A city may have fancy resorts, delicious food, and breathtaking views but without its people, it is nothing.
That is why a city’s greatest treasure is its people, in the case of the City of San Pedro: its talented and hardworking people.
As the city government boosts the tourism sector, a certain community at the edge of San Pedro in Barangay Landayan got the attention of the LGU for its potential to be the model of community-based tourism in the city giving its visitors the local “San Pedrense Experience.”
Lakeside boat club
Nine months ago, Harley Dave Beltran, an advocate for the environment, water sports, and agri-tourism in the city, founded the Laguna Lakeside Boat Club.
The club initially aims to bring dragon boat sports to Laguna Lake, the Philippines’ largest freshwater lake.
However, seeing more potential in the lake than in dragon boating alone, Beltran transformed the club into a community project fueled by volunteerism in the community that serves both the interest of the city and its people.
Last Saturday (February 3), the club, in partnership with the city government of San Pedro and the community of Barangay Landayan, launched the “Kangkong Farmer for a Day” program where kids got to experience what kangkong farmers do every day.
Through the support of the LGU, the club was also able to acquire kayaks and develop other programs such as livelihood, protection of Laguna Lake, education, and tourism.
Aside from water sports, they are also planning to develop a community hall that will serve as a venue for activities, a boat clubhouse, a kangkong café, and a community library.
“Kung saan tayo nakaupo dito ngayon laging may inuman dito before pero mula nung nagka-library, wala nang nag-iinom kasi may mga batang nagbabasa na ng libro, dito sila tumatambay,” Beltran told OpinYon Laguna.
He added that the library functions through volunteerism and donations of books.
Education
“If you want to address a certain problem in our community, it starts with education,” Beltran said.
Through his club and the involvement of the community, the program seems to be working and making a change for the better.
“Nung wala pang project na ito, medyo maingay, may magvivideoke sa kalsada, may mag-iinom, kasi day off ngayon unti unti na silang naeeducate na pag may bisita ay maglinis tayo. Parang may changes na,” South Fairway Homes Phase 7 Homeowners Association President Domingo Roncales shared.
Aside from the “Kangkong Farmer for a Day” program, the club also plans to launch a “Fisherfolk for a Day” program soon.
“You will experience to ride the boat with the fisherfolk and you pull the net and you harvest the tilapia. Kung meron, kuhain, kung walang nakuhang tilapya mau-upset yung bata. And that’s where the story come in na ang buhay ng mangingisda ay hindi laging may huli, madalas wala din,” Beltran explained.
Finally noticed
Despite its proximity to Laguna de Bay and the nearby city of Biñan, South Fairway Homes in Barangay Landayan has earned the unfavorable reputation of being “left out” compared to other villages and barangays in San Pedro City.
Through the community-based tourism program, locals hope that the city government as well as other San Pedrenses will finally take notice of them.
“May pag-asa kaming makatulong na madevelop itong lugar sapagkat ang lugar na ito ay pinakadulo ng San Pedro, kami pinakalaylayan at bihira makarating sa amin kung ano mang development galing sa ibang lugar,” Roncales said.
“Ngayon naabot kami, sinisikap namin na idevelop ito dahil nasa tabi ng tubig, water sports, saka agri-tourism, may mga plano kami dito magdagdag ng livelihood. Nabigyan kami ng pag-asa, saka pinapansin na kami ng ibat ibang lugar,” He added.
The Laguna Lakeside Boat Club is still open for registration and donations through their social media pages.
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