10/06/2025
"Ang hangin, parang buhay. Hindi mo man kontrolado, basta marunong kang sumabay, dadalhin ka nito sa pangarap mo."
Born and raised in Aklan, Danilo Villorente, 56, has spent over three decades chasing the wind and riding the waves as a paraw operator.
A paraw is a traditional Visayan double outrigger sailboat, once used mainly for transporting cargo and passengers. Today, it has become a favorite among tourists, especially in Boracay, for its colorful sails and quiet, graceful way of gliding across the sea.
Danilo was just 15 when he first started tagging along with his cousin, a boatman. Not as a passenger, but as a boy endlessly curious about the sea. “Dala-dalawa lang ang pasahero noon,” he recalls. “Wala pang masyadong turista. Pero pangarap ko talagang maging kapitan ng bangka.”
By 1995, as Boracay was rising as a world-class destination, paraw sailing quickly gained popularity. His trips became more frequent, the winds more familiar. But it wasn’t until 2013, when he joined his first paraw race in the annual Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival, that he truly learned the art and discipline of sailing.
That’s where he discovered how to read the wind, how to ease and tighten the sail, and how to stay calm when the mast breaks in the middle of a journey. “Doon ko na-perfect,” he says with quiet pride.
From 2016 to 2018, Danilo proudly sailed with the Discovery 1 team, a crew that ruled Category B of the Iloilo sailboat race — the Philippines’ biggest sailing spectacle and the oldest of its kind in Southeast Asia.
Paraw sailing, he says, isn’t as simple as it looks. “Kahit malakas ang hangin, kung di mo alam kung saan ka pupuwesto, hindi uusad ang bangka,” Danilo explains. “Lalaruin mo ang hangin. Kunwari ngayon, salubong (ang hangin), hindi puwedeng diretso ang direksyon mo. Ang style ko, gigilid muna ako, tapos hahabulin ko ‘yung hangin, saka ko babalik. Du’n uusad ang bangka.”
Over the years, he has weathered snapped masts, torn sails, and sudden, violent gusts of wind — “chubasco,” as he calls them — that roll in without warning. And yet before every trip, he never forgets to say a prayer. “Pag bibiyahe ako, dasal muna. ‘Diyos ko, bigyan mo kami ng magandang hangin. Hindi masyadong malakas, hindi masyadong mahina, ‘yung tama lang.’”
Unlike motorboats, a paraw moves quietly over the water. No engine, no smoke — just the sound of wind on sail and waves against the mahogany wood. “Ang sarap sa pakiramdam. Relax lang,” he says. His favorite times to sail are at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the winds are steady and the sun isn’t scorching.
From his modest earnings on the water, Danilo was able to put his children through school. “Hindi kalakihan ang kita, pero nakatulong ng malaki sa amin. Masaya ako na natutunan ko ang paglalayag ng paraw.”
In 2023, when DMCI Homes Leisure Residences brought a 25-foot paraw from Boracay to Solmera Coast in San Juan, Batangas, Danilo was chosen to be its captain. A man far from his home shores but still guided by the same winds.
He feels happiest whenever guests enjoy the simple, quiet joy of paraw sailing, the kind that reconnects you with nature and reminds you of life’s uncomplicated beauty.
Currently staying in San Juan, Danilo continues doing what he loves: sailing his mahogany boat, chasing the wind, and playing with the waves. “Hanggang kaya ng katawan ko, maglalayag ako. Dito ako masaya.”
And perhaps it’s in those moments, out in the open sea, where he finds the most wisdom in his craft.
“Ang hangin, parang buhay. Hindi mo man kontrolado, basta marunong kang sumabay, dadalhin ka nito sa pangarap mo,” Danilo beams.
Get to know Danilo and discover the beautiful art of paraw sailing when you visit Solmera Coast in San Juan, Batangas! Experience the wind, the waves, and the timeless tradition that continues to sail on.
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