Sometime in 1996,I came back to Calapan after 45 years. I still have vivid memories of how the hometown looked when I was 5 years old. I have lots of pictures that my dad took when I was that young so I could compare. But since I came back, in 1996, i.e. after 45 years, the city is still much the same, laid back, slow, quiet and reserved.

I do not define the progress of the town just by what it has added over the years, like the port, the city hall, the few small hotels, the commercial establishments. I gauge the progress of a place by the progress of the attitudes of the people living in it. From what I see after so many trips back to the city, it has not changed much in politics, in societal attitudes, in it's enterpreneurship, in progressive outlook and determination to stand out from the rest of the municipalities of the same level, when it was first founded as a city. Look at northern towns of Central Luzon. Look at the southern towns of Southern Luzon. They are well traversed municipalities and their progress has been phenomenal.

Is Calapan slowly progressing because patrimony or loyalty is not in the hearts of the former residents of the place? Or is it that the lure of working in other places like Manila or abroad that causes brain drain to dry our own talents that could contribute to the progress of the town (city)? Mindoro is one of the very few places in the Phils. that is still blessed with the "green gold"-(natural resources) which other provinces do not have anymore due to the progress of the place. Calapan is at the forefront of all this, yet it does not capitalize on this. Calapan is at the gateway to Mindoro (Land of Gold) and it seems to be lazily waiting for some enterprise to capitalize on it's "green gold". It is now happening. Mining firms starts capitalizing on what is ours. Calapan is just watching it happen.

This is why I said Calapan is lazily sleeping!! I am a well travelled person, and I can compare similar places, towns and cities blessed with great natural resources and tourist attractions and these places has capitalized on it and made a great leap into what they are now.

Just my observations!

Eric Gozar
http://blog.ericgozar.com