Destination: Kuting Reef In Macrohon

April 17,2010
Feature story
Destination: Kuting Reef In Macrohon
By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-It was timely that I’ve met Loloy Salazar, Philippines Information Agency’s (PIA) utilityman/messenger passed by the Mercury Drug store one afternoon. He was holding a piece of paper containing a message. When I was about to ask him whether the LSDE has sent copies of the papers to their office located at the new reclamation area in brgy. Combado, he showed me instead a scheduled orientation on Reproductive Health to be held at Kuting Reef in brgy. Asuncion, Macrohon. It was located along the coastal area and one of Macrohon’s “must” place to visit by visitors/tourists. The place is 4.5 kilometers, more or less, from the town proper.
A day prior to the aforesaid occasion I have come to visit PIA at its new office, courtesy of the City Government. The government media office is flunked by the 2 other new offices of the City Agriculture Office and the City Department of Social Welfare. PIA office was formerly sharing a small office of the Assistance Contact Center located at the Provincial Capitol. The CAO and the Social Welfare Office were previously occupying an old building near Jollibee and City Hall. One of the three rooms of PIA is air-conditioned where the staff carried out their tasks like writing and encoding news articles or any important papers for restoration and dissemination to some government offices and media outfits. The two other offices mentioned were naturally ventilated with cool breeze coming mostly from the nearby open sea.
When I was there I have informed Bong Pedalino, one of the regular staff who writes news stories, comments and occasionally a feature story that I was earlier told by Loloy that we would be leaving for Kuting Reef the following day at about 8:00a.m. However, when I asked Erna Sy-Gorne, PIA’s Information
Manager, if she would also be going with us, she said yes. She then told me that it’s better for me to wait in brgy Pacu at 8:30a.m. She explained that we have to wait for Jade Nombrado,a newscaster of a local radio station DYDM to finish his job at 8:30a.m. That was the time when I have to start waiting for the PIA vehicle along the road at brgy. Pacu where I’ve lived.

Waiting Time
For a ride I have waited for thirty five minutes before PIA’s vehicle arrived with Loloy as the new driver. Before it was Boy who was designated as the PIA driver during the Administration of Governor Rosette Yñiguez-Lerias.He was led off when the new Governor Damian Mercado replaced Lerias since a driver has no permanent item. Loloy’s situation is entirely different from that of Boy’s. He is originally a PIA employ since he started working at the government information agency during the previous years. Mrs. Gorne was not there. I did not ask Bong why Erna did not go with us. I just surmised that maybe she chose to remain in the office together with Rebecca Cadavos as I thought would be the case.
In several occasions, if there’s a meeting, seminar, presscon or any related activities where news coverage was the essence of the invitation, mostly only one or two PIA staff would be attending. One of them would remain in the office. There were also occasions when the three of them-Erna,Bong and Rebecca-including even Loloy,particularly if the travel is far like in Sogod,Libagon,St.Bernard or in other town of the province for a special invitation. Later, as we were on the road bound for Kuting Reef, I’ve heard that the PIA Information Manager was in Tacloban for some official business.

Breakdown
As Loloy Salazar drove towards Kuting Reef we smelled a pungent odor from an overheat clutch lining when we reached brgy.Mohon in Macrohon town. The driver who sensed what I’ve smelled stopped the vehicle and stepped out. He opened the hood and saw that the engine was also overheat and the bad smell became more intense. He instructed the three of us-Bong Pedalino (PIA) staff, Diego Credo (anchorman of “Pagkabana” radio program over DYDM under the auspices of Congressman Roger Mercado), Jade Nombrado and I to get off. The driver thought that the engine might explode. Loloy inspected the front wheels and noticed that it was the right side wheel where the strong odor emanated. He opened the compartment and found out that the tools were not there. He forgot to bring it for emergency purposes.
Jade Nombrado a regular broadcaster of DYDM and a resident of Macrohon town invited Loloy to go with him at their house to get the tools for dismantling the front wheel to check the break. They rode on a trisikad and 30 minutes later they came back with tools on hand. They brought no hydraulic jack which is easy to operate to elevate the transmission wheel by pumping it. But a different kind of jack that needed more exertion before the transmission wheel could be elevated and remove the wheel.
We have asked a local if he knew of a mechanic living near the area. He informed us that the mechanic was living near the CCP church just a few meters away from where the vehicle had brokedown. As the work to check the break has progressed, Bong instructed us to go ahead to Kuting Reef with the thought that the Orientation on Reproductive Health would be going to start. Jade plugged down a jeepney passenger going to Sogod and we rode on. The distance from brgy. Mohon to Kuting Reef in brgy. Asuncion is less than 5 kilometers away. Jade paid for our trip as we got off and we entered a small road leading to several buildings. Those who are not familiar with the place would just happen to pass by because the sign board was placed facing the south direction. Its position is only conspicuouos to travelers or tourists from the north going to south. Another signboard is needed facing the north as guide to travelers/tourists coming from that direction. Along the road were some erected tarpaulins introducing various amenities that Kuting Reef, a serene place is offering to its clients/customers and tourists.

First Timer
This is the first time that I’ve gone to the place. We entered a lobby. The hotness we felt from traveling on hot road was lessening with the coolness of the surrounding. The wide span of the calm open sea with occasional ripples lapping on the shore has provided an exhilarating effect on our tired bodies. The sand on the beach was so fine while a fisherman’s boat was docked on knee-deep water, a few meters from where we stood. Not far from it was a motorized ski-boat on standby. There were also some people setting and lying on the Bermuda-carpeted ground planted to coconut trees. A few children frolicked around as their white parents were watching them. A few tourists local and foreign were also around.
Dr. Nora Estela, a EENT now assigned at the IPHO’s (Integrated Provincial Health Office) technical department went out and invited us to enter the conference hall. I was told inside was cold because it was an air-conditioned room. At the lobby I saw a brochure and requested the receptionist if I could have one copy and she handed me one. I sat on the sofa for a few minutes before I decided to enter the air-conditioned room. There the participants have already finished taking their snacks. Before I could pick my share, Loloy and Bong have arrived and went straight to the room where the Orientation on Reproductive Health was held. They took their snacks as the lecture was about to start.
The cold became colder as the lecture went on. A wife of a City Hall employee who is also an employee of the NFA and I requested the boy-room if he could reduce its intensity. He explained that if he would stop the other aircon it could not provide enough coolness to the attendees and it would become hot inside the room. However, when the first phase of the lecture was over, one of the aircons was put off.

Lunchtime
It was lunchtime and all the 35 participants composed of health workers, print and broadcast media and some Public Information Officers from government agencies, went to the dinning room on the opposite side of the conference hall where the foods were ready. We queued to get our food, a self-service style, which remained hot enough to eat. Waiters, served us hot fish soup and poured water on our glasses. After eating some of us went out and relaxed at the Boardwalk Grill constructed adjacent to the concrete dikes. It protects Kuting Reef from the onslaught of huge waves during inclement weather or typhoon. One hour later we were called as the second phase lecture would be about to start.

Workshop
Before the lecture proceeded with did a little exercise .Vicky Pasa Generan, Maternity and Child Health Coordinator, instructed us to group ourselves into 3 -print media, broadcast media and the PIOs group. We were then instructed to draw a tree. The roots would represent the root causes of teenage pregnancy. The tree branches would represent its consequences. Earlier, a lecture on teenage pregnancy was conducted by Velma P. Kangleon, POPCOM Head, prior to taking our lunch.
The root causes and the consequences being discussed by Kangleon on the topic have provided us with some insights/views where we could anchor our answers. Answers from the three groups during workshop period to the root causes and its consequences of teenage pregnancy were almost similar. What differentiate the 3 groups were the ways they have worded their respective presentations and explanations. As the three groups were ready, each group’s representatives have to present their output and were made to explain and discuss it with the audience.
Things that are going to be done by the three groups on Teenage Pregnancy Advocacy were presented and discussed. For the print media one of the activities that can be done is thru the newspaper or magazine. An article might be written that will encourage teenagers and teenage mothers to read anything about teenagers’ welfare and anything that would guide them to prepare for parental responsibility as parents. The other activities can also be done by conducting seminars/symposiums in schools and barangay halls/covered courts. Consider as the audience are the teenage mothers. The POPCOM head, media practitioners, RHU staff and teachers would serve as resource persons. To realize these plan of activities logistics and budget are needed with the establishing of livelihood projects for teenage mothers.
The broadcast media has an immediate wider coverage. In conducting their activities they shall be utilizing the air power or the radio (no TV station yet in Southern Leyte). Their representative informed that they shall also be interviewing teenage mothers in various barangays in different municipalities of the province. Speakers to be involved are POPCOM, RHU staff and the PIOs.
The PIOs group has a similar activities with slightly different in its approach. Like the print and broadcast media, their group also needs logistics and budget for the materialization of their planned activities.

Amenities/Services
On the other hand, Kuting Reef, is one of the nice places to visit before proceeding directly to other tourist spots in the province of Southern Leyte. Situated in a private cove in brgy. Asuncion, less than 5 kilometers away from Macrohon’s town proper. It has several amenities and services to offer for local and foreign tourists while staying in the place. The vast open ocean on calm and roughless waves plus a cool breeze can offer a calming effect to the strained nerves. It stretches the viewers’ eyes broader and wider reaching their sights as far as Limasawa Island, Camiguin Island and the islands of Bohol. On fine weather and clear night skies one can have his/her mat (plastics or palms leaves-made) spread over the manicured Bermuda grasses and view the stars. Nearby, the chirping of the birds and the twittering of crickets atop the trees and on the ground, break the engulfing silence of nature with their mystifying tunes. It is certainly a place away from the hustle and bustle of city life: where monotonous and loud roaring of vehicles and cars irk our ears and hurt our senses. The serenity of the place is indeed conducive for one’s recreation and relaxation. If you are a pianist, you can also request the manager/owner Babes Castañares to play your music and repertoire of songs if you are also a singer. Let your pieces be echoed in the surrounding air thru the magical movement of your musical touch lingering on your supple fingers. And the music lovers who are going to hear your music will surely appreciate your rendition and would ask for more.
What I have written here is just an introduction of the new place worth inclusion for the local and foreign tourists’ itineraries in Southern Leyte’s tourist destinations.
Kuting Reef’s facilities: 1)Function Rooms that can accommodate from 20 to 300 people; 2)Venue for garden wedding reception; 3)Infinity pool; 4) Coffee Shop; 5)The Boardwalk Grill; 6)Infinity Lounge; 7)Non-smoking rooms; 8)Local tour assistance; 9) Gift Shop; 10)Room Types: Deluxe Cabana, Premier Cabana, The Casita and The Casa. KR’s services are the following: 1)New Kuting Reef Packages; 2)Water Sports(jetski,kayak,banana boat ride, speedboat tour to Limasawa Island, shoreline cruise,snorkel,rubber boat); 3)Kuting Reef local Tour Packages(Cambaro Cave,Cagnituan Falls and Lagoon, Religious and Cultural Tour,Limasawa Island speedboat tour). For more details about Kuting Reef’s other services visit its website: WWW.kuting-reef.com; email address: info@kuting-reef.com. Telephone numbers: (053)5721023/ 5721008/ 5721009. Mobile: 09056685873/ 09175215903. (Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)