Guv offers P50K reward for

coral desecrator’s identity

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 31 (PIA)—Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado is dangling P50,000 reward for anyone who could guide authorities into the persecution of the diver or guide who desecrated table corals in Estaca, snorkeling site of the Virgin Island, off Panglao.

Apparently irked by the shameless destruction of corals in Panglao’s famed Virgin Island, governor Aumentado said he would welcome any leads that could pinpoint the identity of the perpetrator, whose desecration of swatches of corals, would eventually lead to the death of wide portion of the snorkel grounds.

Corals grow some 0.3 to 10 centimeters per year, and if touched by human hands, the damage can be irreversible.

This would be the second time Virgin Island figured in a viral social media post: the first time was on allegation of overpricing.

A freelance dive instructor posted the disheartening images of table corals in the Estaca snorkeling site bearing names (possibly of tourists) carved by deliberately rubbing shells or stones in the corals, leaving bleached white traces of letters and broken bits of staghorn corals which broke from the writing pressure.

“We have seen the damage, and we can not allow things like this to happen again,” Aumentado stated in his facebook post about the incident.

When it came out, the governor sent off a team composed of reef rangers, dive masters, and course director, environmental advocates, divers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and its protected area coordinator in Panglao, representative divers from the Office of the Governor, and Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, to conduct reef inspection and assessment.

“We have ordered all dive operators and divers to join us, so we could bring to justice whoever it is who committed this despicable act against the environment especially our underwater treasures, as these have given us life and their help in balancing ecology can not be downplayed,” the governor said.

The governor also shared that he would rather check on pre dive policies if it includes and orientation on what to do and what not to do, when they are in the water.

“Anybody who breaks this, have to be penalized: dive and tour operators and guides,” the governor hinted.

Reports leaked also revealed that there are tour and dive operators in Panglao who have business permits, but are illegally operating activities.

“The Provincial Government of Bohol, together with the Provincial Tourism Council and the LGU, are looking into this illegal activity despite the implementation of various laws protecting marine wildlife in the country,” the governor assured.

Board Member Jiselle Rae Villamor, SP committees on environment chair and SP tourism said they are also reviewing and considering all options to strengthen the enforcement of marine wildlife laws locally.

“I am calling out all dive operators to adopt sustainable ecotourism practices. Corals take a long time to grow. They are very brittle, delicate and fragile. So let us please avoid damaging the reef or disturbing underwater life by chasing, touching, poking or moving them,” Villamor urged.

Initial reports from the reef inspection team bared the massive damage.

One table coral, about 11 meters long, had been written across, at least several of the corals have names carved on them.

The first abomination in the corals were noted in the first week of July, but as of August 30, divers visiting the snorkel area found there were more names written on the corals.

In Panglao, a local practice is for divers and snorkelers to book in advance, so that the authorities can send them to areas where the day’s carrying capacity still allows activities.

This is so, because Panglao Island is listed as among the country’s protected scapes.

Panglao Island Protected Seascape (PIPS) has also seagrass beds measuring 2,458.18 hectares, with diverse coral reefs and a habitat of the endangered migratory bird Chinese Egret.

In 2018, protection of the PIPS was legislated through R.A. 11038 or the E-NIPAS Act.

One of the longest sandbars in the Philippines is located in PIPS. The flagella-like sandbar in Pungtod Island measures 450.5m during low tide and is 3km away from the famous Alona Beach in Panglao Island, according to the DENR.

As a protected area, the DENR manages the activities in the island’s seascapes, and the government agency initially said they might be able to provide the list of divers and snorkelers who were permitted to dive in the Virgin Island snorkeling area.

ON this, the governor called for a meeting with stakeholders, as well as the assessment team on Monday, and would work on the implementation of what the team would recommend as course of action.

He said he would abide by the recommendations of the assessment team, believing in their capacities. (PIABohol)