La Isla (Verde) Bonita

Isla Verde is an island located south of Batangas City and north of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, off the waters of Batangas Bay. Founded by Capitan Juan Verde in 1570, the 1,625-hectare island is home to 7,482 Batanguenos comprising six barangays. Their main livelihoods are fishing, mat weaving, animal raising and making a sweet native delicacy called "pakaskas".

The island is also home to Verde Island Resort, located at 110-hectare site in Sitio Subukin, Barangay San Antonio. Owned and operated by the Pastor family of Batangas, the resort is an ideal haven for scuba divers, snorkeling enthusiasts, beach combers and retirees. And for motoring journalists on a junket.

Well, we were actually on assignment, covering the launch of the latest offering from Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC), the 2003 Isuzu Fuego 4X2 pickup. But on a location like Verde Island, it became very difficult to differentiate between assignment and junket.

Last January 17, Isuzu’s PR manager, Timmy Naval, invited several motoring journalists, including yours truly, for a test drive of the new Fuego 4X2 LS with the 2.8-liter high-charge turbo diesel engine. Our test drive started from the Isuzu Alabang dealership and culminated in Tabangao, Batangas. Our route included the STAR expressway in Batangas, where we got to explore the Fuego’s new turbocharged power plant.

The new 4JB1T engine delivers 15PS more horsepower and 40Nm more torque than the 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated 4JA1L engine, which is retained in the standard Fuego model. Benefiting from Isuzu’s vaunted direct-injection diesel technology, the 2.8-liter turbo engine produces 100PS at 3800rpm and 225Nm at 2300rpm. Coupled to an improved 5-speed manual and a taller 4.300 final gear ratio, the new engine changed the 2003 Fuego from a mere payload master to an absolute highway flyer. Turbo lag was barely noticeable, and power delivery was much smoother aided in part by the engine’s bigger displacement.

The 2003 Fuego also boasts of an improved suspension system, increasing the ground clearance by 35mm to 230mm and increasing the overall height by 55mm to 1695mm. Meatier 235/75-R15 tires adorned our test Fuego Turbo 4X2 LS model, as well as a new chrome front face panel, mesh radiator grille and multi-reflector front combination headlights, giving the vehicle a more elegant façade without diminishing its machismo.

Our route took us through Ibaan and Talumpoc towns where we appreciated the improved ride quality of the new Fuego. New moquette-covered seats and carpeted floors were welcome improvements from the previous LS’s vinyl and cloth seats/vinyl mats combo. The revised interior gave the pickup a much more car-like ambiance while increasing the level of comfort.

Upon arrival at Tabangao, Batangas, we unloaded our stuff from our vehicles and hopped on a boat for the 45-minute ride to Isla Verde. While crossing the Verde Passage off Batangas Bay, we encountered some rough waters that rocked our boat. Swells as high as 6 or 7 feet make for one roller coaster-like boat ride that made some of us realize why we were motoring journalists. Hearing from Didi Camara, our favorite guide/adventure hostess and events manager that the Verde Passage is the third most dangerous area in Philippine waters didn’t help boost our seafaring confidence, either.

Thankfully, our boat, the 40-seater Commando, didn’t do a Titanic, even though someone started singing "My Heart Will Go On". Our ride lasted about an hour due to the rough waters but we arrived at Isla Verde slightly wet but unscathed.

Verde Island Resort is a picturesque cluster of period-styled cottages set against a mountainous backdrop. Welcoming new arrivals from the jetty is the Grand Pavilion which houses the reception area, front desk, Comida de Pastor restaurant and bar. We were treated to a sumptuous lunch buffet after the complimentary welcome drinks. After lunch and after getting our stuff into our rooms, several members of our group joined an "intro-dive", which gave them their first experience in scuba diving. Others, including this writer, dove straight to bed for an afternoon siesta.

A late-afternoon trek up to the view deck named "Vista del Cana" (View of the Bamboos), which is 180 feet above sea level , followed by a viewing of the sunset at the Grand Pavilion lanai while munching on cheese, cold cuts and sipping wine propped us for the smorgasbord that was our dinner. After an evening of karaoke and more drinks with the resort president Joey Pastor, Val and Didi Camara, Myrna Gonzales and the rest of the Isuzu contingent, we retired to our cottages.

The next morning found us island-hopping around the Batangas Bay. We visited Puerto Galera and Coco Beach, then moored the boat to a buoy for some snorkeling and swimming. We returned to the resort for lunch al fresco at the Aplaya Buen Vida and had the rest of the afternoon to ourselves. We had a relatively smooth boat ride from the island back to Tabangao, where we reloaded our stuff back onto our convoy of Isuzu vehicles.

IPC had taken the local motoring press on yet another wild ride/adventure/outing/tourism destination intro/junket, er, assignment to accompany the introduction of their latest model, the 2003 Isuzu Fuego. We wonder, what will they think of next?

(Editor’s note: We would like to express our deepest sympathies to Hiroshi Ishino, IPC Executive Vice President. He wasn’t able to join our Verde Island adventure because he had to fly back to Japan for his father’s funeral.)