Due to its increasing popularity, the municipal tourism office of Panglao in Bohol will limit the number of tourists visiting Balicasag Island as part of the province's safety protocols in the new normal.
Located about six kilometers southwest of Panglao, the tiny island of Balicasag is considered as one of the top diving spots in the Philippines. The west side reef of the island has been declared a marine sanctuary. It is a haven for tourists who want to see a well-preserved life underneath like submarine cliffs, corals, trevally, barracuda, wrasse, sea turtles, among others.
The two designated snorkeling sites in Balicasag will have an individual carrying capacity of 200 tourists per day, while each of the five dive points will only accept 60 visitors per day. Each of the five dive areas surrounding the island include the Balicasag Marine Sanctuary at the west side, Black Forest and Royal Garden at the north-east side, Turtle Point at the south-west side, Cathedral Wall at the north side, and Divers Haven at the southeastern side.
Thousands of tourists, both snorkelers and diving enthusiasts and professionals, would often troop to Balicasag especially during the summer season.
The local government unit also imposed an ordinance, making the Panglao jetty port as the only gateway for island-hopping and snorkeling activities in the island, except for diving.
In an interview with the Manila Bulletin, Panglao Tourism Officer Leonides Senica said all entry and exit points in the barangays of Tawa, Libao, Danao, Tangnan, and Doljo are now closed.
Due to the influx of visitors, tourism-related enterprises are sprouting all over these areas that need to be regulated. The move is also to capture those illegally operating without permits and accreditation from the tourism department.
“Iyon din ang clamor ng mga visitors ng Alona (beach) kasi diba magrerelax ka sana nagiging eyesore siya,” he said.
(That is also the clamor of visitors of Alona beach because instead of going there to relax, (the boats) became an eyesore.)
All tourists who plan to visit Balicasag are required to book through an accredited tour operator and register online.
The province of Bohol reopened to leisure travelers on Dec. 15 under a test-before-travel policy.