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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider Aumentado leads reopening of Virgin island

Aumentado leads reopening of Virgin island

Published Feb 3, 2026 05:48 pm
BOHOL Gov. Aris Aumentado leads the reopening of the Virgin Island in Panglao, Bohol on Tuesday, Feb. 3. (Contributed photo)
BOHOL Gov. Aris Aumentado leads the reopening of the Virgin Island in Panglao, Bohol on Tuesday, Feb. 3. (Contributed photo)
CEBU CITY – The province of Bohol, the country’s first and only UNESCO Global Geopark, continues to strengthen its commitment to balancing environmental protection with inclusive economic growth.
Gov. Aris Aumentado highlighted this as he led the official reopening of Puntod Island, popularly known as Virgin Island, on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
The reopening of the popular tourist spot marked renewed efforts to revive local livelihoods while ensuring that environmental integrity remains a top priority.
In his message, Aumentado congratulated and thanked stakeholders, especially the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the local government of Panglao.
He underscored that tourism cannot be sustained if environmental protection is neglected, stressing the need to strike a balance between economic activity and ecological preservation.
The governor called on stakeholders and communities to unite in safeguarding Bohol’s natural resources and emphasized the importance of responsible management to ensure that Virgin Island remains a viable and well-protected tourism asset.
“I hope those stakeholders will help those who manage the island, especially the local government unit and DENR to sustain tourism and for your livelihood to continue,” Aumentado said.
DENR-Central Visayas Regional Director Laudemir Salac emphasized that the reopening of Virgin Island is governed by clear terms and conditions, including a new management system, defined visitor guidelines, and strengthened environmental safeguards.
“What happened in the past will not happen again. We want the opening of the Virgin Island to be sustainable. We make sure that the support of the inter-agencies has a bigger role. We cannot only make it with DENR," Salac said.
Following the ceremonial program, officials led a ribbon-cutting to formally mark the reopening of Virgin Island, symbolizing a new chapter in its management and development. A blessing of the island was also conducted, highlighting the shared hope for its protection, responsible use, and continued contribution to the province’s tourism and local economy.
Virgin Island was temporarily closed in September 2024 following incidents of coral vandalization, illegal collection of fees, poor waste management, and other concerns.
Aumentado reminded the DENR-7 of the provincial government’s ongoing efforts to review and finalize guidelines on whale shark interaction activities in the province.
He said he has no problem resuming these activities as long as operators agree to stop the practice of feeding these whale sharks to lure them to nearby areas.
“There’s no problem with the opening but the question is, are they (tour operators) willing that there will be no feeding anymore? Because this is the reason why this was closed,” Aumentado said.
Aumentado warned that feeding of whale sharks will be strictly prohibited. “Sorry na lang. Di gyud mahitabo na ang inyong gusto (I’m sorry but what you want will not happen),” he said.
Feeding of whale sharks is prohibited under a provincial ordinance.
The provincial government decided to temporarily suspend whale shark interactions in the towns of Lila, Alburquerque, and Dauis in February 2025 after an inter-agency investigation revealed violations such as the illegal feeding of whale sharks with krill.

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Bohol Virgin Island Gov. Aris Aumentado
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