Where's the island?

By Frank A Hilario, guest blogger

Never mind the heads ‘cut off’ by the photographer (that would be me) – mind the items that the three boys are minding while squatting on concrete with a tricycle waiting nearby. There is commerce going on; there is buying and selling on a concrete island in the middle of somewhere.

You are looking at an island figuratively; the concrete is bounded on three sides by water, because this is the wharf built by the owner of Wonder Island, Rudy Pua, who wants the wharf populated by promenaders and hawkers of goods like these – it’s a pleasant walk in the morning and in the afternoon when you can look at Wonder Island from a distance; it’s a pleasant feeling to watch a leisurely, noiseless display of wares for the passerby to buy or simply look at.

This is a street scene which dramatizes one of the concerns of Rudy, which is to help his city-mates derive extra income from the traffic going to and from his island, the traffic of vehicles and people – a small contribution from a small island in the middle of a big lake.

Rich Man, Poor Man?

By Frank A Hilario, guest blogger

In the background: That’s the boat coming in from Wonder Island as it nears the wharf; in a little while, it will be ready to ferry passengers to that little island in the middle of that big lake.

In the foreground: That’s a man trying to reach for his snack? bait? even as he has his hook, line and sinker in the water near the side of the wharf waiting for a fish to bite.

The wharf has been built by the man who owns Wonder Island. Because he wanted to help his people in the City of Calamba enjoy themselves as well as do something productive like fishing. And that's only a little part of the story of the Island Father (read Lourdes Jiz de Ortega's article 'Island Father' in the Manila Bulletin of 2000 June 18).

This one looks like a photograph badly composed. In this one picture, there seems to be two different stories, right? Right. And they are not related to each other, right? Right.

And wrong. In fact, the story is the same, and I want to call it The Waiting Game. Both the boat and the fisherman are waiting for something to happen. The boat is here, hoping for some passengers to arrive; the fisherman is here, hoping for some fish to bite.

There are always passengers who come; there are always fish who bite. But: Suppose no island visitors come today? It's okay - Wonder Island is always there, waiting. Suppose no fish bites today? It’s okay, if I were the fisherman. I would have enjoyed the very act of fishing on a wharf overlooking an island in the middle of a lake, with mountains all around me. The owner of Wonder Island is rich. The fisherman is rich -just enjoying Mother Nature makes one so rich.

Island in the Sun

By Frank A Hilario, guest blogger

This is my island in the sun, and nobody can take it away from me. I will forever keep this picture in my mind, if not in my flash drive and/or hard disk.

That is what I hear someone say early morning today, July 12; we’re on the wharf where you take the boat ride going to Wonder Island in the middle of the lake that even the Calamba boy Jose Rizal loved.

Are we in Barangay Palingon or Lingga? I don't know. It doesn't matter. While I myself look at this island, I imagine Harry Belafonte singing:

Island In The Sun
(Harry Belafonte and Lord Burgess)

This is my island in the sun
Where my people have toiled since time begun
I may sail on many a sea
Her shores will always be home to me.

Oh, island in the sun
Willed to me by my father's hand
All my days I will sing in praise
Of your forest, waters, your shining sand.

When morning breaks the heaven on high
I lift my heavy load to the sky
Sun comes down with a burning glow
Mingles my sweat with the earth below.

Oh, island in the sun
Willed to me by my father's hand
All my days I will sing in praise
Of your forest, waters, your shining sand.

I see woman on bended knee
Cutting cane for her family
I see man at the water side
Casting nets at the surging tide.

Oh, island in the sun
Willed to me by my father's hand
All my days I will sing in praise
Of your forest, waters, your shining sand.

I hope the day will never come
That I can't awake to the sound of drum
Never let me miss carnival
With calypso songs philosophical.

Oh, island in the sun
Willed to me by my father's hand
All my days I will sing in praise
Of your forest, waters, your shining sand.

Sad the time, I'll ever miss
The gay colored skirts as they turn and twist
Let me always hear soft guitars
And a maiden's voice 'neath a thousand stars.

Oh, island in the sun
Willed to me by my father's hand
All my days I will sing in praise
Of your forest, waters, your shining sand.

Many people have visited this island before; I haven't. Someday I will. I will.

Wonder Island, bookings & inquiries

Wonder Island, offshore of Calamba City

Whole-day package, 8 AM to 5 PM only

Rate includes boat transfer (2 ways); use of swimming pools, picnic umbrellas, picnic huts, pavilions; managed buffet meals: morning snacks, lunch, afternoon snacks. Adults P784; Kids P700; Senior Citizens P690.

Overnight package, check-in 2 PM, check-out 12 noon

Rate includes boat transfers; use of swimming pools, picnic umbrellas, picnic huts, pavilions; managed buffet meals (dinner, breakfast, lunch); air-conditioned rooms.

Room Types	Minimum Occupants	Rate Per Head (P)
Twin Sharing	2 persons	2,380
Double Sharing	2 persons	2,380
Family Unit	6 persons	2,212
Dormitory Unit	8 persons	1,652
Bamboo House	12 persons	1,792
Dormitory Unit	12 persons	1,512
Dormitory Unit	14 persons	1,492
Dormitory Unit	18 persons	1,465
Extra Person/Bed		1,540

All rates are VAT-inclusive and subject to change without prior notice.

Advance reservation and down-payment are required.

Other packages are available upon request.

For booking and inquiries, visit or contact us at 211 Rizal Street, Calamba City. Call Laguna lines: 049-545-1766 / 545-6491 / 545-6492. Manila line: 02-520-8556. Mobile phone 0922-503-3151

We're more in love than before

By Frank A Hilario, guest blogger

Here’s a letter from one of our recent visitors:

Dear Wonder Island,

I did thoroughly enjoy my two-day stay in your wonderful resort together with my girl friend. Especially your Jacuzzi, your swimming pool. The breakfast was swell too, in fact it was very good. And our last night together was the best of all, cruising Laguna de Bay just the two of us (almost). Sheila thinks we have not enjoyed ourselves together just as much we did in your place. We’ll remember our hours together there when we raise a family and come visit your beautiful island in the near future. Because of the loving atmosphere in your island, I think we’re more in love with each other than before.

I remember our calling your booking office at 0800 hours and getting a very prompt response from your secretary. That made us feel good, knowing that you care about your clients by observing your own rules. It’s so frustrating calling an office during office hours and nobody answers.

There is one thing, though, that we noticed, I hope you don’t mind our telling you. To describe Wonder Island as ‘a perfect island hideaway’ is inaccurate in that it’s really very public, not very private – notice that your brochure shows the swimming pool, the picnic area with the many umbrellas close to each other. In any case, Sheila and I were alone together and felt the whole island was ours simply because we are in love, and will always be.

Bobby, Australia

Bobby, we thank you for your kind words. Rest assured that we will always be there for our guests. As to the matter of our resort being ‘a perfect island hideaway,’ I’ll put it this way: it was simply a metaphor. - Wonder Island

I wonder who is the Godfather?

By Frank A Hilario, guest blogger

We have among us a ‘silent’ Godfather, someone who has the heart of a boy and the head of a father who loves his family, his extended family, and especially the poor who live near and around his dream island.

Well, it used to be a dream island; now he owns it, this little-big island in the middle of a legendary lake being watched over by a lady of legendary beauty and love. He fell in love with the lady – and the island, not necessarily in that order.

When he was a boy … watch for our series of true stories about and related to Wonder Island.

Wonder Island: What's in it for me?

By Frank A Hilario, guest blogger

Can you imagine a resort that has a thousand and one appeal? This one has a hundred and one:

Has the quiet for writers of books, biographies, autobiographies, anthologies

Has the facilities for the conduct of modern workshops with the use of desktop computers as an integral part of the proceedings

Has the ambiance for honeymooners who would like to stay on an island for a day or two

Has the amenities for family gatherings and reunions, including golden wedding anniversaries

Has the scenes for great pictorials whether for fashion or for tourism purposes

Has the religious atmosphere for getting married, being baptized in a chapel on the hill

Has romantic lights for many romantic nights

Has enough rooms and spaces for workshops of almost any kind

Has a multiplier effect in terms of jobs created, such as more fishing, more growing of vegetables, more raising of animals, more cooking – jobs and undertakings related to tourism

Has everything for company affairs out of the office, including celebrations and trainings.