Fireflies

It's quite funny how one barangay could build a tourism business out of lowly insects such as fireflies. But then again, it only proves that fireflies have become a rarity nowadays.

I was a tourist one night in Iwahig river. My family and I went there during our first night in Palawan. Even now, I'm still happy that the weather cooperated with us; it didn't rain and the river was calm and slow.

At first, I was expecting a lengthy walk to the area where the fireflies dwelt. So I was surprised  when we got into boats and donned life jackets instead. I was then expecting a river journey with fireflies  dancing above our heads but was disappointed to know that fireflies didn't do anything of that sort.

What we were treated instead were a few isolated mangroves sparkling in the night like Christmas trees. Fireflies, our guide said, were quite picky with the kind of trees they call home. The fireflies also weren't what I had in mind; they emitted blue light, not yellow (a fact that's commonly advertised by articles and television alike).

It was my first time to see a lot of fireflies that night. My evening forays in Nabunturan only had me seeing one or two fireflies (with green lights) darting to and fro. To be treated to this scene, a multitude of blue lights twinkling in the distance, left me feeling very grateful and at the same time disturbed that the next generation might never be rewarded such a view.