PANGLAO, Bohol – Officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and provincial and municipal governments officially joined forces in reopening Puntod island, popularly known as Virgin island, with its white powdery sand beach off this town considered one of the tourist gems here on February 03, 2026.
DENR Region VII Regional Director Laudemir Salac, Bohol Gov. Aris Aumentado and Panglao Mayor Edgardo “Boy” Arcay personally caused the tearing down the closure notice on a make-shift post on the island’s sandbar dated September 09, 2024. The ripping off of the closure notice was witnessed by DENR, residents and media personnel.
He reiterated that the carrying capacity is in order, allowing only 250 visitors for two hours and the establishment of one-entry-one-exit rule. He said that it is but imperative to enforce the laws and the Marine Tourism Guidelines to balance the sustainable tourism activity, livelihood of the people and tourism stakeholders.
DENR and PAMB and provincial and municipal governments have decided the lifting of the temporary closure following the adoption of the PIPS Marine Tourism Guidelines. The said islet was shut down by the DENR on September 9, 2024 after the reported vandalism of corals, question of carrying capacity and the over-charging of food stuff sold at the sandbars.
Aumentado in his short speech during the short program held on the island agreed the plan to balance the marine environmental protection and livelihood of the people and stakeholders. This is needed since tourism is a sort of intense competition, citing other tourism attraction in Boracay, Palawan and other countries like Vietnam which are luring more tourists than the Philippines.
He said in vernacular that Bohol cannot just make livelihood thrive without protecting the environment, short of saying “don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg.”
The island partly titled to a private individual and it’s situated within the fragile Panglao Island Protected Seascape (PIPS) but under the governance of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB).
The prohibited acts are issued to regulate the visitors to enjoy. The reopening is fortified with reinforced environmental safeguards, regulated tourist visits and inter-agency coordination to guarantee safety and order all in the name of sustainable marine tourism. (Ric Obedencio)
