TONDOL BEACH Anda Pangasinan: Boracay of the North squandered

I know every corner of Tondol Beach as I am a native of Anda Pangasinan myself.I've been here countless times even if it's located Northeast of the island of Anda whilst I live in the South.I remember when we were in high school, my classmates and I would occasionally skip classes just to have a swim in the beach. I could say that this was the first beach to register in my vocabulary.I liked Tondol.Back then it was bare of establishments along the beach and one can enjoy it's beauty.It's such a shame though that I wasn't able to blog and document it through the years and how it has evolved into what it is today.

Not that so much has changed, but the little changes that took place didn't please me during my last visit.

 TONDOL:  Boracay of the North Squandered

I remember one of our Town Mayor dubbed it as "THE BORACAY OF THE NORTH".I was a fan of its sand and I can say that the powdery white sand of Tondol Beach is one of the best in Luzon.

After seeing countless beaches in the country,I can still say that Tondol has an edge over many of them---except that that edge seems to be going down the drain.It saddens me to see the Boracay of the North Squandered through time.

 my wife with her nieces

THE PROBLEM

1. poor access road to Tondol ---- the only concrete road leading to the beach from town has deteriorated.I often encounter flat tires whenever I take my father's tricycle here. The reason, deep cracks all over the expanse of the  13km road.Driving to Tondol is such a pain.And I see no effort to rehabilitate the road. :(

2.Seaweeds everywhere----- this has been a perennial problem of Tondol (not just in the beach area).It's something difficult to control due to the nature of the sea but it has been done in the past. Yes, there has always been seaweeds but people used to care to take them out of the coastline in the past.Not during my recent visit. You see seaweeds piled onshore as if they have been there for eternity.It seems that those who are in charge of the collection for the entrance fee are too busy just collecting fees. And the Resort and cottage owners don't care too other than earning.Please show more concern.....

3.The SEA WALL on the east side and the cottages on it----- this annoys me as it takes away the picturesque view and it takes away the natural border of the beach.

4.The trash---again, nobody seems to care.

5. The Concrete Dock-----I have issues with this concrete dock which was originally created for fishermen  except that it's no longer used for such purpose.All I see now is an eyesore cutting the beach into two sections and stopping the sea current from flowing freely.Result--stagnant water at times when the waves are not strong. Take it down please!

....look at the stagnant water I was referring to.my wife said maybe because it rained that day.Granted.But until when will the water stay this murky? The concrete dock is stopping the water from flowing freely......

UPDATE: On my last visit this summer 2018, the dock is already shortened. Thank God! It could be better though if they make it even shorter or completely remove it so as to make the shoreline continuous.

 

HOPE FOR TONDOL

I love my place and please don't accuse me of being unpatriotic because I have always  cared for my town and hoped for what is best for her.And I am not painting myself as a hater of development.I like development and I encourage it, but it has to be sustainable.And it should benefit not just the few.But when corporate greed is obvious, that's when I get pissed off-------in this case, the mockery of Tondol beach for the sake of profit.And I hate it when you transform something beautiful to something ugly.

Tondol Beach is beautiful it could definitely attract more tourists but the ongoing mockery of Tondol will surely put it in history books under the list of "Squandered Beaches in the Philippines"

STOP MAKING TONDOL BEACH UGLY!
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