Pangatalan Island: A Sustainable Development
Since 2012, Sulubaaï foundation has been implementing a sustainable development model on and around Pangatalan Island – a tropical paradise northeast of Palawan, Philippines. By receiving guests on the island, the project has remained self-sustainable, at the same time providing employment for the locals in the area. The 4.2-hectare island is a restored beauty thanks to the efforts of Sulubaai Foundation to replant the native flowers, trees, and plants that were destroyed by deforestation. The island is surrounded by a 41-hectare Marine Protected Area where guests can snorkel and dive. The area includes a fringing reef and one isolated patch reef. With a total of 12 diverse ecosystems, there is much to explore in the waters of Pangatalan Island. Due to land destruction, illegal fishing, and bleaching events, Sulubaaï has spent much of their efforts on restoring the ecosystems around the island. The team planted 5,000 propagules in the mangrove nursery to facilitate regrowth, after losing 1 hectare of the mangroves from the use of mangrove wood to make charcoal.
In order to accelerate the resilience of the reefs, Sulubaai has been helping to restore the corals by fixing unstable coral fragments on concrete support when needed or, directly on strong reef structures using nails and ty wire.
The island is powered completely by solar energy, and all structures and furniture are made from recycled material. Visitors will be treated to organic food from the two-hectare farm that feeds all the staff and volunteers on the island.
Volunteering
If you would like to become involved, volunteering opportunities are available on the island. Tailored to your personal interests, volunteering on Pangatalan Island will be a valuable experience for anyone interested in sustainable tourism and conservation.
- A maximum of 2 volunteers at a time.
- Volunteering is available all year long, except when guests are on the island.
- A personal project is crafted for every volunteer to give them the most fulfilling and valuable experience. It will be discussed before booking.
- If volunteers would like to dive, they must at least be a qualified rescue diver, and ideally be a certified dive master.
- Volunteer period is usually one to two weeks long, but volunteers are welcome to stay longer depending on the project.
- Volunteers will stay in the staff house and eat with the staff.
- Expenditure: Volunteers are required to cover their own travel costs and contribute 1000 PHP (about 20 USD)/day each. This amount includes food, accommodation, and transportation from and to El Nido).
For more details, head over to www.sulubaai-foundation.com or contact them at contact@sulubaai-foundation.com