Pictures on the wall

Hey, there selfie geeks and travel lovers, How's your selfie-gaming at this point?

With the Philippines boasting more than 7,000 islands to feature on Instagram, I’m pretty sure getting a good picture with a real-life tropical paradise background will never be a problem — or will it?

Over the weekend, social media feeds were flooded with photos of the country's historical sites and natural wonders. Good promotions, yeah? Until it’s not. In the photos of the Philippines’ natural wonders and historical sites, the main attraction became the so-called man-made "photobombers.”

I’m pretty sure by this time most of you have seen the viral edited photo of the two-hundred peso bill with a resort in the center of the world-famous Chocolate Hills which is a UNESCO Global Geopark and a National Geological Monument.

Who in the world would put an eyesore in the middle of chocolate mountains, right? How and where did it start? Nobody knows... Some are pointing fingers and criticizing the government of Bohol and others are putting the blame on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, or DENR.

My question is how come nobody saw the blueprint for that construction? Now everyone seems surprised over how it turned out, but we all know that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Well, your guess is as good as mine.

Our beloved Chocolate Hills is not the exception. It is a repeat of what happened to what the public referred to as the "Pambansang Photobomber.” The landmark monument to our great national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, is now intruded upon by a condo tower that cannot be hidden from any angle having been erected directly behind our Dearest Pepe.

How can we promote tourism if we are changing our culture and revising our historical markers? How can we be good stewards of our natural wonders if we only contribute to the poor planning and degradation of our natural resources?

The Constitution (as far as I know it has not been revised yet) is clear that all natural resources of the country should be protected, their sustainability assured for the enjoyment of the public, but not to the extent of changes for public use.

Capitalism is guilty of making tourist attractions for those who can pay the price. Sad, but this is the reality.

So next time you plan your trip via the seaports operated by the Philippine Ports Authority, make sure to appreciate the wonders of nature, don’t touch them, don’t prick them, and don’t be an unreasonable person causing their downfall. Let us aim to preserve and conserve the 3Ls — life, livelihood, and lifestyle.

Go book that Holy Week trip online from the Batangas Port to Calapan Port; go swim with the fishes in Barracuda Lake 15 minutes away from the Port of Coron; go take that sea tour and trek through the hidden caves near the ports of Samar and Leyte.

Our seaports have improved a lot for the passengers' convenience. Thanks to the vision of PPA general manager Jay Santiago, we now have a world-class Batangas port to Mindoro to enjoy Puerto Galera.

The transportation system in the Philippines is being upgraded and has improved a lot since these natural wonders were made available to tourists. Let us not wait for the time we will have nothing else to see but pictures on a wall.

Have a safe trip this Holy Week, folks!

Don’t get caught in the peak season’s travel rush. Plan your trips early because the boat is right on time, and we are in the same boat!