by Genory Vanz AlfasainI fifirst heard of Balut Island when my fathershared stories of pirates, Manglumay, andMangdautay. He had a backward perceptionof the place and did not want me to go there.That time, I kind of believed his stories sincehe was a well-traveled man in Mindanao buthis “exoticised” stories of the island onlyhelped intensify my desire to go there. After along wait, I fifinally visited the island (last April6-9, 2018) and somehow experienced the lifethere.Sarangani (which comprises of Balut andSarangani Islands as well as Olanivan islet) isthe tourism gem of Davao Occidental.Moreover, Davao Occidental is new andconsidered as one of the fastest growingprovinces in the Philippines. The province hasmany plans for the municipality to help boosttheir economic activity.Many people became curious about thisvolcanic island and want to see its beauty withtheir own eyes. However, the island is notquite ready for tourism. There is a limitednumber of vessels to cater to tourists wantingto visit the island. Amenities andinfrastructure for activities are not yet inplace.When we visited the Municipality ofSarangani, I got the chance to meet JaiCawa, their new tourism offificer. In the courseof our conversation, I asked Jai abouttourism-related issues, specififically theoverpriced controversy that went viral online,with regard to tour operators and pump-boatoperators. As she admitted, the place is notready and there are so many things to fifix. Forexample, the importance of communitypreparation and consultation, standardisedpricing, and training for tourism personnel likea tour guide, as well as the resistance of thelocal community for tourism-related activitiesin their community. The deterioration ofmarine life also contributes to these concerns.A friend of mine, who works in the  22 of 24 www.yadukaru.comEXPEDITION-WORTHY