Back in January 2019 when I was staying in El Nido Cove I met some sweet young ladies who were doing their OJT there from BNHS . ( On job training from Barutaan National High School). In case you recognise the two on the right Grecil is now studying to be a teacher in Brookes Point and Jhoanna graduated earlier this year. I was so impressed by them back then that I sponsored them helping with their accommodation , food, travel etc so they could go on to study at University.
Those who have been to my house will recognise the portrait of Rodel, smiling at front left, who was also part of the OJT team. Ayala and the team at Cove did a great job training them and Rodel worked in Housekeeping at Angkla and is now at Lio.
Kobe and JP back in 2019
I also met up with Kobe and JP ( Ritchelle's kids) and on a journey to Sibaltan they taught me many Tagalog words ( Kamping - Goat, Baka - cow, Asoo - dog, Pusa- Cat and so on) . We went to Sibaltan to see Ate Marz ( who then was just starting out in Business with a shop and massage place- now she has a fleet of boats, motorbikes, karaoke, chain of stores etc!)
Kuya Vin and I having our cucumber , honey and yogurt facials on Sibaltan beach
We also did a HOPE event at Sibaltan Elementary school with Kuya Ran and Kuya Vin and Mama Jam. OFW around the world and I had donated money to buy Tsinellas, colouring books, pens etc and all the kids patiently lined up to get their Juice and gifts. The school was in a lovely setting by the sea and the PTA Chairman is now Rey Gabayan ( The husband of Marz who held the role before her business empire became too huge.
TBK and Kuya Ran distributing goody bags to the kids
Looking back who would have known in 2019 that Kuya Ran and Sheila Gabayan would get married ( not to eachother) and have a boy each, and that I would be Ninong ( Godparent) to Cyrus and Zeus! I also had a lovely afternoon attending Sheila's wedding at the ( then) new church high on the hill in Sibaltan. Sadly I could not attend Ran's wedding due to COV19 but Jhoanna went in my place!
TBK distributing juice to the kids at Sibaltan Elementary school
It was also in 2019 that I met up with Mama Jam at Tandikan cottages on El Nido beach at 7 am on New Year's day to witness the mess left by those celebrating New Year the night before.
They could not even put their empty bottles in the bin!
Back then El Nido had started to deteriorate from the quiet little fishing village I had first discovered in 2014. Due to poor regulation and corruption the commercial premises had encroached onto the beach and raw sewage was being pumped into the sea. There was little control over new buildings and this would later cause flooding when it rained. I was reading today a piece on Facebook which said :
"I don't deny the interest of doing island hopping in El Nido but the town is just a mass tourism spot and looks like sh*t!"
When I wrote that in my blog back in 2019 ( read by 5000 people) the then Mayor said I did not know what I was talking about!
( If you missed that Blog you can read what the Mayor told Palawan News here:
El Nido beach on 1.1.19!
This is what they thought of the new law banning water bottles on boat trips
Mama Jam and his family had been running Businesses in the El Nido area for many years and Vin and I enjoyed a Thai dinner at one of the family run restaurants on El Nido beach. He was telling us how disappointed by the way the town was going downhill .
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Eventually the laws were enforced and the properties that had encroached on the beach were pulled down. Even Ayala had to comply and move their fence back to the correct position! Today I am delighted to see that a new square has been opened at that end of the town ( still being built on my last visit earlier this year) and I look forward to going back to see the new improved El Nido next year!
Some of the illegally built terraces being pulled down on El Nido beach
Also interestingly I read the other week that there was now pressure to remove the wrecked boat which has been littering El Nido beach for the last 4 years! I will believe that when I see it.
Sadly many tourists just fly into El Nido and think that represents the whole of Palawan. I always advise people to fly into Puerto and visit the beautiful unspoilt beaches like Nagtoban, Napsan, Talaudyong, Sabang, Tagwikan and so on.
El Nido town beach on 1.1.19
Puting Buhangin Beach on 18.11.23- which would you prefer?
2019 was , hardly surprisingly, the last time I stayed in El Nido. Ayala opened 5 new hotels with 500 rooms on Lio Beach over the coming years, and let the old El Nido Cove deteriorate. One time the swimming pool pump had broken and was never repaired, on another occasion I opened a window and it fell out. Eventually they closed the place which was a pity as I had so many happy memories staying their annually from 2014 to 2019, and I am still friends with many of the staff that worked there who have now moved onto better things like Banwa, Angkla, Lio, and so on.
The team at Cove providing the entertainment on 31.12.18
Another beach I discovered back in 2014 was Nacpan, about a 15 minutes drive from El Nido Cove. Back then there was a small restaurant called Sunmai who rented out sunbeds on the beach. Now they have a Glamping site, an Air B and B , 2 hotels on Nacpan beach and 2 in El Nido itself. It's still a place I love going and many of Grecil's family still work there and give me a warm welcome along with Daniel and Rhoda ( Rodel's sister) and her kids Matilda and Zia.
Nacpan in 2019- the Sunmai Sunbeds!
Another place we visited back then and stayed the night at Pems Pension was Taytay. It has been in the news recently for charging a Vlogger 5000 peso for wanting to film a vlog there to promote the place. On my last visit they would not even allow Chester in! I hope they wont send me a bill for publishing this photo of Ran, Vin and Erick on the steps there.
We collected 5 big sacks of rubbish that day and they were so heavy they had to send a Kayak down to collect them all and take them to the Materials Recycling Facility at the hotel.
I thought I had better add this photo for Edxel who is on the Management team at McDonald's on Vanilla beach! I was there before it even opened!
One thing still has not changed about El Nido and that is the magnificent sunsets and stunning scenery on the islands ( although I have still never done an Island Hopping tour there!) . Drew and I spent many happy hours there trying to get the perfect sunset shot and I have one above my bed here in Puerto to remind me of those happy days.
Just two more photos before I end this look back on El Nido in days gone by. Who recognises this pretty schoolgirl?
Who would have thought that when I met Jhoanna and Grecil back in 2019 we would still be friends 5 years later and I would be supporting her sister , Elay, at PSU and Kit and Chalsee her cousins, as well as Grecil.
It all goes to show the importance of making a good first impression the first time you meet someone because you never know the effect they may have on your life in the future.
El Nido Cove may be closed but the wonderful team who worked there live on and I am so glad still to be in touch with so many of them to this day. I just hope that with new hotels being built at Nagtabon ( 12 storey Sheraton) and a whole new town with several shops, condominiums, and retail and hotel units on San Vicente beach by Megaworld that they too dont go the same way as El Nido.
Hello, I am The British Kabayan! Feel free to read my stories.
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