ABW June 2017

ALAMINOS
66
to Don Jose Sanchez y Guerrero, the then Alcalde
at Iba, Zambales and to the Archbishop of Manila.
On May 26, 1849, the Alcalde brought the reply
granting the petition. Accompanied by the Parish
Priest, Rev. Fr. Juan Migrano, Capitan Felipe Cacho
Valerio, and other municipal officials of Bolinao, the
Alcalde came to Cabarruyan to choose a suitable
location for the town site. They agreed on Segat
in the center of the island which is now known as
Namagbagan. The site for the plaza, church, town
hall, convent, cemetery,
and streets were laid out
Mornings reveal
Tondol Beach at low
tide with the fine,
white sand exposed.
Anda Municipal Hall
on January 20, 1850 by
order of the Alcalde.
Anda was once a part
of the municipality of
Bolinao.
The town is accessible
through land transportation. Two main bus companies
serve commuters to and from Anda to Manila or
neighboring towns and cities. These are Dagupan
Bus Co., Inc. and Pangasinan Five Star Bus Co. Mini
buses and jeepneys are also available for commuters
going to neighboring towns and cities, like Alaminos
and Dagupan. In the past, progress in the town was
sluggish due to its dependence to a landing barge
to cross the Catubig Channel separating Anda to
mainland Bolinao. In 1996, trade has increased
due to a bridge connecting the municipality to the
mainland. This bridge, known as Anda Bridge, was
sponsored and inaugurated by then President Fidel
V. Ramos, who hails from Pangasinan province.
Main roads have been concreted for faster access
to the barangays, especially tourism related places.
At Anda you can explore the fresh natural beauty of
the hidden unexplored pristine Tondol Beach, with
its fine white sand and clear blue shallow waters, it
is ideal for families with young children.
Tondol Beach is located at the northern tip of Anda,
an island municipality that is accessible by boat
across the narrow Catubig Channel. Or the bridge
constructed across the channel in 1990 to connect
the island with mainland Pangasinan. The drive to
Tondol Beach from town takes around 30 minutes
on fairly good roads. Tondol is best visited during low
tide when the white sand is either totally exposed or
when shallow, ankle-deep water is still blanketing
the beach. Mornings reveal Tondol Beach at low
tide with the fine, white sand exposed. What makes
Tondol unique is its long, shallow nature. There is
an island – Tanduyong – almost a kilometer away
which can be reached on foot during low tide. There
is a considerable amount of marine life besides the
starfish and crabs on the shallow beach. It’s best to
visit Tondol during the summer or dry months when
the skies are blue, the beach is cleaner and does
not have as much debris (most of it biodegradable
anyway) as during the rainy months. As bloggers
have repeatedly pointed out, Tondol is also best
enjoyed during low tide. The tides can vary from
week to week so it’s safer to stay for one whole day
at Tondol so you don’t miss the best viewing and
swimming times. Also make sure you are there early
in the morning when low tide usually comes in.
How to get there
By Bus, the best choice is the five star bus line from
their Pasay Terminal direct to their Terminal in the
main street of Alaminos City takes 5 to 6 hours
depending on traffic with a very low cost fare of
P403. There is also Victory Liner but they do not
have a direct route and you would have to change
buses at Dau terminal in Angeles City. Once in
en.wikipedia.org