Beneath The Mess: A Hidden Oasis

 

"Sometimes the best stories begin where the crowds end—when you dare to wander off than the usual path, you’ll find hidden gems tucked quietly in the corners of places you most thought it didn't exist." 

When people talks about a category: Paradise, they might unknowingly mumble the word, Santa Fe, Bantayan Island. Tucked away in northern Cebu, this small town is a coastal gem where time seems to slow down and the blue skies, blue ocean, and amazing people greets you with open arms. Although Sta Fe, Bantayan Island is best know for their majestic beaches and iconic sandbars, but beyond these postcards and popular destinations lies a hidden secret- a quiet, serene and euphoric corners waiting to be explored by curious souls.

Just imagine walking along a narrow trail where garbage, big wild green grasses, and thorns are widely spreading. No proper path, just navigating through the wilds, seeking to find a beauty, contradicting to what lies ahead in the facade. Then after a minute of walking, just a minute, Boom! A majestic small open-air and natural pool-like spring appears that is surrounded by a rocks and lush green grasses. It was all unexpected, it was all trash and thorns along the paths, then....this? Unbelievable. A pure magic.

Thankfully, this imagination isn't just a product of creative imagination, it is a truthful phenomenon. A beautiful phenomenon. The unnamed hidden gem is located at Maricaban , Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island. It is not infested yet with tourist. Maybe there's already some tourist who knew about the place. But most of the time, the locals are the ones to yet enjoy the natural spring has to offer. Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island, in Cebu, Philippines, is best known for its pristine beaches and calm, clear waters. This makes it a popular destination for swimming, sunbathing, and various water sports. That is the main reason why it is quiet a unique occurrence to have a spring in an island that is obviously sorrounded by salt water. 

Upon arrival at the location of the unnamed spring, the entrance trail is not a pleasing sight to behold. There is a garbage everywhere. The lush green grasses are clearly under-maintained and kept overgrown. There is also thorns everywhere that if someone carelessly walk through, they might nip their skin. It is really a minute of walking with underwhelming feeling caused by the view to see. If it were you, you wouldn't even know there's something worth treasure to find in that certain place just as what as we thought walking our way to the wild. But as they say and it may sound cliche, "Do not judge a book by their cover." All the second thoughts and displeasure feeling me and my partner in the project felt if we did find the perfect spot to feature and document all vanished. It was as if we saw a ghost and literally our mouth- hanged. What a sight to behold. Who would've thought? Who would've thought that behind those unsightful view from the entrance facade, lies an unexpected hole that mimic a small sinkhole- like spring that has a clear water, sorrounded by beautiful rock formation, and greenery. There's also a fish swimming through the clear blue waters- a silent testament that behind to the hidden silence, there's a life thriving in a loud manner. Me and my project partner's short journey to go out the way and paved the way to feature this little hidden gem of Maricaban, Sta. Fe is like a transformation voyage. Visiting and having to take a glimpse or better yet feel the water of this wonder isn't just a self contentment and feelings. It is also somehow feeling the warmth of Sta. Fe and embracing it fully in the heart. The place isn't just a place, it is an identity. The initial disappointment felt from the beginning was transformed into a little thoughts to ponder at the end.

"What if it was properly maintained? Would the tourist go out their way and visit the place or it will be forever hidden to the eyes of the guest?"

To answer the thought, It is not how the owner maintained the place. It is all about how people should respect and value the nature that we are freely enjoying. It is all about knowing that little actions leads to a greater impact. May it be positive and negative. Although the hidden gem is already beautiful as it is, there only one problem: garbages. From the entrance up until the rock-side where the spring is located, it is infested with trash that the people, may it be locals and some tourist leave behind. Some of the trash are already at the water caused by the strong winds that blows the nearby trash. And this small problem is the main reason why the little to none tourist do not continue to visit the place. And it is because of how we, humans behave. 

As we were too drawn about the problem of the place, we got to interview some local, Mr. Nielo Ofril who introduced himself as a son of the late owner. 

When asked,

 " When was the spring discovered, what the place is all about and is there already a tourist visiting the place."

He answered, 

" Well, the place is already what it is. It came from our ancestors. The Langob ( spring) has 4 different parts. During the last month, little to none tourist are continuously decreasing their visit because of the trash that are scattered everywhere. This occured because my mother passed away and no one will look after to the place. People who visit often leave their trash behind. Some of them bring sea orchins and just discard the shell everywhere. One time, someone brought coconut then leave the trash behind at the area."

After the interview, the two emotions that can be seen through his eyes is the mix of disappointment and pride. Disappointment to the people that brings neglect and careless behavior to harm the spring. And pride in the natural beauty that his family, especially his mother has been protecting for years. 

As me and my project partner leave the place. We realize that one of the purpose why the time take us to the place is not just to feature the hidden beauty. It is already both promoting and preserving the place because it isn't just a place, it is an identity of the people form Maricaban. The visit wasn't just a call for project documentation. It brings us to a wide picture- a call for action. If more people could see beyond the trash, beyond the initial discomfort, they’d see what we saw: a gift, a begining. A hidden paradise that asks nothing but love and care in return.

So after the thoughts being pondered, another question popped up in our minds, 

" If we ever find ourselves wandering a trail seems unpleasing and uninviting, would we turn our back? Or walk a little further, open our eyes wider and take a one little step that might lead us to something extraordinary?

Me and my partner both looked in each other's eyes and mumbled,

 " Take the risk and walk one more step."

 Because we already knew that sometimes, just sometimes, paradise wears the disguise of a forgotten trail—waiting for someone brave enough to look past the mess and see the magic.

" As I reflected myself after our visit to the place, I realized that this isn't just all about thinking to complete the project anymore, it is already about being one of the voices to promote and help preserve the hidden gem of Maricaban. With the evolving technology and the power the social media holds and how wide it reaches, I would want to promote the place through featuring not just the beauty of the place, but also the mess it have. By this, people would be more mindful to their actions when planning to visit the place. And maybe, just maybe, some of them would also help me to endorse, advertise and advocate the preservation of the gem and indulge more tourist to visit "

- Maricon L. Nanoy

"Social media is a powerful platform to be in, it comes with advantage and disadvantage. But in my case, I would used my power to use the platform in my advantage to advocate the "Langob" (Spring) that the Maricaban, Sta. Fe has to offer. I would advertise the place to the tourist by using social media platforms yet provide a strict rules and regulation to the people who want to visit it to be maintained and sustained.

- Shaenna Lae Pacilan