GOVERNOR Aris Aumentado ordered a no-nonsense probe into the defaced corals somewhere off Panglao island after learning that corals, one of Bohol’s marine assets have been vandalized.
The same (probe) ordered by municipal mayor Edgardo “Boy” Arcay, saying he condemns the vandalism since it is a serious breach of law particularly the Fisheries Code of the Philippines (RA 8550 of 1998) as amended by RA 10654.
The governor directed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) of Panglao and the Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) to do the joint investigation and identify the culprits.
This came after a recent video showing a damaged corals marked with “Just Dive” that has gone rounds in social media have reached to the attention of both officials.
The probed could result to closure before it could open to the public and tourists alike considering it is within a protected area dubbed Panglao Island Seascape Protected Area under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System (E-NIPAS).
“Our coral reefs are not mere tourist attraction. They are living ecosystems that sustain our tourism, fisheries, and livelihood of or people. We will not tolerate any act that endangers them,” the mayor said in his statement sent to the provincial tourism office.
Both the governor and the mayor urged everyone to help protect and respect the natural beauty and biodiversity of the island.
The virgin islet, off Panglao town, is about to be opened to the tourists by the Panglao municipal government after it was closed for the same vandalism in one of the dive sites sometime last year and the reported overpriced food stuff sold at the islet.
The said island was closed to tourists for acts of vandalism after reef rangers found the presence of graffiti on corals sometime in July 2024 and on August 30, 2024, another graffiti were added.
Based on that investigation, some foreign names were engraved on the corals. The names such as Mojak, Min, Soyun, Tom and others, who were believed to be guests and have gone snorkeling.
Lack of regulation and implementation, like the unabated free diving, may have contributed to the coral defacement, a source whose identity is withheld, appeared to have insinuated.
The source said that free diving is far different from scuba diving as the latter is regulated.
Another serious concern, the source said, is the implementation of the carrying capacity, which the local government unit appeared to be lacking in enforcement. The source said that scuba has only some 60 operators allowed to do business but the LGU failed to regulate the unregistered operators under PADO, including free diving. (Ric Obedencio)
