VISITOR FEEDBACK

Jim,

do you ever review the involvement of any of your hosts? The reason I am asking is that I had a very disappointing experience with one of your hosts, the Malapacao Island Retreat.

To give a bit of background about myself, I am a biologist studying plant ecology in Australia on holiday in the Philippines while attending the wedding of my brother. I visited the Malapacao Island Retreat, not as a result of your web page, but rather because I was in the El Nido area, and was attracted by the resorts claim that it was a place for nature lovers.

What I found was quite the reverse. To be fair, the resort has put in place some environmentally friendly technologies such as the recycling of waste grey water for other purposes. However, to describe it as ecotourist I find appaling for the following reasons:

While there, at the suggestion of my host, Lee Ann, I went on a "hike through rainforest to a waterfall". Being a biologist, this naturally was attractive to me. On approaching the mainland of Palawan, I began to feel apprehensive as the hills appeared to be badly deforested. What ensued was a 2 hour walk through badly degraded forest which could not even be described as secondary forest let alone primary forest. More like scrub with occasional relict trees along the river. After 2 hours walk exposed to the tropical sun, we arrived at a 1.5 m drop, apparently the highlight of the trip. On my return, I expressed my dismay to Lee Ann, to which her reply was "Oh, you didn't like that too many trees had been chopped down?" I was astounded by this reply, as it seemed to show a complete lack of understanding. I began to despair that ecotourism might truly benefit the rainforests of the Philippines if her clients could not even recognise the difference between rainforest and the sad scrub that remains following complete exploitation. I later discovered by overhearing conversations with other guests that all of the furniture and huts of the resort were produced from old-growth rainforest timber, in particular ipil and narra. And furthermore, that Lee Ann had bought a chainsaw for one of her debtors who had defaulted on his loan, so that he might repay his debt through rainforest logging which is now illegal in Palawan! And this is all from a resort which claims to be environmentally sensitive!

Nor is this attitude limited to her dealings with mainland Palawan. While on the island, I was surprised that rather than reforesting the central resort section with local plants, Lee Ann had chosen to create an exotic garden. I guess this is however typical of the Philippines. The peaks at either end of the island were still covered in the original forest over limestone. I climbed one of these peaks to discover an environment that was both pristine and beautiful with strange plants adapted to live on the sharp limestone and with orchids festooning the trees. However, Lee Ann's attitude to this area is that "It's not really a place where one can spend time" so instead she plans to build platforms on the rather small area of the peak. This disgusted me that the only areas of original vegetation on the island should
need to be developed.

In addition to this, Lee Ann's attitude to the local staff is paternalistic in the extreme. While there, I observed that her dogs were better treated than her staff, eating on many occasions the same food as the guests, with the staff remonstrated if the dogs were not fed. Meanwhile, the staff had to eat away from guests. I found the distance created between the Filipino staff and the guests to be extreme. Again, perhaps this is typical for this kind of place.

So, in conclusion, having read your philosophy, I am surprised that such a place should have a place on a website such as yours. Lee Ann's main concern appears to be with alternative therapies. And sadly, like a lot of such individuals whom I have met in Australia, such people use the term "in harmony with nature" in a very loose way which is quite different from the evolving idea of ecotourism. This resort appeared to me neither environmentally friendly, nor sensitive to local culture. I have encountered such bogus claims of environmental sensitivity before, but never before delivered in such a bare-faced way as they are by the Malapacao Island Retreat.

I would appreciate a response from you on this, as I am quite concerned. I will certainly not be recommending this place to anyone that I know.

Philip Gleeson.

The following is a response mailed by Lee Ann:

Hi Jim,

I, too, found Phil Gleeson's comments disturbing.  I regret that his brief 2-day visit did not afford him the opportunity to really get to know our retreat or the people who live and work here. There are so few treasures left in the world & Malapacao Island Retreat is one of them. I've spent 13 dedicating years of my life working to build a model for future sustainable tourism.  With an extremely strong & determined will, not to mention being alone with nearly no capital, I've created an atmosphere here that I hope will attract the kind of people who will tread as lightly as possible on our environment. I feel that we live in a small window of time where we have a chance to create an eco-sensitive presence before it is all lost (as it will be eventually) to less considerate development.

Malapacao Island Retreat is a quiet, soft-imprint destination into one of nature's most spectacularly, beautiful corners & I feel a special responsibility toward this unique piece of God's heaven on earth.  The people who find themselves here come because they appreciate being surrounded by the sounds of the kingfisher, falcons, cicadas & lapping waves.  I have taken special care to semi-hide the cottages  with native plants from around Malapacao, interpersed with fragrant & colorful exotics like frangapani, bougainvilla & hibiscus.  My guests are nature lovers above all, who find peace and rejuvenation from being surrounded by nature's many gifts. Many, like myself, also love animals.

The environmental actions I have adopted to create this sustainable project are the recycling of all waste water for secondary use, securing a rope through the shallows to establish non-destructive access for all boats, using bamboo, rattan and grass wherever possible in all construction, using only recycled, salvaged & patched hardwood for posts, floors & furniture construction (soft wood lasts only a few years and requires heavy chemicals to fight the termites), & reusing & recycling a multitude of materials from leftover food, candles & paper to fan belts for tree supports.

While I recognise that any human presence impacts its environment, I firmly believe that my facility is the most environmentally conscious of any in the El Nido area & possibly all of Palawan. In fact, I am told by many that the careful way in which MIRA is run is unique in so many ways.

I will brieftly respond to Phil Gleeson's specific remarks.  I have
never bought a chainsaw for anyone nor do I own one.  I have a
responsibility for my guests and manage the retreat in a professional, responsible manner which includes managing staff as employees and not as fellow guests.  I also, however, am the only person they know they can come to when they are in need of medical care or other financial support & as I plan to live with these loyal, hard working , kind local people for the rest of my life I believe there is a need for give & take.

While it is true that Palawan is the last frontier as many of the other islands of the Philippines have already been degraded, Palawan also has its fair share of deforestation, which sadly the government is not able to control with an escalating population. Thankfully the commercial logging in our area has been stopped & second growth is appearing. However, a slash & burn area can & does occur (particularly near a river) & I admit that I was shocked to learn that this beautiful area has been similiarly affected.

With my ever increasing responsibilities on the island, it has been
several years since I have visited the small waterfall, which is often more spectacular at other times in the rainy season & I have heard from numerous guests that they enjoyed the walk and found it interesting.

With regards to my pristine peak where the view is truly magnificent, yet the jagged rocks everywhere make it nearly impossible to sit, I hope to provide one day, a small bench (where Phil climbed up) for someone to meditate or read quietly.

I am glad that there are young people like Phil Gleeson so dedicated to a pristine environment.  There's no doubt that the world can use such energy and enthusiasm focused in a positive way to make a difference for the world's remaining treasures.   Meanwhile I feel sure there will be several of my many contented older, worldly travelled, eco friendly guests who will support me with additional rebuttals, & I welcome others to offer a better solution with as many resources & as much patience as I had when I started, rather than  to critize which is an easy thing to do.

I can only suggest that visitors stay a little longer, having had an
opportunity to compare other places beforehand, & experience for themselves my vision of living in peaceful harmony with a simple third world culture in one of the world's most precious jewels- Malapacao Island.