(Contributed photo)
MANILA – Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Wednesday vowed to support the continued development of dive tourism in Anilao, Batangas, otherwise known as the birthplace of scuba diving in the Philippines.
During the stakeholders meeting hosted by Mabini Mayor Noel Luistro, Romulo-Puyat encouraged the dive establishment operators, to "strictly uphold" health and safety protocols as well as to work together to improve the readiness of their area for dive tourism during the quarantine period and onwards to the new normal.
“The Department is hard at work not only for the slow but sure reopening of our destinations but also on the persistent but guarded development of the dive tourism industry,” she said.
While Batangas has been opened for divers since October 2020, Romulo-Puyat said challenges remain, including the non-compliance of some dive establishments on the minimum health and safety guidelines, the low revenue and high unemployment rates, the lack of trained medical personnel to operate the hyperbaric chamber, the need for installation and maintenance of mooring buoys to protect dive sites, and the high cost of Covid-19 tests, among others.
For its part, the Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving committed to continuing waiving the accreditation fees for dive establishments and professionals; conducting subsidized training; organizing events that will attract guests; providing either online or hybrid platforms for selling and promoting dive packages.
“We must continue to hold hands and use this period as an opportune time to reassess our programs, projects, and activities to make them more responsive to the needs of the dive tourism sector,” Romulo-Puyat said.
As of Dec. 5, the DOT Region 4A (Calabarzon) has issued 51 Provisional Certificates of Authority to Operate (PCAO) to dive establishments in Mabini, Batangas, 28 of which are PCSSD-accredited.
Anilao has more than 40 documented dive sites and serves as a playground to underwater macro photographers due to the notable presence of nudibranchs and other critters.
It consistently leads as a macro diving destination in several global surveys of world-renowned dive media such as Scuba Diving Magazine’s Readers Choice Awards and Sport Diver.
At present, only dive activities are allowed in Batangas as the province remains under general community quarantine wherein leisure travel is not yet allowed. (PNA)
