Fernan<br />

bridge<br />

MASBATE<br />

Guimaras Island-<br />

White Beach<br />

62<br />

Buntod sanctuary and sandbar<br />

had eleven barangays located along the coastal<br />

line and nine in farm areas with an estimated<br />

seventy of the population being fisher folks.<br />

Weather in Esperanza is generally divided into<br />

two seasonal weather patterns known locally<br />

as the Amihan and Habagat seasons. In the<br />

Pawa mangrove Nature Park


Kayak Racing in<br />

Palompon<br />

Tagalog language, Amihan means a cool northeast<br />

wind, and Habagat means west or southwest<br />

wind; south-west monsoon. Amihan and<br />

Habagat seasons are generally associated<br />

respectively with the El Niño and La Niña<br />

global weather patterns. The Amihan season is<br />

characterized by moderate temperatures, little<br />

or no rainfall, and a prevailing wind from the<br />

east. The Habagat season is characterized by<br />

hot and humid weather, frequent heavy rainfall,<br />

and a prevailing wind from the west.<br />

In Esperanza, the two main modes of transport<br />

are via motor-tricycles along the main road or<br />

by walking along the beaches. Pedicabs are also<br />

available for transport along the Beach front Path.<br />

Other means of transportation include mountain<br />

bikes, quad bikes and motorbikes, all of which<br />

can be rented. To explore around the island’s<br />

coast, motorized bancas and sailing paraws are<br />

available for rent. These are outrigger canoes<br />

and are common sight in waters around the<br />

island. The sailing paraw is a narrow hulled boat<br />

with outriggers either<br />

side and with passengers<br />

sometimes seated on<br />

a trampoline platform<br />

between the outriggers<br />

supports. These are<br />

extremely fast off the<br />

wind, but can be unwieldy<br />

for inexperienced sailors.<br />

To explore around<br />

the island’s coast,<br />

motorized bancas and<br />

sailing paraws are<br />

available for rent.<br />

© Herald Presado 2013<br />

63


There is a lot happening in Esperanza at the<br />

time of writing this feature. Mayor Ian Peter S.<br />

Sapulveda, Vice Mayor Ramon A. Diamos and<br />

Tourism Officer Emelyn<br />

Diamos-Allanaraiz<br />

have a major on-going<br />

The Mayor has a major<br />

on-going watersports<br />

project, situated amongst<br />

beautiful mangroves.<br />

watersports project,<br />

situated amongst<br />

beautiful mangroves<br />

and only 5 minutes’ walk<br />

from a pristine white<br />

sand beach, with the<br />

building of an attractive<br />

watersports park that will<br />

include wakeboarding, inflatables, kayaks and<br />

paddle boarding. With picnic huts, restaurant<br />

and store this will be the place to watch out for<br />

with anticipated opening in October. Will be one<br />

of the top watersports destinations in Masbate.<br />

Placer<br />

The Municipality of Placer is a 2nd class<br />

municipality in the province of Masbate,<br />

Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it<br />

has a population of 55,826 people. Placer was<br />

created as a municipality from the barrio of the<br />

same name which used to belong to Cataingan,<br />

Masbate, by virtue of Republic Act No. 292,<br />

passed <strong>June</strong> 16, 1948 It is the only municipality<br />

which is dominantly Cebuano-speaking and a<br />

Sombrero island up close<br />

©www.theoutcastjourney.com<br />

64


FOR ONLY<br />

*P750 PER YEAR<br />

65


Beach in Dimasalang<br />

66<br />

MASBATE<br />

common yearly contender and former champion<br />

in Cebu City’s Sinulog Festival. On tour to placer<br />

we stayed at the Virginia Beach Resort and<br />

Italian Restaurant and has barbecue facilities and<br />

garden. With a terrace, the property also features<br />

a bar, as well as on-site<br />

dining. The accommodation<br />

provides a concierge service<br />

and free Wi-Fi. There is a<br />

large swimming pool with<br />

waterslides that is extremely<br />

welcome and refreshing<br />

after a hard days travel.<br />

Further down from Virginia<br />

resort is the NCMJ beach<br />

resort with white sands<br />

and pristine waters this beach is the ultimate<br />

place to stop. The owner is also planning to<br />

make a watersports park here. Even without the<br />

watersports park this is one place well worth<br />

visiting.<br />

Dimasalang<br />

The Municipality of Dimasalang is a 4th class<br />

municipality in the province of Masbate,<br />

Philippines. In 1951 the barrios of Palanas,<br />

Nipa, Nabangig, Banco, Pina, Maanahao,<br />

Salvacion, Antipolo, Malatawan, Intusan,<br />

It drops from 60<br />

feet to its base<br />

into a pool of<br />

cool, clear water.<br />

Miabas, San Antonio, Libtong, Malibas, Sta.<br />

Cruz, Bontod and Cabil-isan were separated to<br />

form the town of Palanas. This beautiful part of<br />

Masbate has so much to offer and Island hopping<br />

when here is a must, taking in and seeing islands<br />

like Deagan Island, Naro<br />

Bay, the Dimasalang Marine<br />

Sanctuary, the butterfly<br />

sanctuary, The Deagan river,<br />

Donduhan, Divisoria and<br />

Cudao Island. Take your<br />

time in these Islands of<br />

Paradise. Relax and enjoy<br />

the white sand beaches of<br />

Buntod Marine Sanctuary<br />

©talaaraw.files.wordpress.com


Harly Limlingan Marcuap<br />

Deagan Beach and Divisoria Beach. Sit back with<br />

a cold drink while taking in the glorious sunsets.<br />

The Mayor of Dimasalang the Honourable<br />

Edgar De Lara and his staff are developing and<br />

maintain these Islands to make sure you holiday<br />

in Dimasalang will be a memorable one. The type<br />

of holiday you will enjoy so much you will want<br />

to return to again and again.<br />

Catandayagan Falls<br />

Masbate has long been known as a land of<br />

many fascinating natural wonders, which include<br />

wonders like the Catandayagan Falls located in<br />

the town of Monreal, Masbate in Ticao Island.<br />

Nudibranch Snake Island<br />

©wetraveltolive.com<br />

Visitors who have come from all over the<br />

Philippines and beyond have been in awe of<br />

this breath-taking and amazing falls. It drops<br />

from 60 feet to its base into a pool of cool, clear<br />

water. It is a picture of grace and tranquillity in<br />

the heart of nature.<br />

Ticao Island is one of the three main islands<br />

that form the province of Masbate, along with<br />

Masbate and Burias. The island of Ticao is also<br />

divided into four municipalities, namely Batuan,<br />

San Fernando, San Jacinto, and Monreal. On this<br />

island on can spot manta rays or giant mantas,<br />

among other amazing marine creatures, which<br />

has made this area one of the most wanted dive<br />

attractions for both local and international divers.<br />

Diving in Masbate<br />

Over one hundred million years ago the islands<br />

of Masbate were formed out of volcanic rock<br />

long before man made his appearance in these<br />

lush tropical gardens. These first inhabitants<br />

made tools from stone, wood and bone. Some<br />

of these very early tools have been found by<br />

divers in Masbate waters. One of the best places<br />

to dive is on one of these Islands formed from<br />

that volcanic rock millions of years ago is Ticao<br />

Island.<br />

Catandayagan Falls,<br />

Ticao Island<br />

67


68<br />

MASBATE<br />

Bask in the glorious sunshine enjoying the native<br />

flair of traditional Philippine beauty in one of<br />

the untouched and yet to be discovered Islands<br />

of the Philippines. Withdraw into the tranquillity<br />

of nature on a majestic island with crystal clear<br />

pristine waters and white sand beaches; relax in<br />

the shade of hundreds of coconut trees while<br />

taking in the majestic aura of this awesome<br />

island.<br />

Some dive sites, like<br />

the Manta Bowl,<br />

are the cleaning and<br />

feeding station of<br />

Manta Rays.<br />

Sombrero Island<br />

Ticao Island<br />

Resort<br />

Ticao Island Resort is<br />

surrounded by several<br />

dive sites where you<br />

have the choice of big or<br />

small. Some dive sites,<br />

like the Manta Bowl,<br />

are the cleaning and<br />

feeding station of Manta Rays. The Manta Bowl<br />

Shoal is an underwater atoll which covers a 7 to<br />

8 hectare flat area. There are five (5) different<br />

dive sites here which range from 14 to 29 meters<br />

and all offer the chance to see the big marine<br />

creatures. The water where the Manta Bowl lies<br />

– Ticao Pass and Burias Pass – is known for the<br />

plankton rich water and constant current. Such<br />

traits make the waters of Ticao an alley for other<br />

pelagics like Whale Sharks, Thresher Sharks,<br />

Hammerheads, and Tiger Sharks.<br />

San Miguel is located on the northern part<br />

of the main Ticao Island; there are about 12<br />

discovered dive sites here. Each dive site has its<br />

Ticao Island Resort<br />

own unique flair, but on a general note dive sites<br />

here are known for the beautiful coral cover and<br />

the macro critters.<br />

For guests that stay at Ticao Island Resort, great<br />

night diving can be done at Pasil Reef which is right<br />

in front of Ticao Island Resort. Pasil Reef also allows<br />

for a simple dive close to Ticao Island Resort.<br />

Ticao Island Resort’s Dive Center is an SSI<br />

Accredited Centre and all our dive pros have<br />

PADI and/or SSI certifications. If planning a<br />

dive trip to Ticao there is no ferry service from<br />

Masbate City, the ferry departs from Pilar at<br />

Sorsogon Daily. So check with the ferry company<br />

when planning your trip.<br />

Burias Islands Animasola,<br />

Tinalisayan and Sombrero<br />

©traveldiveconnect.com<br />

Animasola is beautiful majestic rock formations<br />

with a natural pool for a refreshing swim. On<br />

www.choosephilippines.com © Dante Fajardo


Find your stand up paddle board (SUP) today at<br />

SUBIC BAY BORACAY<br />

MANILA DAVAO<br />

CEBU PUERTO PRINCESA<br />

www.broadwatermarine.com<br />

69


MASBATE<br />

other parts, the stones are slippery and mossy.<br />

Wear swim shoes to protect your feet. Also bring<br />

an umbrella to protect yourself from the sun while<br />

taking pictures as this island barely have any shade<br />

from the sun! Tinalisayan is renowned for its white<br />

sands & sand dunes; sombrero for its hat-shaped<br />

island & several snakes. Enjoy snorkelling a few<br />

feet away from the beach side where the boats<br />

are. There are lots of colourful corals and schools<br />

of fish of many varieties<br />

to see. On the other side<br />

there is also a sandbar that<br />

can only be seen during low<br />

tide as it is hidden at high<br />

tide. You can stay overnight<br />

at Virjen Island Resort. The<br />

restaurant at the resort<br />

serves up delicious shellfish<br />

for which tourists locals and<br />

alike crave for.<br />

Aroroy Lighthouse<br />

If you have never been to Cape Bojoedor and<br />

weren’t given a chance to have this picturesque<br />

lighthouse to yourself, go here and that dream will<br />

be fulfilled. Over a century old, this light house<br />

which was part of the group of lighthouses built<br />

during the Spanish colonial period. If you are<br />

Rock formation, Animasola<br />

Animasola is<br />

beautiful majestic<br />

rock formations with<br />

a natural pool for a<br />

refreshing swim.<br />

coming from Masbate City. The trip to Punta Bugui<br />

is in itself exciting. A van from the Terminal in<br />

Masbate will take you to Aroroy, from where boats<br />

to Punta Bugui can be hired. Or one can wait and<br />

be a regular passenger on the service boat, but be<br />

warned the boat leaves when it is full. For visitors,<br />

the wait can be such a waste. It is an hour’s ride<br />

to Aroroy, At Punta Bugui, walk to the right, in a<br />

mild ascent. And then a rather steep ascent to the<br />

lighthouse itself. The walkway<br />

consists of steps and parts<br />

missing, it is advised to take<br />

care on the walk. The view<br />

is calming. There is a newer<br />

and working lighthouse<br />

beside the old one. The old<br />

lighthouse is abandoned<br />

but is still beautiful and a<br />

wonder to look at. It has<br />

some similarities with the<br />

other Spanish lighthouses, with that rustic feel and<br />

is a great location for a photo shoot. The place is<br />

marvellous. The view from about 100 meters to the<br />

lighthouse, into the cove, is serene and restful.<br />

Jintotolo Lighthouse<br />

Set in the open water that separates Luzon and<br />

Visayas, Jintotolo is a small island composed of<br />

©www.choosephilippines.com<br />

70


Aroroy Lighthouse<br />

two barangays of the Municipality of Balud,<br />

Masbate. It is surrounded with rich turquoise<br />

water where the inhabitants rely their livelihood.<br />

But aside from its bountiful water and white<br />

sand coastline, its most prominent feature is<br />

the century-old lighthouse on top of a hill,<br />

the highest point of the island. Built in 1895<br />

and activated in the early 1900s, Faro de Isla<br />

Jintotolo or Jintotolo Island Lighthouse is one<br />

of the 24 original first-order lighthouses erected<br />

by the Spanish Government in the archipelago.<br />

It aims to guide ships traversing Sibuyan<br />

Sea, Visayan Sea and Jintotolo Channel. The<br />

lighthouse has an octagonal lantern podium<br />

on top of a square stone tower that is attached<br />

to a one-story keeper’s house. The tower has a<br />

height of 15.5 meter (51 feet) with a total focal<br />

plane (height of the lamp above sea level) of<br />

57 meters (187 feet). It is still in used today<br />

but the original lamp was already replaced with<br />

a modern solar-powered lantern flashes three<br />

white lights every 10 seconds. Although the<br />

attached keeper’s house is already in ruins, much<br />

of its original brick walls and foundations are still<br />

intact. Jintotolo Island Lighthouse has a distinct<br />

charm. An icon standing majestically in a small<br />

and laid back island, old and rusty yet beautiful<br />

and classy. It invokes rare emotions and unique<br />

attachment. For me, it is one of, if not the most<br />

beautiful of all Spanish-era lighthouses in the<br />

Philippines. Jintotolo Island is a short boat ride<br />

from Barangay Calumpang in the town of Balud<br />

or by a 30-minute boat ride from Bongcanaway<br />

Port in Balud Town proper.<br />

From Masbate City, catch a van going to Balud.<br />

Fare is approximately P200 and travel time is<br />

approximately an hour and a half. From Roxas<br />

City, there are passenger boats to Balud which<br />

stop in Jintotolo Island.<br />

Places to Eat<br />

There are plenty of restaurants to choose from<br />

in Masbate catering for every type of cuisine to<br />

please even the most discerning palette. Just ask<br />

any tricycle driver to take you to the place of your<br />

desired menu. You will not be disappointed. In<br />

the provinces most resorts and hotels have a good<br />

selection on their menus for you to choose from.<br />

The one thing you can be sure of is you will never<br />

go hungry in this friendliest of destinations.<br />

71


Jintotolo lighthouse<br />

MASBATE<br />

Places to stay<br />

Like the restaurants, there is a vast selection to<br />

choose from catering for every type of budget.<br />

<strong>ABW</strong> recommend places like Gagay’s and in the<br />

provinces there are resorts like Bictuan, Virginia<br />

beach resort in Placer. No<br />

matter what province you<br />

are stopping in you will find<br />

comfortable and affordable<br />

accommodation.<br />

How to get there<br />

There are four different ways<br />

to get to Masbate, by plane,<br />

bus, ferry or car.<br />

The bottom line<br />

no matter how you<br />

decide to travel<br />

there you will enjoy<br />

the experience of<br />

Masbate.<br />

Flying to Masbate Cebgo: (Cebu Pacific)<br />

Fly Manila to Masbate twice daily.<br />

By Bus: Isarog Lines in Cubao run a bus/ferry<br />

service four times daily or alternatively you<br />

can get a Philtranco Bus from Pasay to Pilar in<br />

Sorsogon get the fast craft<br />

ferry to Masbate. Philtranco<br />

departs 5pm daily from<br />

Pasay Terminal. The fast<br />

craft has 3 departures daily<br />

8am. 12 noon and 3 pm. The<br />

bus trip from Manila takes<br />

approximately 12 hours and<br />

the fast craft takes 2 hours.<br />

If going by car, to avoid<br />

the uncertainty of the roro<br />

72


©shoestringtravellers<br />

Tinalisayan island Sandbar<br />

schedule from Pilar. We recommend you drive<br />

to Pilar and park your car at the ferry terminal,<br />

cost is P100 per day parking fee. And get the<br />

fast craft to Masbate.<br />

By Ferry from Manila: 2GO departs every<br />

Monday at 3.30 pm to Masbate where you<br />

can travel in comfort in an air-conditioned<br />

stateroom or the clean economy class. The trip<br />

takes approximately 22 hours. Be warned to<br />

book early as this is a very popular route and<br />

gets booked out quickly.<br />

The bottom line no matter how you decide to<br />

travel there you will enjoy the experience of<br />

Masbate, and come home with an indelible<br />

memory and a yearning to return again and again.<br />

Active Boating and Watersports would like to<br />

sincerely thank Department of Tourism Region<br />

Five director Mr. Benjamin Santiago and his staff,<br />

Joseph Trilles, Elmor Bonaobra and secretary<br />

Zharina Marie Padilla, as well as Clark Buncaras<br />

from Masbate Provincial Tourism and our<br />

driver Hansel (Bong) Viterbo for the invaluable<br />

assistance in putting this feature together.<br />

Berthing For Rent<br />

Manila Yacht Club<br />

Up To 70 Foot<br />

P28,000 / month<br />

0935-384-2551<br />

73


Words by<br />

ANGELO<br />

HICBAN<br />

for Phinsaf<br />

Photographs<br />

as credited<br />

After last year’s “challenging” race, the<br />

bright minds at PHINSAF or the Philippine<br />

Inter-Island Sailing Federation Inc. wasted no time<br />

in restructuring their much-loved and tremendously<br />

popular flagship regatta, the Philippine Hobie<br />

Challenge. Making lemonade out of the proverbial<br />

lemons that were “handed” to them, PHINSAF<br />

directors led by this year’s<br />

challenge co-chair Monchu<br />

Garcia, President Jerry Rollin<br />

and Treasurer Roman Azanza III<br />

(also PHC 18 co-chair) devised<br />

a plan to bring 15 brandspanking-new<br />

Hobie 16s to<br />

replenish the Philippine fleet in<br />

time for the challenge. With the<br />

backing of an ever-supportive<br />

community of local and foreign<br />

sailors and the help of Hobie<br />

Cat Asia-Pacific (formerly<br />

Hobie Cat Australasia) and its<br />

head Steve Fields, the country<br />

saw the rebirth of Hobie<br />

16 sailing by the tail end of<br />

2017. What also followed was<br />

a rejuvenation altogether of<br />

sailing from vessels of different<br />

shapes and sizes.<br />

This year’s iteration of the most extreme regatta<br />

in Asia, nay the world; the 18th Philippine Hobie<br />

Challenge came from a good omen having signed up<br />

18 entries to the last minute with all 15 of the brand<br />

new Hobie 16s being deployed for sailing action.<br />

Coron and Busuanga, Palawan was the destination<br />

of choice. Coincidentally, the 2nd serving of<br />

PHINSAF directors<br />

devised a plan to bring<br />

15 brand-spanking-new<br />

Hobie 16s to replenish<br />

the Philippine fleet in<br />

time for the challenge.<br />

PHINSAF’s big boat racing gem, the Nasugbu to<br />

Busuanga Race <strong>2018</strong> held from Punta Fuego Yacht<br />

Club to South Cay Island, Busuanga Bay Lodge<br />

(also one of this year’s #PHC18 sponsors) opened<br />

for the challenge making way for a robust Rallye<br />

Fleet contingent with the likes of veteran boaties<br />

Freewheeler (David Wheeler) and Kerida (by Garry<br />

Kingshott, with story below)<br />

joining the cats as they sailed<br />

around paradise.<br />

„What can we gain by sailing<br />

to the moon if we are not<br />

able to cross the abyss that<br />

separates us from ourselves?<br />

This is the most important of<br />

all voyages of discovery, and<br />

without it, all the rest are not<br />

only useless, but disastrous.“<br />

- Thomas Merton<br />

Strategically aligning the<br />

challenge with the help of<br />

the moon, co-chair and PHC<br />

vet Monchu Garcia (also<br />

paddling for Team Rayomarine,<br />

#PHC18 sponsor) could not<br />

have scheduled #PHC18 more perfectly. Even with<br />

winds dying on and off throughout the duration of<br />

the weeklong sailing event, sailors were still treated<br />

to exhilarating water exploits and at the end of<br />

74


every leg, a much needed respite in the fabulous<br />

resort sponsors – El Rio Y Mar, Balinsasayaw Resort<br />

and Busuanga Bay Lodge. And in true challenge<br />

fashion, #PHC18 gave way for one camping night<br />

at local sailors’ island Esperanza Beach, Galoc Island<br />

owned by local sailors (as well as #PHC18 VIP<br />

volunteers and this year’s Fossil Cup 1st Placers)<br />

Ichay and Raul Bulaong who were PHINSAF’s eyes,<br />

ears, hands, feet, wheels etc. on site for event prep.<br />

With a mix of competitors from Australia, Taiwan,<br />

USA, Belgium, South Africa, Fiji and a healthy<br />

Philippine representation; a diverse group of sailors<br />

came together to enjoy what the many great islands<br />

and waters of the Philippines has to offer. It was<br />

a spirited burst of energy and camaraderie as you<br />

can clearly see in the images provided (courtesy<br />

of #PHC18 sponsor GoPro). In the end, it was still<br />

a competition and the challenge had to award its<br />

victors. For the first time in a long time, USA has<br />

overthrown the Aussies to take home 1st Place as<br />

Team WINDTOYS USA helmed by sailing champion<br />

Mike Montague and his skipper Kathy Ward bested<br />

Aussie powerhouse Bruce “Tards” Tardrew of Team<br />

INCUBUS who placed 2nd along with his skipper<br />

Eric Tomahawk. Completing the winner’s circle is the<br />

hybrid Australian-American Team AUSUSA helmed<br />

by last minute #PHC18 sailor addition Aussie kidwonder<br />

Shane Peterson and his American skipper<br />

Heather Mathews.<br />

Signaling the start of a new era for the Philippine<br />

Hobie Challenge, the 18th version of the highly<br />

acclaimed regatta has only gotten better overtime<br />

and with preparations for the 19th PHC under<br />

way, expect to see bigger and greater things from<br />

PHINSAF and its amazing sailors.<br />

The 18th Philippine Hobie Challenged is brought to<br />

you by the Philippine Inter-Island Sailing Federation<br />

with special thanks to its major sponsors El Rio Y<br />

Mar, Rayomarine, Balinsasayaw Resort, GoPro,<br />

Busuanga Bay Lodge, LBC Business Solutions, LBC<br />

Foundation, Healthcare Advantage Institute, WRU<br />

GPS Tracking & Navigation, Headware, BloodRed<br />

and TLYC.<br />

PHINSAF would also like to give a special shout out<br />

to Mr. Peter Baird, his impressive boat Lost in Asia,<br />

his partner Mr. John Barker and their respective<br />

wives; Broadwater Marine and Active Boating and<br />

Watersports Magazine.<br />

18 for the 18th<br />

A telling number for<br />

PHINSAF’s annual<br />

extreme regatta, the<br />

Philippine Hobie Challenge<br />

75


PHC 18 Outreach Program going back to its<br />

roots By PHINSAF<br />

One of the activities for the 18th Philippine<br />

Hobie Challenge Outreach Program in partnership<br />

with LBC Foundation this year was held at Lajala<br />

Elementary School and Lajala Health Center in<br />

Coron, Palawan. A special<br />

musical program was prepared<br />

for the #PHC18 sailors as a<br />

sign of gratitude. It was a<br />

very touching experience.<br />

PHINSAF donated two<br />

10,000- liter BESTANK water<br />

storage and water tower<br />

for the school’s. The school<br />

teachers, students and health<br />

center representatives were<br />

very grateful and appreciative.<br />

We would like to thank the following: Dr. Dennis<br />

Cruz and Dr. Susan Cruz for donating medicines<br />

and food supplements to Lajala Health Center, LBC<br />

Foundation for their pledge to buy school supplies,<br />

medicines, medical supplies and sports equipment<br />

for Lajala Elementary School and the PHINSAF<br />

Outreach team led by volunteers Ichay Bulaong,<br />

Lita Legarda and Karen Dinglasan.<br />

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br />

Herding Cats in Paradise*<br />

By Garry Kingshott, edited by PHINSAF<br />

*All images following this article are provided by the author<br />

<strong>2018</strong> was the 18th time<br />

International and Filipino<br />

Hobie sailors have gathered<br />

in the Philippines for this<br />

amazing event.<br />

Imagine for a moment if you will, the prospect of<br />

sailing your 40’ cruising catamaran to the idyllic<br />

islands of Northern Palawan and spending a week<br />

or so shadowing a fleet of Hobie 16s as they race<br />

around and between the islands in an event called<br />

The Philippine Hobie Challenge.<br />

<strong>2018</strong> was the 18th time<br />

International and Filipino Hobie<br />

sailors have gathered in the<br />

Philippines for this amazing event.<br />

Some have participated as many<br />

as fourteen times over the years.<br />

They continue to return year<br />

after year in pursuit of the thrills,<br />

excitement and challenges of<br />

sailing tiny boats over challenging<br />

courses at times in open seas.<br />

Or do they come for the comradery and postrace<br />

fun? Or, for the legendary hospitality of their<br />

Filipino hosts? Whatever the reason, the chance<br />

to join them as a ‘support’ boat and be part of the<br />

Rallye Fleet, was an opportunity too good to pass<br />

up for S/V Kerida.<br />

Busuanga and the surrounding 1000+ islands have<br />

always been one of my favorite cruising grounds in<br />

The Philippines. From the stunning granite cliffs of<br />

Coron Island to the white sand beaches of the more<br />

westerly cays makes the area truly a sailor’s paradise.<br />

And so, it was that Kerida joined PHINSAF’s 2nd<br />

Nasugbu to Busuanga Race on March 9, a 145nm<br />

race that would see a fleet of boats arrive in Busuanga<br />

in time to join the 18th Philippine Hobie Challenge.<br />

Winning the multi-hull class by 45 seconds on<br />

corrected time was an unexpected bonus!<br />

Visiting the stunning resorts of El Rio Y Mar,<br />

Balinsasayaw Resort and Busuanga Bay Lodge during<br />

the course of the event just added to experience.<br />

76<br />

But, meeting the crews who brave the seas in tiny,<br />

inherently unstable boats, hearing their stories of


My Dynamo<br />

success and minor tragedies every evening, and<br />

playing a small role in keeping them safe every day<br />

was truly an honor.<br />

With crews from far flung places such as Belgium,<br />

South Africa, Tanzania, Australia, USA, Fiji and<br />

Taiwan joining the local Filipino crews this is a very<br />

special sailing event.<br />

Herding Cats in Paradise? The most fun you will<br />

have in a long, long time.<br />

Also very special thanks go to Air Juan and Bob<br />

Gilles, who speedily delivered our “Hot off the Press<br />

Edition’ of the Active Boating and Watersports<br />

Magazine to the Busanga Bay Lodge (BBL) for the<br />

Hobie Challenge presentation evening.<br />

Final Results of the Challenge were:<br />

OVERALL WINNNERS<br />

1ST PLACE - TEAM WINDTOYS USA (Mike Montague & Kathy Ward)<br />

2ND PLACE - TEAM INCUBUS (Bruce „Tards“ Tardrew & Eric Tomacruz)<br />

3RD PLACE - TEAM AUSUSA (Shane Peterson & Heather Mathews)<br />

LBC Business Solutions In-Shores<br />

1st Place - TEAM BUNG DEETLES (Andrew & Tony Boyd)<br />

2nd Place - TEAM AUSUSA (Shane Peterson & Heather Mathews)<br />

3rd Place - TEAM WINDTOYS USA (Mike Montague & Kathy Ward)<br />

Fossil Cup Recipients<br />

1st Place - PATA TEAM (Raul & Ichay Bulaong)<br />

2nd Place - TEAM DOOBIE BROTHERS (Andy Aguila & Cons Castaneda)<br />

3rd Place - TEAM 10 (Dennis Cruz & Jayson Mendoza)<br />

Watch Out for an even bigger and better Hobie Challenge in 2019.<br />

77


Sailing Tips<br />

You’ve always been interested to sail, but you know little about boat parts, the confusing technobabble,<br />

and what little you know is making your head spin in four different directions! Worry no<br />

more. This continuing series of articles is for you: it covers tips regarding hardware present on most boats,<br />

as well as common sailing techniques, terms and definitions, the names of the different pieces of hardware,<br />

and much more. This will keep you informed about most things you will need before you begin your own<br />

sailing excursion. Be sure to consult with an experienced sailor and someone knowledgeable about boats.<br />

The outhaul should<br />

be eased in light<br />

winds and tensioned<br />

in stronger winds.<br />

Article<br />

excerpts<br />

reprinted<br />

from<br />

the book<br />

CRUISER<br />

HANDLING<br />

by BOB BOND<br />

& STEVE<br />

SLEIGHT<br />

2nd reef<br />

Covered mainsail<br />

78<br />

The clew outhaul<br />

fastened to the<br />

boom end and to<br />

the clew of the sail<br />

The Mainsail of a cruiser is normally left rigged on the boom for<br />

short periods. When you do have to rig the mainsail, however,<br />

you will find it easier with two people. Most mainsails have<br />

battens which should be inserted into the appropriate pockets<br />

before rigging. Normally the mainsheet is left attached to the<br />

boom. The method you sue to stow the mainsail will depend to<br />

some extent on whether you have roller reefing gear. If you do,<br />

you could roll up the mainsail loosely on the boom. If you don’t<br />

then you will have to fold the mainsail neatly over the boom<br />

before tying it down and covering it securely.<br />

Rigging<br />

The clew end of the foot is fed into the track on the boom, and<br />

pulled along until all the foot is on the track. The tack is the<br />

fastened at the gooseneck and the clew outhaul tensioned and<br />

secured. The mainsail luff, or slide fittings if it has them, are<br />

fed into the mast track. There should be a mast gate fitted to<br />

the mast track to prevent the sliders dropping out of the base<br />

of the track.<br />

Hoisting<br />

The wind must be forward of the beam before the sail is hoisted,<br />

or it will fill with wind. Shackle the main halyard to the head,<br />

checking first to make sure that it is not fouled aloft, and the<br />

release the sail ties or shock cord around the mainsail. If the sail<br />

fits into a groove on the mast, a crew member may be needed<br />

to feed it in. Haul on the main sail halyard taking a turn around<br />

the winch, until the sail is pulled most of the way up the mast.<br />

Use the winch handle to fully hoist the sail, taking care not to<br />

over tension it. Ease off the topping lift and stow the surplus<br />

halyard neatly.<br />

Lowering and stowing<br />

To lower the mainsail, the wind must be forward of the beam,<br />

and the mainsheet should be eased to allow the sail to flap.<br />

Don’t forget to tighten the topping lift before releasing the<br />

halyard, or the boom will come crashing down on the coach<br />

roof. As one of the crew member eases the halyard, the other<br />

gathers in the mainsail and stows it. How you stow the mainsail<br />

depends to some extent on the type of system the boat carries.<br />

If the sail is attached to the mast with sliders you will normally<br />

use the folding method, taking care not to bend the battens as<br />

you do so. Tei the sail down with shock cord or sail ties when it<br />

is neatly furled. With a roller reefing system, you can simply roll<br />

the sail around the boom, securing it with sail ties.<br />

Sail controls<br />

Every cruising boat will be equipped with various forms of sail<br />

control. The sophistication of the equipment will depend on how<br />

much you want to spend. For most cruising boats nothing very<br />

elaborate is usually either needed or wanted. However, it is a help<br />

if the mainsheet is mounted on adjustable traveller so that you


Handling the Mainsail<br />

can control the amount of downward tension on the sail, and<br />

the angle of the sail to the centerline of the boat. A kicking strap<br />

is also needed to exert downward pressure on the boom and<br />

mainsail, and a downhaul and outhaul can be fitted to the luff<br />

and leech of the sail respectively to tension the luff and the foot<br />

of the mainsail. Battens can be used to stiffen the leech of the sail<br />

and adjustable fairleads can be fitted through which the headsail<br />

sheets can be led to give a better set to the sail.<br />

Mainsheet system<br />

The mainsheet controls the angle of the mainsail to the<br />

centerline of the boat, and is often mounted on the traveller<br />

running on an athwartships track. The traveller gives greater<br />

control over the sheeting angle and over the leech tension. In<br />

light winds it should be set to windward of the centerline and<br />

the mainsheet eased to put out the boom in the center of the<br />

boat to produce an even curve on the leech of the mainsail. In<br />

moderate winds, the traveller should be set in the center and<br />

the mainsheet tension adjusted to keep the top batten parallel<br />

with the boom. In stronger winds, the traveller should be eased<br />

to leeward with the mainsheet kept tight, to reduce the amount<br />

of heeling force on the boat. You will find it easier to gauge the<br />

leech tension if tell-tales are used. It will correct when all telltales<br />

stream aft.<br />

Kicking strap<br />

Most cruising boats need a kicking strap with a purchase power<br />

of at least six to one, preferably with the end of the purchase<br />

led to a winch to give greater power. If no kicking strap is fitted,<br />

power will be lost when sailing off-wind as the leech of the sail<br />

will twist forward, and the boat will roll when broad reaching or<br />

running. A tightened kicking strap will effectively stop this, by<br />

preventing the boom from rising and falling, which causes the sail<br />

to chafe on the shrouds and spreaders. Increased purchase on the<br />

kicking strap allows the mainsheet to be used for lateral control.<br />

Luff tension<br />

The luff of the mainsail should always be just tight enough for<br />

any horizontal wrinkles to be removed, but not so tight that a<br />

vertical crease forms near the mast. The luff tension affects the<br />

way the sail performs when it is eased, the point of maximum<br />

draught moves aft and when it is tightened it moves further<br />

forward. Ideally the point of maximum draught should be where<br />

the sail-maker intended it to be in moderate winds. In stronger<br />

winds you should increase the luff tension and in lighter airs<br />

you should reduce it. You can use the mainsail halyard, a<br />

cunningham hole and tackle near the clew, or a boom downhaul<br />

and sliding gooseneck to tension the sail of the luff.<br />

Clew outhaul<br />

The clew outhaul affects the amount and position of the camber<br />

in the sail. By tightening the outhaul you can pull the point of<br />

maximum draught further aft, and thus flatten the sail or you<br />

can ease the outhaul and move it forward, thus giving more<br />

fullness to the sail. Ideally, the outhaul should be tensioned just<br />

enough to prevent vertical creases appearing in the sail, but not<br />

so much that a horizontal crease is formed. The outhaul should<br />

be eased in light winds and tensioned in stronger winds.<br />

Battens<br />

Battens are used to support the curved leech of the mainsail<br />

and can greatly affect its shape. Those not designed to be full<br />

length should be tapered at the inner end so that when the<br />

sail is set no hard spot is formed at the inner end of the batten<br />

pocket. If such a spot occurs the batten is too thick and should<br />

be exchanged for a more tapered one. Full-length battens<br />

normally have some means by which the tension on them can<br />

be increased or reduced.<br />

Leech line<br />

On many cruising boats a thin line, known as a leech line, is<br />

threaded down the leech of the mainsail or the jib. It can be<br />

used to control any flutter or flap in the edge of the leech by<br />

increasing the tension upon it. However, care should be taken<br />

not to over-tension it to the point where the leech area distorts<br />

and curves to windward. Since you sometimes get leech flutter<br />

only in a reefed mainsail, in the upper part of the sail, you can<br />

fit a leech line with an adjustment point above each reef point,<br />

so that it can be tensioned as necessary to remove the flutter.<br />

Headsail sheet fairleads<br />

The position of the headsail sheet fairlead is crucial to the<br />

good set and performance of the headsail, and therefore it is<br />

important to have an adjustable headsail sheet fairlead sited<br />

on the track, so that the sheeting position can be altered to the<br />

different sizes of the headsail. The fairlead should be positioned<br />

so that when the sail (regardless of size), is sheeted in for a<br />

close-hauled course, it has the same curve across it at the foot<br />

as it does at the head. The leech of the sail should have an even<br />

curve, matching the curve on the leeward side of the mainsail.<br />

On most boats the leech of the overlapping headsail, when fully<br />

sheeted should be within 15cm from the end of the spreader.<br />

If the fairlead is set to far aft, the foot of the sail will be overtensioned<br />

while the leech will drop off to leeward, reducing the<br />

driving power in the top of the sail. On the other hand if the<br />

lead is to far forward, too much tension will be put on the leech,<br />

causing it to hook in, but not enough will be put on the foot.<br />

The sail will be too full and the boat will heel more.<br />

Headsail luff tension<br />

Much the same rules apply to the headsail luff tension as to<br />

the mainsail. Normally on a cruising boat the halyard is the only<br />

control for adjusting headsail luff tension, although some boats<br />

which race have a cunningham hole and tackle fitted to give<br />

finer adjustment. Generally you will have to use the headsail<br />

halyard, taking care not to over-tension it in light airs, and<br />

tension it enough in heavy weather.<br />

Tell tales<br />

Every headsail in your sail wardrobe should be fitted with telltales,<br />

lengths of wool or ribbon about 30cm long, stitched<br />

through the sail and knotted on either side, so that 15cm lies<br />

on each side of the sail. Normally they should be positioned<br />

about 15cm aft of the luff of the sail, with three or four of them<br />

down the length of the luff. By attaching tell-tales you will be<br />

able to check that your sheeting angle is correct and you will<br />

also have a useful steering aid. To check the sheeting angle,<br />

sail the boat on a close-hauled course and see if the tell-tales<br />

stream aft. If they do the angle is correct. If the top tell-tales<br />

flutter while those lower down, stream correctly, the lead is too<br />

far aft, and if the reverse occurs the lead is too far forward.<br />

Provided you have sheeting angle correct you can also use the<br />

tell-tales as a steering aid. If you are sailing windward with the<br />

sheet properly trimmed the tell-tales on the leeward side of the<br />

sail should stream aft evenly. Although those on the windward<br />

side of the sail can flutter, the leeward tell-tales must not be<br />

allowed to do so, or the sail will stall. Provided you watch the<br />

tell-tales carefully you should get the boat to pint windward.<br />

Fitting slugs on<br />

the luff of the<br />

mainsail<br />

Fold mainsail<br />

Hoisting Mainsail<br />

Lowering the Mainsail<br />

Track Boom<br />

The Profurl roller furling<br />

jib clew leads to one of<br />

two through bolted sail<br />

tracks on the bridge deck.<br />

79


Flukey Winds<br />

Make For Interesting<br />

Sailing In<br />

Taal Lake<br />

Yacht Club’s<br />

<strong>2018</strong> Women’s<br />

Helm Regatta<br />

80


Peter Capotosto’s Flickr Album description:<br />

Since 2004, Taal Lake Yacht Club has had<br />

an annual Women’s Helm Regatta. As the name<br />

connotes, only women can drive.<br />

Its quite unique. It’s very<br />

different than a women’s<br />

race, because women are<br />

not limited to women<br />

crews. They can get<br />

anybody they want. It’s<br />

also an opportunity<br />

for our usual<br />

skippers, male or<br />

female, to let their<br />

crews, or women<br />

friends drive. It<br />

gets women into<br />

sailing, in an<br />

unusual, but<br />

very exciting<br />

way.<br />

Then there are even<br />

less women who<br />

can competently<br />

sail Hobie 16s.<br />

Limiting the<br />

racing to female helms also knocks<br />

out male competition, allowing the<br />

women a choice of crews that they<br />

would normally not have access<br />

to, mostly experienced skippers<br />

who often acted as coaches.<br />

It was good for the men too. Because they were able<br />

to adjust things such as rig tension that they would<br />

not even be able to see, if they were driving. Overall<br />

the April 22 <strong>2018</strong> TLYC Women’s helm regatta was a<br />

great success.<br />

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br />

Taal Lake Yacht Club, Sun 22<br />

April <strong>2018</strong>. If you think that<br />

local/ locally-based catamaran<br />

sailors are scarce, the women<br />

who sail for fun are few. Then<br />

there are even less women who<br />

can competently sail Hobie<br />

16s. I like to think of myself<br />

as part of the tiny percentage,<br />

even if I do spend more time<br />

sailing small boats.<br />

So here I was, thrilled to<br />

skipper a Hobie 16 again after<br />

years of not racing this class, I<br />

was tense in the low wind as I<br />

turned our borrowed Hobie 16<br />

towards the start line in the<br />

countdown. We surprised ourselves with a good<br />

start, out the gate on time leading the fleet of<br />

women skippers. Martin Marty kept our sails loose<br />

to power us beating to the windward mark, oddly<br />

towards the small dormant volcano, not the usual<br />

Balai Isabel area.<br />

Words by<br />

CHERRIE<br />

PINPIN<br />

Photographs<br />

by CARLA<br />

KRAMER<br />

81


Peter had spotted the lift well before I did and<br />

advised his skipper Mikee Vinzon to point their<br />

Hobie 16 higher. By the time I noticed what was<br />

happening, I tried to match their angle but could<br />

not get enough speed to get ahead to tack clear.<br />

She would get me on<br />

starboard and the low<br />

wind would make trying<br />

to duck her big mess.<br />

Unable to tack as Mikee<br />

guarded her position, I was<br />

finally forced to tack too<br />

close to the mark else get<br />

over stood. While Mikee<br />

rounded with ease, the<br />

already weak breeze died. We watched in horror as<br />

we drifted helplessly into the mark, cut to: internal<br />

scream with a mad real time scramble aboard to<br />

deal. Drat the light wind and current! So much for<br />

the lead as we did penalty in an awfully painfully<br />

slo-mo way, while the fleet cheerfully passed us,<br />

mentally blowing us kisses as they jockeyed for<br />

speed to the finish.<br />

We watched in horror as<br />

we drifted helplessly into<br />

the mark, cut to: internal<br />

scream with a mad real time<br />

scramble aboard to deal.<br />

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The 5th<br />

<strong>2018</strong><br />

OFFS<br />

S<br />

HIP build<br />

Philippines<strong>2018</strong><br />

H<br />

ORE<br />

P H I L I P P I N E S <strong>2018</strong><br />

83


PHILIPPINE YACHT CLUB DIRECTORY<br />

84


85<br />

HILIPPINE YACHT CLUB DIRECTORY


Then losing by a<br />

whisker in the fiercest<br />

downwind match race<br />

against Joida Pablo (I<br />

must quit eating bread<br />

and butter for a year).<br />

A string of disasters aboard in the next races –<br />

uncoordinated crew (ourselves) making the worst<br />

start in the world (a.k.a. brown paper bag award)<br />

and losing time while going around the wrong<br />

buoy (thanks to the lack of<br />

skippers briefing and not<br />

knowing which color buoy<br />

was the right one to round),<br />

while watching the most<br />

underweight crew of the fleet<br />

– first time sailor Paola Orozo<br />

round the mark ahead of us<br />

with expert coaching from<br />

crew Jose S. Gonzalez. Then<br />

losing by a whisker in the<br />

fiercest downwind match race<br />

against Joida Pablo (I must quit eating bread and<br />

butter for a year). To add insult to injury, discovered<br />

my supposedly secret weapon, my “wind-spotting”<br />

Deep Water polarized lenses had decided Taal Lake’s<br />

(possibly) sulfur-infused waters was too much<br />

abuse, and promptly delaminated in large swathes,<br />

leaving me with blurry vision and tears as the rest of<br />

the Women’s Helm skippers fleet gaily romped off to<br />

squabble betwixt themselves for top places, leaving<br />

me to eat their wake.<br />

Obviously any of the women skippers competing<br />

regularly on the Hobie 16 –pro-level sailor Maria<br />

Vidoeira and lethal fire poi swinging Jana Everett for<br />

example, or Mikee and Joida, the former who’s had<br />

more recent sail time or the latter young ‘un who’s<br />

clocked more consistent Hobie hours, had a distinct<br />

advantage over the sprout-out-of-the-woodwork<br />

silly me wanting to scratch my yearly catamaran<br />

itch sans putting in enough catamaran time on the<br />

water. Excuses excuses… Martin was at least very<br />

nice to agree to crew for me and did all he could<br />

to keep us racing given the wicked fluky winds and<br />

the not-quite-coordinated crew aboard. Last note to<br />

self: Must improve my light wind handling skills!<br />

Back ashore, putting the boats a-bed then at the<br />

prize giving, Maria’s sage comment, “Cherrie must<br />

come back to the Hobie 16. Aye! See ya’all next<br />

year, ladies!<br />

86


87


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br />

About the author: Cherrie had a few hours<br />

training on the Hobie 16 with experienced sailor<br />

Luigi Manzi then raced in TLYC’s Women’s Helm in<br />

2006 and 2007 editions. Starting 2014, she has<br />

raced 18 and 16 ft Topcats in Romblon’s yearly 3<br />

Island Challenge and is always game to try sailing<br />

small beach multihulls when not racing dinghies<br />

to win for the Philippines. Last year she won the<br />

Hansa 303 Women’s bronze medal in the 2017<br />

Para World Sailing Championships, Kiel, Germany<br />

and is on the medal hunt this year, hoping to make<br />

it to the <strong>2018</strong> Para World Sailing Championships,<br />

She went to the USA, to defend her title, then to<br />

compete in the <strong>2018</strong> Hansa Class World Sailing<br />

Championships, Hiroshima, Japan. Cherrie hopes to<br />

lead her Paralympic Sailing team to victory in the<br />

2019 ASEAN Para Games, Philippines likewise help<br />

Para World Sailing convince IPC that Paralympic<br />

Sailing be reinstated in the Paralympics, starting the<br />

Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.<br />

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P H I L I P P I N E S<br />

YACHT PARTS, SALES and SERVICE<br />

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