The Hundred Islands is a national park in Alaminos City in the province of Pangasinan, northern Philippines. The islands (124 at low tide and 123 at high tide) are scattered along Lingayen Gulf. Each one in its own pristine beauty basks in the sun, lapped by the waters of Lingayen Gulf. Unexplored coves and islets await seekers of solitude. The islands are believed to be about two million years old.

It is believed that kissing the statue of Princess Urduja before riding the boat on the way to the islands will protect first-time tourists from harm.

By Yolanda Sotelo-Fuertes, Philippine Daily Inquirer

ALAMINOS CITY, Philippines -- To attract more tourists to the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP), the city government of Alaminos in Pangasinan has decided to embark on an ambitious project to link these islets on the Lingayen Gulf through a network of transparent underwater tubes.

Visitors can walk through these underwater "bridges" to view various species of fish, corals and marine creatures in their natural environment.

The "bridges" are part of the Hundred Islands Underwater Marine Park project that envisions the establishment in the area of fish sanctuaries, snorkeling and diving areas, a facility for water sports, and a marine institute where experts can study the biological diversity of the Lingayen Gulf.

"It is a grandiose plan. But it is a highly feasible [project] and is actually a part of the comprehensive development master plan of the city," says Mayor Hernani Braganza.

The plan, prepared by the Palafox Associates, an internationally recognized firm engaged in architectural design, urban planning and consultancy, involves a development blueprint for Alaminos as a major player in the socioeconomic and tourism growth of Pangasinan and the Ilocos.

"The plans are ready. What we just need are investors," Braganza says.

He admits that the city's plans for the HINP are "big" but the effort and possible investments that would go to it would be worth every sweat and centavo as the park is the country's first national park and the top tourist attraction of Alaminos and Pangasinan.

Even in its "untouched" stage, the park already draws about 100,000 visitors yearly, Braganza says.

The park offers tourists white beaches, dive spots, caves and bird sanctuaries.

"A wide variety of fish abounds in the waters. They have multiplied fast after we put a stop to illegal fishing activities there," Braganza says.

The coral beds, strained from destructive fishing, are recovering, too. The University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute maintains a giant clam (Tridacna gigas, locally known as taklobo) farm in the area. This also serves as nesting ground for various species of fish.

The city cannot actually introduce heavy development in the islands because under the National Integrated Protected Areas (Nipas) Act, the city has to protect and conserve this natural spot, says Roel Añonuevo, city planning officer.

The master plan groups the islands into three categories: The "exclusive islands," intended for those who want to have privacy and try scuba diving and snorkeling; the "exploration islands," for tourists who are into adventure and extreme sports such as rappelling, parasailing, kayaking and trekking; and the "everyday islands," for families and groups who want to go swimming, snorkeling, trekking, and

bird and bat watching.

"The underwater bridges project is the ultimate [goal]. It will justify all the other infrastructure requirements of the area such as the airport, a seaport, a highway, shopping malls and others. It will jumpstart the city's development, " Braganza says.

The city's master plan does not revolve only on the HINP, but on the entire city based on its geographical characteristics and investment potentials.

With this, the city would be divided into five clusters, Braganza says.

While development for the Hundred Islands (Cluster 1) is minimal, the proposed development for Cluster 2, which includes the Bolo Beach, is bigger.

The proposed projects there include resort and hotel development, ecotourism, forest hillside development, health and spa, view decks, mangrove forest, golf course and an equestrian village.

The horseshoe shaped Bolo Beach, with its shallow waters, offers a perfect getaway for vacationers and is actually an alternative to the Lucap wharf as a jump-off point to the islands.

The master plan's Cluster 3 is called the "Heritage Walk Zone," which offers a tour of the "Old Town"--the church, town plaza, ancestral houses, museums, the Balay-a-Daan, salt farms and rivers. Cluster 4 is the "countryside farming zone" while Cluster 5 is the "business park zone."

"The master plan is designed to make Alaminos a 'green city'...Investors, big and small, are welcome to do business in the city," says Braganza, who sponsored his native town's cityhood bid when he represented Pangasinan's first district in the House of Representatives in 2001.

But he says only light industries, tourist-related facilities and those that draw strength from the rich agriculture and fishery resources of the city are welcome.

While tourism is the primary focus of the master plan, its other goals include a fully developed agriculture, adequate and highly modernized physical infrastructure and facilities, availability of modern education, accessible health facilities, well protected and rehabilitated coastal resources and assured public safety and peace and order.

All it takes for Alaminos' master plan to take off is an international airport, Braganza says.

The entire western Pangasinan, which has potential tourism and commercial areas, will benefit once an airport is built there, he adds.

Braganza says while Alaminos is accessible by land transportation, travel time from the different airports like the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Metro Manila), Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Pampanga) and the San Fernando City Airport (La Union) is "quite long and tiring."

"Who wants to travel for three to six hours by land to get to the islands? With an airport, tourists from other countries can fly direct to the city," he says.

Braganza welcomes President Macapagal-Arroyo' s endorsement of a commercial airport project in her State of the Nation Address in July.

"This has been a long dream of Alaminos and Pangasinan that will soon become a reality. It will make the province accessible to businessmen and tourists, and hopefully, it can accommodate cargo planes for Pangasinan to export its agricultural resources," he says.

Qatar ambassador to promote 100 Isles

ALAMINOS CITY-The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Qatar, impressed by his two-day visit here last week, has vowed to promote the Hundred Islands National Park to his countrymen and encourage them to invest in possible business ventures in Pangasinan.

Ambassador Abdullah Ahmed Y.A. Al-Mutawaa, accompanied by Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board chairman Thompson Lantion and representatives from Unioil Philippines, Inc., visited the province for the first time.

"The first time, we will do promotions for the investors to go to Pangasinan, even the whole Philippines. Sure, we will try to make a good promotion for the Philippines...for the progress of Philippines, " he told local media.

The ambassador of the oil-rich Qatar said his country and the Philippines maintained good relations with more than 75,000 Filipinos working there as doctors, nurses, and in the construction industry.

Al-Mutawaa said these Filipinos "are in very good condition, we protect them".

Qatar is one of the fastest developing countries in the Middle East with its aggressive infrastructure development and urbanization projects.