EL NIDO, Philippines: The Lost Boys of Palawan know exactly where they are heading. Doracotan Island is visible on the blue horizon. They can spot its tall palm trees, white powdery beach and a row of bamboo huts, which grow larger and larger as the Bangka boat glides through the ocean waves.
Aboard the Bangka, a local name for the native wooden boat with two outriggers, 20 or so explorers are soaking themselves in the last day of an expedition cruise. They are travellers from various parts of the world who want to get lost in the raw and secluded nature of Palawan islands, while keeping a good distance from mainstream tourism.
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Leading the expedition is a small Filipino with a big smile named Aneil Raniel. He oversees both the travellers and the crew. They are the Lost Boys of Tao Philippines – a social enterprise that empowers Palawan communities through sustainable tourism.
A Lost Boy of Tao Philippines rows a kayak from a tourist Bangka boat to Doracotan Island in Palawan. (Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo)
Aneil himself is one of the Lost Boys. These are young Filipino islanders, both male and female, recruited by Tao for apprenticeships and stable jobs in community-based tourism. They bring travellers on rustic sea journeys to the most remote islands in Palawan for off-the-beaten-track experiences through untouched nature, local people and culture.
Like Aneil, many Lost Boys come from families of fisherfolk – a traditional but struggling occupation in the present-day Philippines.
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“Before, you could do fishing just in front of your house and you could get 1,000 kg. But now, you need to go out in the middle of the sea for 3-7 days, or a month. They're really hard to find,” said Aneil, 34, an ex-fisherman from Coron in northern Palawan.
For many young Filipinos in Palawan, fishing is the only livelihood they know. But with fish catches continue to dwindle, some of them have found a more stable source of income in the booming tourism industry. (Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo)
Dwindling fish catches have made life in the island province difficult. Although Palawan is one of the Philippines richest fishing grounds, small-scale fishermen find it hard to compete with big commercial fishing companies and their advanced tools.
Data from the Philippines Statistics Authority shows a steady decline in fisheries production from 4.69 million metric tonnes in 2014 to 4.35 million metric tonnes in 2018. Last year, municipal fisheries also recorded a drop in the third quarter from the same period in the previous year, the government reported.
Fish catches have dwindled in Palawan's coastal communities. Fishermen have to fish in deep waters and risk threats from unpredictable typhoons. (Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo)
Besides overfishing, reduced fish yields are also linked to higher sea surface temperature and changes in ocean circulation, according to the 2017 Philippine Climate Change Assessment.
The situation has forced many fishermen to find new jobs. But options are restricted in the remote western province of Palawan, at least for islanders with no degrees or skills outside everyday island life. Here, poverty is also widespread and children grow up with limited opportunities. Many youths are stuck in their villages with nowhere to go or jobs to do.
Aneil Raniel is an ex-fisherman from Coron. He leads expedition cruises for Tao Philippines, a community-based social enterprise that promotes sustainable tourism in Palawan. (Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo)
Before joining Tao, Aneil felt lost. He did not finish school and struggled to earn money for his family. “I was walking in the dark. I didnt know what to do,” he said.
For Filipinos, if you grow up on an island, youre stuck there.
Then someone he knew asked him to join the social enterprise. The business had just started off then and it was looking for locals to help run the expeditions. Aneil has been with them for 14 years, he says. He still remembers the first day and how difficult it was to “learn everything”, from climbing coconut trees to gardening, working in the kitchen, speaking English and bringing tourists to snorkelling spots.
“You need to learn everything – down and slowly, step by step, up,” he said.
NO MORE FISH TO CATCH
As the Bangka reaches its destination, the explorers scattered around the island before lunch. Some of them are snorkelling near an old shipwreck that once lay on the beach. Others simply enjoy the natural world around them as the salty sea breeze ruffles their hair.
The Lost Boys sit outside the kitchen aboard a Bangka boat during an expedition cruise. (Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo)
In a big bamboo hut, the Lost Boys are hard at work. Fried freshly caught fish, vegetarian spring rolls and greens sautéed with coconut milk will soon be served to their guests. Cooking is a must-have skill for the crew, Aneil says.
“And its not just cooking that we do. After cooking, you have to bring all your food and explain what kind of food we have for lunch. You have to use English in front of the people,” he added. “Thats a really good idea to train people. You need to learn other experiences for yourself as well.”
Many young islanders in Palawan have been offered apprenticeships with social enterprise Tao Philippines, which help them adapt their island-life skills for a career in tourism. (Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo)
Community development forms the backbone of Tao Philippines. Its 300 staff are working to support their local families and natural environment, while tapping on the booming tourism industry.
The main basecamp in El Nido serves as a training ground for village youths. Here they learn how to adapt their versatile island-life skills for tourism purposes, as dwindling fish stocks force families to seek a more stable source of livelihood.
Delbert Batindaan remembers when the sea was abundant. He could easily catch 50 kg of fish in a day. Now, it is very difficult to even get 10 kg. He says there is nothing left to catch near the Palawan shore anymore.
“We stopped fishing because we realRead More – Source
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