Neil "Bronco" C. Conchada - Tour Operator

● PHOTO-GALLERY

● JOURNAL | English + Deutsch

● PEOPLE

● EQUIPMENT

● HOW TO GET TO POLILLO

● EXPEDITION-VIDEO

● LINKS

PEOPLE OF POLILLO

Neil "Bronco" C. Conchada - Tour Operator

►►►Neil from "Polillo Travelers" was the most important contact that I had from the beginning of my adventure (more about him in my JOURNAL). Neil, in Polillo Problacion also better known as "Bronco", is since 10 years tour operator during the summer time. He assists tourists in Polillo. Neil is well known in Polillo because he was from 2007-2016 the former director of Quezon II Electric Cooperative (QUEZELCO-II). At the moment he lives since 2 years with his wife in Malate (Manila) and he is currently supplying cars to different companies. During his college time he was regular in Manila and he studied "Business Administration and Management"

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One of Neils dreams is to become the pioneering person in tourism in Polillo who gives also an ecological and enviromental balance. He wants to promote tourism in a responsible way without sacrificing the ecology. That means protection of the environment and also of the natural resources and he would like to cooperate with the local goverment to make this wish true.

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Neil owns a boat with the name "POLLILO TRAVELERS" he can guide tourist around Polillo. If you have any questions about Polillo Island or if you want to plan a tour, Neil is the right man. He gave me all the important information. He spoke with all the persons responsible in the Municipal Hall, the Police Station and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to make my expedition possible. Further he recommended me someone who isn't a guide but knows the jungle better than anyone else. Lidiver "Diber" L. Surco (More infos down)

If you like to support Neil or you have questions or you wanna make a trip contact him (please mention my name: Chris Kirschnick):

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Contact Number: (+63) 921 / 754 2225 (Globe)

▬ www.facebook.com/polilloislandescapades

▬ www.polillotravelers.wordpress.com

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Photos by kirschnick | FOTOGRAFIE

Lidiver "Diber" L. Surco - My Guide

►►►Diber was my guide during my whole stay in Polillo. He was recommened to me by Neil. Diber isn't a tour guide it was the first time for him to guide someone around, but even he isn't a tour guide he knows the forest since he was a little boy. For 13 years he was catching wild pigs with his father and he learned a lot from his father about the forest. His father lives on the mountain. Diber lives since a while down in the town of Polillo and since 8 years he working every 3 months as a coconut farmer, he produces Copra (more infos about Copra here [Wikipedia: Copra]) There is a special procedure and first at all is to to dry the coconuts by buring wood. But Diber also works on the rice field. Once there was a time when Diber was working in Quiapo (Manila) in a canteen, but Diber enjoys the forest in Polillo more than the crowded life in Manila and also the work in Polillo is much easier for him. Diber has a simple and modest attitude and he has no particular dream he is just doing anything that comes to the family.

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During the time when I was with him I was really glad to have him because without him I would probably got lost in the jungle and thanks to his jungle experience, his intuition and his sharp eyes for the wildlife I could see a lot of interesting animal spezies. Also thanks to him I got to know his uncle "Nonoy" and I also could stay in his house. And Diber had also a lot of interesting survival skills, I learned how to open a cooking fire with 3 stones, dried coconuts and a leaf-fan, I learned how to open a buko in a proper way and many other interesting survival skills from him.

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Photos by kirschnick | FOTOGRAFIE

Eugenio "Nonoy" M. Nario Jr.

►►►Nonoy is the uncle of Diber (see above) where I could stay overnight during my stay in the Barangay of Sitio Lawis in Polillo. Nonoy is a moderate person who loves his simple life. But he wasn't born in Polillo, before he lives with his family in San Narciso in Zamales. When he was 7 years-old they moved to Polillo Island because his father and mother was looking for a job there. His father was a fisher there and his mother a housewife.

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Nonoy is now since 7 years a fisher and diver but he has also other small buisnesses like repairing motors, vulcanizing, weldering, load phones, charging batteries, selling fishes and his son is a barber.

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Once before electric the people used kerosene gas for light and scooters used solar systems for the batteries. Now since around 2014 there is almost everywhere the possibility of getting electricity.

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Nonoys life attitude is in Tagalog: "Mahirap ang buhay pero masaya" in english "The life is hard but fun". His only wish is that his children finish their school in the Polillo Town and they make a good business.

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Photos by kirschnick | FOTOGRAFIE