For some, it was a curse that shouldn’t have happened.

And then for some, a golden opportunity waiting to be tapped.

This is the ash ejected by Mount Pinatubo when it erupted in June 1991, when lahar reached thickness of up to 33 centimeters (13 inches), up to approximately 10.5 kilometers (6.5 miles) southwest of the volcano, which, with the partnership of the Department of Tourism (DoT) Region III, Korean Pull Destination Corporation (PDC) handpicked as “the most ideal place” for health tourism.

In 2005, PDC established the Mount Pinatubo Spa Resort (MPSR) in Barangay Santa Juliana in Capas, Tarlac with a start-up capital of $400,000 – not only the first wellness hub in the province, but the first of its kind, since the sprawling 5,000 square meter domain makes use of the plentiful lahar itself as its main lure to health buffs. Dubbed as an oasis in the desert, MPSR’s offerings include Korean/Japanese style sulfur water hot bath, volcanic ash shower, Chinese-style massage, and hot springs outings – what enterprising entrepreneurs from the Philippines-Korea Travel Agency Association, Patton Kim of Hana Tours and Chris Park of Philippines Number One Travel and Tours, saw as needed services to help make the area “a haven on this side of Luzon.”

For Kim, the wellness spa offers an “array of new products seldom included in regular services in urban spas. Ours is a first-of-a-kind model in fitness therapy and well-being. Our services range from relaxing body wraps on sulfur-filled hot volcanic sand, thermal bath to foot spa, and soothing Shiatsu body works on a 200-person capacity massage parlor. The spa utilizes therapeutic healing techniques using volcanic hot sand packs from Mount Pinatubo, and a special sulfur mud pack of ash mud for facials in their outdoor parlor,” he was quoted as saying by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). "The sulfur volcano ash spa revives the sagging skin, and gives a certain relief when applied completely to the body from face to tip of the toe. It relaxes the entire body system.”

This is said to most beneficial tot hose availing of the six-hour trek to Mount Pinatubo, a popular activity among those visiting the province (part of PDC’s package,or can be done independent of PDC), especially with the 4x4 wheeler ride from the spa (take-off point) to the various attractions of the area: mini hot springs near the foot of Mount Pinatubo, towering lahar canyons, cool mountain springs, view of the majestic 2.5-km crater-lake, swim at any of the six sulfur-filled thermal pools at Sitio Tarukan, fishing expedition at Tambo Lake, and cascading waterfalls, all certain to make that trip up the volcano an experience worth remembering.

Charging from $45 per package, the PDC enterprise has already paid for itself.

On the one hand, as an alternative destination, especially for visiting Koreans who frequent Mount Pinatubo, a growing preferred trekking site due to the peculiar landscape re-shaped by lahar when Mount Pinatubo erupted, MPSR services over 12,000 arrivals per year – serviced by around 150 local residents who were given training to be hired as masseuses, food servers, mountain guides, and souvenir makers.
On the other hand, and what is seen as having a much bigger impact, the presence of the spa is promoting the Philippines as a major health tourism destination in Asia, with "the image of the Philippines as a health and well-ness holiday destination has already gained foothold in the international community,” DoT secretary Ace Durano was quoted as saying, still by the PNA.

Indeed, MPSR has proven that everything from nature – good or bad – can be tapped, and tapped greatly at that.

For more information on the province of Pampanga, call the Department of Tourism, Hilaga Village, City of San Fernando, Pampanga at (6345) 9612665/2612; email dot3@pldtdsl.net; or visit luzoncentral.com.ph.

For more information on Mount Pinatubo Well-ness Spa, call Pete Won at (63) 9274013273, or 9283410402.

For an off-road adventure, contact the Angeles City Four Wheelers Club (president is Rey Liwanag) at (63) 9173952505. Each vehicle good for five persons charge P3,500, plus a conservation fee of P50 per person, and guide fee of P500 for every five persons.