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THE
ISLAND of MINDORO
 Mindoro,
one of the larger islands of the Philippine archipelago, is also
the first and oldest of the islands, pushed up by seabed plates
some 50 million years ago. Puerto Galera, located in the
northeast of Mindoro Oriental has fine beaches and excellent
diving as well as a multitude of other attractions. For about 60
years, zoologists, botanists and students of the Philippines
have regarded it as an ideal place to study the Eco-structure of
animals, plants and micro-organisms in almost undisturbed
natural conditions. In 1934, the UP Marine Biological Station
was set up. Forty years later, the United Nations Man &
Biosphere Program International declared Puerto Galera a nature
center. It was at this time that the media also discovered the
attractions of Puerto as a tourist destination.
Boasting
a beautiful natural harbor, Muelle Cove gave Puerto Galera it's
name of "Port of Galleons" by offering ships and boats
protection during rough weather and typhoons. During the Spanish
300-year occupancy, the natural harbor was used as a gateway for
Spanish traders on their way to China, India, Sumatra and Java.
In
the Immaculate Conception Parish compound you can wander round
the Excavation Museum which is a joint effort run between US
Peace Corps and the Natural Museum of the Philippines. On view
is some of the Ming Dynasty Pottery found on the seabed off
Mindoro, as well as a fine collection of shells. Small pieces of
the pottery can still be found on the beaches of nearby Verde
Island, visited often by Atlantis staff and customers as a day
diving trip.
 There
are about 50,000 Mangyans (the aborigines of Mindoro) on the
island who originate from a protomalayan group that settled here
2500 - 3000 years ago, replacing the Negritos, which were there
for more than 30,000 years. Several tribes make up the group;
Hanunoo, Buhid, Alangan, Batangan, Tadyawan, Bangan, Ratagnan,
as well as the Irraya Mangyan who live around the barangay
Baclayan of Puerto Galera. In the past they exchanged Orchids
for food, clothes and dogs. These days they rely on basket
making and selling plates made of nito.
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