Just
before I was transferred from my assignment as parish priest of Sto. Niño in
Tacloban City, I brought my four assistant priests together with two of our
resident priests to Siargao for a short vacation. The getaway turned out to be
a wonderful experience, allowing us to savor the last moments we would spend
together as a parish community.
We were
billeted at Don Ernesto Resort, where the owner himself graciously took care of
all our needs—not only within the resort but also in arranging our
transportation to the different beaches around the island. He even organized
the food for our picnics at various beach spots and during our island-hopping
trips, making the entire experience both smooth and memorable.
Our community of priests at the Sto. Niño Parish in Tacloban
The only non-priest in our company, Ronnie, our computer man, always joins us on our outings.
There are several islands in Siargao that one can visit and enjoy fine white sands.
Guyam island in Siargao. Good for day picnics, the island has some cottages where one can while away the time after spending hours on its pristine white beach.
In the uninhabited island of Guyam, one can rest under the shade of the coconut trees or bring a hammock after taking a dip from the sparkling clear blue waters.
The beach in Guyam
Daku island in Siargao boasts of having the finest white sand among the beaches of Siargao.
The beach in Daku island
Naked island about a half kilometer long sandbar in the middle of the Siargao islands. A flock of white birds make this island as their resting place after catching fish.
Exploring the Naked Island, a sand bar in the middle of the sea.
Taking a dip in the crystal clear waters of Naked Island
Pansukian Tropical Resort
One of the five-star resort in Siargao is the Pansukian Tropical Resort
For a good place to snorkel, La Janoosa island is the best place to go.
We were billeted at the Villa Ernesto Resort in General Luna.
The grounds of the Villa Ernesto Resort
From the resort we had to wade through shallow waters to get into the boat for our island hopping
The priests of Sto. Nino Church in Tacloban together with Ronnie (right) a constant companion on our travels to beaches around the country.
At the resort with the owner (left)
Another group picture by the beach in front of the Villa Ernesto Resort in our Hawaiian shirts and pants
Tuna fish freshly caught are butchered and ready for sale at a very low price in Siargao
The beach in General Luna, the town where the famous white beaches of Siargao are found
Cloud 9 where the famous surfing activity is found in Siargao
The boardwalk in Cloud 9
It was lowtide when we visited Cloud 9. This is theboardwalk to get to the famous waves for surfing.
The parish church of Del Carmen, one of the towns in Siargao
Magpupungku Rock Formation
One of the famous beaches in mainland Siargao is Magpupungku. One has to pass through sharp rocky paths in order to get to Magpupungku. It is a good place to go swimming during lowtide as there are pools of water separated from the sea.
Magpupungku Beach in Siargao. This beach is found in the mainland of Siargao island, about fifteen kilometers from the town of Gen. Luna where the famous beaches are situated. The place is best during lowtides, as one can have shallow pools which are best for swimming. It is named Magpupungku (squatting) after the rock which squats on a slab of stone ready to topple over. 
Fr. Oscar like Moses trying to divide the Red Sea.
During lowtide this place would have looked like a swimming pool as the waters would not have overflowed beyond the edges
