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| ULOT WATERSHED ECOTOURISM |
The 455,700 hectare SINP, the biggest natural park in the country, was declared a protected area on April 13, 2003 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 442. It covers 333,330 hectares of land and a buffer zone of 125,400 hectares of primary forest and a large, contiguous tract of secondary forest in good ecological condition. It boasts of many caves, various wildlife species and river systems such as the navigable, 9-km. long Ulot (a Waray term meaning “monkey”) River, which is within the Ulot Watershed Area, one of Samar’s 8 watershed areas.
Ulot River is Samar’s longest river with a total length of 90 kilometers. Counting its numerous tributaries, it’s total length has been estimated to reach over 500 kilometers.
The river is located inside the protected area covered by the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), created by PD No. 442 (August 13, 2003) – an area considered one of the country’s top botanical diversity centers.
SINP’s total land area is 330,300 hectares with a buffer zone of 125,400 hectares for a total of 455,700 hectares encompassing 36 municipalities in the 3 Samar provinces – Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.
The natural park boasts of some 38 species of mammals (50% endemic), 215 species of birds (55% endemic), 51 species of reptiles (69% endemic), 26 species of amphibians (52% endemic) and over 1,000 species of plants (53% endemic).
To those not yet familiar, Samar island is the 3rd biggest island of the Philippines, after Luzon and Mindanao.
The Ulot Watershed Ecotourism Loop is the latest offering of SINP.
Aside from torpedo boat adventure ride, the Ulot Watershed Ecotourism Loop also includes such activities as kayaking, tubing, swimming and inland game fishing along the rugged and unspoiled waters of Ulot River.
They offer packages which include the entrance and community development fees, rental of the boats, kayaks and tubes, life vests, protective helmets and other equipment, and the services of tour guides and boat men.
There are rooms available for rent at the SINP Headquarters.
The ecotourism loop is set to be formally inaugurated and opened to the public on November 30.
HOW TO GET THERE:
The Ulot Watershed Ecotourism Loop is located at Campo Uno, Brgy. Tenani, Paranas, Samar. Driving along the Maharlika Highway between Tacloban City, Leyte and Catbalogan, Samar, one takes the road headed towards Borongan, Eastern Samar at the road junction at Buray. The SINP is some 16 kms from the Buray Junction. Travel time by car from Tacloban City, Leyte is about 1.5 hours.
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