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Closure of Bohol’s Virgin Island starts

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Annie Perez

<div><br id="isPasted"/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Bohol’s famous Puntod Island, also known as Virgin Island, will be temporarily closed starting Monday for six months to one year.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) headed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources ordered the island’s closure following the vandalization of coral reefs in the area.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The PAMB also received reports of “unauthorized collection of fees”.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/9/5/bohol-government-on-crackdown-vs-tourists-who-damaged-reefs-in-panglao-1432">Bohol government on crackdown vs tourists who damaged reefs in Panglao</a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">With the closure, all water-based activities are banned around the island. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">An exemption is given to those who will be gleaning or looking for shellfish during low tide and boats that are passing by to Balicasag Island and Fish Cage operations of Danao United Fishermen&#x27;s Association operating within the Panglao Island Protected Seascape.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Our Provincial Government always supports the protection of our environment as it is a holy duty. I wish for everyone’s cooperation,” Bohol Governor Aris Aumentado said in a social media post.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/5/17/why-this-lady-thinks-you-re-missing-a-lot-in-your-travel-1126">Why this lady thinks you&#x27;re missing a lot in your travel</a></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The area will be cordoned off to make sure no tourists or visitors stay away once reef rehabilitation starts. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Aumentado also reported that a boatman surrendered to them regarding the vandalization and they found out that a dive guide wrote on the reefs. They are still investigating the matter.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Authorities are working on screening and orienting local guides and acquiring a 24-hour bantay dagat team to secure the area.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/classified-odd/08/01/22/netizens-question-price-of-seafood-sold-on-panglao-island">Overpriced? Netizens question price of seafood sold on Panglao island</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The province is also mulling the creation of a snorkeling association, a uniform and unified system of operation for diving,  the laying down of buoys and safety nets around the dive sites, and demarcation of mooring sites, among others. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">They are making sure all boats are registered with the Maritime Industry Authority and workers are registered under the labor department. </span><br/><br/></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/6/21/here-are-filipinos-top-visa-free-destinations-according-to-a-booking-platform-1703">Here are Filipinos&#x27; top visa-free destinations, according to a booking platform</a></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Bohol’s famous Puntod Island, also known as Virgin Island, will be temporarily closed starting Monday for six months to one year.</p>

Bohol’s famous Puntod Island, also known as Virgin Island, will be temporarily closed starting Monday for six months to one year.