MANILA, Philippines - Kalanggaman Island, around 25 minutes away from the mainland of Palompon, Leyte by speedboat, is now gaining international recognition.
Recently, around 300 international tourists and 80 crewmen aboard MV Europa stopped over recently for barbecue and decided to maximize their time in Kalanggaman, foregoing a stopover at Malapascua in Cebu.
Since this was the first cruise ship to anchor off Kalanggaman, a crewmember planted a marker on the island’s welcome sign to stake a claim on its historic stopover.
The cruise ship was in the country for an Asian cruise. From Hong Kong, they stopped by six famed tourist havens in the Philippines and another six stops in Malaysia before docking at Singapore.
Tourism officer Cleo Rivera said she and her staff were already at Kalanggaman early in the morning of March 20. They guided the crew as they made preparations and welcomed tourists who were ferried in by rubber boats. While the tourists were having their barbecue, LGU employees entertained them with a rendition of the “Lawig Festival†dance celebrating their town’s bounty and history and how their patron saint, St. Francis Xavier, has interceded on their behalf many times.
The island already has the basic facilities to make visitors and tourists comfortable, with tourist policemen stationed there to secure them.
Kalanggaman is considered the “crown jewel†of the tourism corridor at the western part of Leyte Island. It boasts a white sand beach on one side and a dive spot on the other, which has a steep wall that experienced divers love and find challenging.
Vice Mayor Georgina Arevalo added that they were happy to note that the MV Europa tourists apparently fell in love with the island and instead of just staying there up to 2 p.m., decided to stay until 7 p.m.
She said that from the tourists’ entrance and regulatory fees for that day alone, the LGU earned P162,000.
The LGU is also thankful for the efforts of Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez and Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla in marketing the island. She said that another Asian cruise line has made arrangements with them to stop by the island sometime this April, after the successful stopover of MV Europa.
She said that apparently, word of the beautiful island immediately spread throughout worldwide tourism circles that are eager to find “virgin destinations.â€
MV Europa’s stopovers in the Philippines included the Hundred Islands in Pangasinan, Busuanga, Boracay, the City of Cebu, and Puerto Princesa in Palawan.