The world’s hurricanes are getting stronger as the atmosphere heats up, and more and more island villages find themselves in the path of violent storms. We’re not set up to provide emergency response, but we can be there for Seacology partners when they’re ready to rebuild.

One of those villages is Barangay Bulanon, on the the island of Negros in the central Philippines. It’s a place of incredible beauty. The channels through the area’s dense mangrove forests create a spellbinding maze for kayakers to explore, and the trees that line these waterways are home to myriad species of birds and other wildlife. 

A few years ago, members of the local fishing community began to offer kayak tours, bringing visitors and income to an area where many people struggle to make a subsistence living. They lobbied for legal protections for the area and in 2022 established the Bulanon Macapagao-Lapuslapus Local Conservation Area, a reserve protecting hundreds of acres of mangroves, coral reef, and other fragile ecosystems. 

A Seacology grant helped them to install a watchtower, which serves as a base of operations for rangers, and a new kayak center for tour guides. They also built a handful of floating cabins to welcome guests to stay overnight in the tranquil wetlands.

Unfortunately, in November, Typhoon Tino slammed into Bulanon, causing widespread destruction. Our project partners remained safe, but the guest cabins were severely damaged.

We quickly agreed to help these dedicated environmental stewards. An emergency grant from Seacology has already helped them buy materials to rebuild the cabins. They are now hard at work with construction and should be open for business soon. 

Should you find yourself in the area, we hope you’ll reach out to our friends at Lapus-Lapus Floating Cottage and spend a night or two seeing this magical area for yourself.