Since then, other players who came into Mahabang Buhangin had Waling-Waling as their benchmark, emulating and copying the latter in various aspects. Having passed by all the other neighboring resorts, I did see just how similar their constructions and property were to those of Waling-Waling. But what was truly impressive with Waling-Waling, more than just being the visionary pioneer in developing Calaguas as a sought-after destination, was an astute environmental and social conscientiousness that underscores its operations and corporate existence. Drawing lessons from their experience in running the previous Waling-Waling resort in Boracay, Dino’s father and himself developed their current venture in Calaguas to co-exist with the natural surrounding and the nearby communities. Their open-air cabanas were fabricated using light, native materials and purposely built without walls in order to allow seasonal typhoon winds to easily pass through the structures. Their food highlighted traditional Bicolano cuisine, with most of the ingredients procured directly from local grassroots suppliers and producers. And while the other neighboring resorts along Mahabang Buhangin started putting up tent cities along their beachfront to cater more to the mass market, Waling-Waling decided to keep careful control over its occupancy in order to maintain the serenity and comeliness of its place. Over dinner, Dino and Marge described how, amidst the increase of noisier tourists and weekend drinking sprees in the other resorts, they want their guests to enjoy and appreciate Calaguas the way that they had experienced it before mass tourism started encroaching into their shores.

“Our vision for the island is proper development. Proper regulations. Finding better jobs for the community. Proper development of local tourism,” Dino declared. “Our belief is that if we don’t develop properly, we’ll lose our product. Waling-Waling’s product is not just accommodations; it’s actually the whole Calaguas destination.”

There was indeed a patently tranquil beauty to Calaguas, something that I only fully appreciated during the following days when the multitude of weekend tourists had all gone back to their weekday routines. Mahabang Buhangin rolled out far like a bleached carpet, gleaming and open, its turquoise waters humming the lulling rustle of breaking waves. Our boat tour to the other nearby islands further proffered me glimpses to other parts of the Calaguas islands group. There were the rocky seaside pools of Balabag Maliit where we took a dip, the grassy knoll of Kaburnayan where we strolled for a scenic view of a cloistered cove, the private beach of Cumalasag Island where a cover of pine trees curiously grew, the coastal community of Sogod where we visited a local fish dealer who has made a modest fortune with his trade, and the expansive sandbar of Pinagkastilyuhan where the receded tide has exposed a magnificently vast blanket of white.

Exploring the inland of Tinaga Island, Emman and I had the company of one of Waling-Waling’s staff members, Jinggoy, an affable pug of a guy with an animated air, who guided us up the highest point of the island and down through rolling grasslands, passing by the coastal village of Mangkawayan. At Tinaga’s highest point, I took in the panoramic vista of the whole of Calaguas, feasting my eyes on the vivid seascape and relishing the strong summer breeze that swept over us. Down below, Mahabang Buhangin stretched out along the northern shoreline, its row of resort huts and cabanas assembled like threaded beads. I beheld how beautiful the beach was, yet at the same time regarded its fragility, how in a short time its pristine quality may easily be sullied and gone if hordes of visitors should further descend upon the place and destructive tourism practices would run rampant and unchecked.

Our last evening at Waling-Waling was spent on enjoyable chat with Dino and Marge over a sumptuous fare of grilled fish and traditional Filipino dishes. Dino told stories about his dad and about people he have met and worked with from when he started managing the resort brand in Boracay. He told stories of how people and places grew. He told stories about Calaguas, how it was and how it has changed. There were no TVs at the resort. No wi-fi. No evening entertainment, save for good old-fashioned conversation. There was only the star-lit evening, the soft murmur of the waves, the pleasant company of friends. This was the Calaguas that I appreciated. This was the Calaguas to which I hope I could still look forward to returning.