ALABEL, Sarangani – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has authorized the provincial government of Sarangani to hold the Sarangani Bay festival at the white beach resorts in Glan, Sarangani from May 25 to 27 provided that event organizers will ensure the observance of the environmental protection of the Sarangani Bay protected seascape.
Joy Ologuin, Protected Area Superintendent-Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape, said the Protected Area Management Board has reminded the provincial government of Sarangani to ensure the environmental protection of the Sarangani Bay protected seascape during the staging of Sarangani Bay festival at the white beach resorts in Barangay Gumasa.
Ologuin said collection and gathering of wildlife species within the protected seascape by festival merrymakers will not be authorized.
She said festival organizers will have to ensure that visitors will refrain from throwing garbage and waste that may cause pollution to Sarangani Bay and its natural resources.
Event organizers were also advised to undertake measures to minimize the disturbance of the local marine megafauna in the event of wildlife sightings during the staging of the three-day festival.
Festivities during the Sarangani Bay festival include jet ski and skimboarding competition, motorized banca race, sand sculpture and swim-across-Sarangani Bay contest, and nightly beach party.
Touted as one of the biggest beach festivals in the country, this year’s Sarangani Bay festival is expected to draw some 200,000 local tourists after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.