Dabong Island (Little Boracay of Western Samar)

Before summer wraps up, how about a vacation to an island called Dabong?

Known for its serene white sand beach dotted with cottages and trees like bananas, coconuts, mangoes, lansones and guavas, Dabong island is located 25 minutes by pump boat from Santa Rita, Samar pier.

Dabong is tagged as "the little Boracay of Western Samar’’ and is now being developed as the premiere tourist spot in Santa Rita. Yet, it is not as costly to hie off to Dabong as to Boracay.

The four-hectare island is owned by Beatriz Bernal-Tiopes and husband Engr. Minadro "Boy’’ Tiopes. At the hilltop of the island is a Lourdes grotto where one can take a breathtaking look at the panoramic view of San Juanico Bridge (that connects the Samar and Leyte mainland), the San Juanico Strait, and the nearby municipalities of Santa Rita can also be seen here.

Santa Rita is a third class municipality of the province of Samar. It has a total land area of 41,238 hectares composed of agricultural and forest lands, residential areas, etc. Its population is only 30,118 and 90 percent are Catholics. A potential product for export is "siphid’’ a native word for "broom’’ (walis tambo), which is said to last for two years.

No historical records of the beginnings of Santa Rita exists but old folks trace its founding way back to the 18th century. The original settlers were said to come from the Amistoso, Lacambra and Agoy tribes. These groups were headed by Joaquin Amistoso of whom the San Juanico Strait was named after.

The first town site was located in an island called Puro along the San Juanico Strait. Later it became known as Tabucan because of the fact that natives started their sea voyage in this island to and from the mainland of Samar and Leyte. Here, the islanders earned their living through small scale fishing and farming.

Santa Rita’s economy is mainly anchored on agriculture and fishing considering that a large number of the town’s populace lived in farms and coastal communities. The major products in agriculture consist of rice, copra, root crops, and vegetables while marine products are mostly fish, prawns, crabs, shrimps, lobsters, mud crabs and shells.

Among the historical sites of the municipality are the Baluarte Island Watch Tower, Santa Rita Parish Church and the Mama Mary Shrine.

[ San Juanico Bridge Wiki ]