Off the grid in Negros Occidental’s Danjugan Island

By Azer N. Parrocha, Philippine News Agency MANILA, July 31 — Can you survive a vacation without electricity? A marine and wildlife sanctuary within a 43-hectare island situated in the Sulu Sea is encouraging visitors to get as close to nature as they possibly can, minus modern conveniences. Danjugan Island, which is four to five hours away from Bacolod or Dumaguete, is described by its executive director Dave Albao as a private conservation site and marine protected area. In other words, it’s definitely “not a resort”. Photo courtesy of danjuganisland.ph It is managed by the Philippine Reef Rainforest Conservation Foundation Inc. (PRRCI), a non-government organization led by Gerry Ledesma who bought the island in 1994 for preservation. Ledesma saw how the reefs were slowly experiencing degradation and wanted to prevent further damage. The island has five lagoons and is covered with limestone forests which is home to over 74 bird [...]