Hale Manna
For those who seek peace and quiet, to unwind at the serene hideaway facing the biodiversity and fisheries-significant Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (Tañon Strait) is a great option.
Ensconced by lovely flowers and native trees which host a variety of happy chirping birds amid green designed huts and hammocks to make guests feel relaxed, Hale Manna Beach Resort and Coastal Gardens (www.halemanna.com) in Moalboal, Cebu, evokes harmony and peace from within that being so close to Nature never fails to trigger.
Resting at the lounging chair along the beach facing Tañon Strait, I was brought back to the years past when citizens dared to fight for their right to a healthful and balanced ecology and vigorously opposed the Arroyo administration’s decision to allow offshore drilling in the protected seascape. (This marked the beginning of the wonderful collaboration among various stakeholders in Cebu, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental to protect Tañon Strait. The Save Tañon Strait Citizens Movement was born. Citizens emerged victorious in the goal to stop the destructive drilling when the Japanese exploration company withdrew from their contract with the government.)
Visitors immediately feel at home at Hale Manna and bask in the warmth of the friendly and accommodating Marcela and the staff. Food is delicious and rooms are spacious, with a porch that has a commanding view of the lovely surroundings.
It is certainly one place deserving to be called ecologically sustainable. It practices sound waste management practices, composts biodegradables and has organically grown herbs and vegetables. Soon, its swimming pool which uses bio-filter system, will be operational. Plans are afoot to have dishes for vegetarians and vegans as well.
To make people more aware of the beauty that lies beneath our seas, the resort provides for free to the guests, facilities such as kayak and snorkeling gears. Visitors have the opportunity to marvel at the amazing array of corals, fish and organisms in the underwater garden a hundred meters or so from the shores.
This is a positive step for the much-needed appreciation by our citizens of the beauty and value of our natural world. Hopefully, each goes home more conscious of the severe pressures that we have inflicted upon it and do something to minimize them.
Hale Manna is close to the dive spots and the rich marine waters that Moalboal is known for. In our previous visit, turtles just popping up as we were riding in the motorized banca naturally elicited shrieks of excitement from the dazzled urbanites. My sister, Nenen, and our dear visitor, Jenna, had the most mesmerizing experience of seeing millions of sardines not so far from the coast. Amazing that despite the lack of implementation of our environmental laws, we still see them in our midst. They could very well be protected better, if only we assume that great responsibility to take good care of them.
It is no coincidence that at the helm of the management of Hale Manna Resort is Becky Smith, a dear friend and much-loved and respected sustainability advocate. For decades, Becky promoted integrated coastal resource management as a framework for local governance. Her late husband, Ian Smith, was a fisheries expert who held a special place in his heart for small scale fisheries. He was the Director General of the International Center for Living and Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) from 1985 until he passed away in 1989. I understand that he was the boss of then young scientist and now world renowned Dr. Daniel Pauly (subject of my November 10 column). Becky and Ian’s son, Eric, is a stalwart of the Youth for Livable Cebu who together with other “thought leaders” will be formally given recognition by Malacañang this month for their important role in promoting a mindset of sustainable living.
We need more private enterprises like Hale Manna Resort which recognizes that a healthy ecosystem is essential for our survival and a better quality of life. It has proven that it can be a major catalyst for transformation by setting a good example of an ecologically sound business that contributes to the well being, not just of the people, but of the planet.
Staying at Hale Manna is like being in one’s personal sanctuary. No wonder, one wants to go back again and again to this very special place along the coasts of Tañon Strait.