TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) –The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has agreed with Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado to use some of its collected access fees to fund the rehabilitation and set up of mooring buoys and floaters to cordon off the identified areas for rehabilitation at the Panglao Island Protected Seascapes (PIPS).
DENR and its PIPS Management Board (PAMB) earlier decided to indefinitely close Puntod Island and its Virgin Island sandbar from any human water activities starting Sept. 9.
Puntod island owns the area’s kilometric white sand bar that forms a lagoon nearly a kilometer in diameter and is a favorite destination for island hopping and snorkeling tourists.
By 2:00 p.m. on Sept. 8, a team of reef rangers built a billboard announcing the closure of the island and its vicinity waters from any human activities except gleaning and boat passage to Balicasag Island, as well as the fish cage operations of the Danao United Fishermen’s Association.
The closure of the island and its vicinity came after the PAMB, along with local officials, met to tackle viral posts on social media showing a snorkeling guide vandalizing the table corals in Estaca point near Virgin Island sandbar.
Dive master and marine environment advocate Danilo Menorias, who was part of the reef assessment team assigned by the Governor to inspect the coral damage, said one table coral (acropora branching), approximately 11 meters by 3.71 meters, bore vandalism showing names written on them.
The letters on the corals measure one inch thick.
During the reef assessment, the team composed of DENR Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO) Tagbilaran, Municipal ENRO-Panglao, Sangguniang Bayan councilor, Bohol Provincial Environment Management Office, Panglao Association of Dive Operators (PADO), and a representative of the Office of the Governor all noted that tourist boatmen indiscriminately drop anchors on corals in the absence of mooring buoys in the area.
The assessment team, seeing the damage, has also suggested the temporary closure of the island to address the impact of water activities.
Aumentado, during the presentation by the reef inspection team, said there is a need to install sinkers for mooring buoys, where motor bancas can teeter their ropes instead of dropping anchors that can have devastating effects on the corals.
He said there is also a need to cordon off the area where the damaged corals are, and designate permanent snorkeling areas.
DENR Bohol Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Jose Cleo Colis also proposed that local guides should train with the green divers so that they would be able to instruct and practice sustainable snorkeling practices that protect the environment.
Upon learning that DENR only has two divers who accompany groups entering the protected area, the team also suggested putting up a 24-hour Bantay Dagat patrol in the area.
Between Aug. 27 to 29, the DENR PIPS reorted 97 boats visiting the area, dropping off snorkelers and picnic groups.
The team also noted that some tour operators in Panglao simply obtain business permits and start to operate without taking care that their workers are familiar with educating tourists about sustainable and safe water.
Even the Philippine Coast Guard, which issues the boat clearances, admit that with plenty of coast lines remaining uncovered, many illegal operators slip out to hold island hopping tours without licensed boat captains and accredited boatmen and without safety and communications equipment on board. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)
