Catanduanes

Catanduanes is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon with a land area of 1,511.5 square kilometers. Its capital is Virac and the province lies to the east of Camarines Sur across Maqueda Channel. As of 2007, the population of the province is 232,757. It is considered to be the wettest province in the Philippines and located right in the typhoon path. 

 

The province is ruggedly mountainous and heavily forested but blessed with fine beaches unknown in the country. In Dec.2007, a local started a blog about island living and development ideas. And eventually, started using Google Maps to market the island's attraction as well as to show areas under environmental threat. And in a few months, there was a sudden interest by some individuals/groups to document the sights and attractions islandwide.

 

In the second semester of 2009, an ongoing coal exploration project (red block on the map), unreported to the media was abandoned when it was finally exposed to the public. The Catholic church, local government units (LGU),  environmental groups and locals unanimously opposed the planned coal mining, in favor of tourism development. Left with no other alternative, the provincial government eventually shifted to a more sustainable development project - eco-tourism.