Governor Aris Aumentado of Bohol mandated the closure of all the province’s whale shark watching activities on Monday, Feb. 3, due to law violations.
“Operating in violation of applicable laws, memoranda, circulars, convention agreements, or ordinances are prohibited and must cease operations,” the executive order read.
This particularly calls out the tour operators in the towns of Lila, Albuquerque, and Dauis who feed the marine mammals on purpose to go nearer the tourists, which violates the provincial ordinance signed in 2020.
“Okay, ang whale shark watching, but ang feeding, sa surrounding nga water, may foul odor, especially to Panglao—ang sentro ng ating turismo,” Aumentado told reporters.
Aumentado explained that the activities have no permits from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) or the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
If operators are able to acquire permits from pertinent agencies, Aumentado added, he will allow the activities again but limited to the towns of Lila, Albuquerque, and Dauis only, and there should be strictly no feeding of migratory mammals.
“If you feed them, they will change their direction and it will destroy their migratory path,” explained the governor in Cebuano.
Aumentado is giving the affected workers and business owners until Friday, Feb. 7, to stop their operations, stating, “The DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) is here to help our displaced workers.”
He has ordered the Philippine National Police Maritime Group, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Environmental Management Bureau, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, as well as the Coastal Law Enforcement Council to enforce the order.
Aumentado is also mulling tapping station job order employees from the capitol at the sites to aid in the enforcement.
For mayors who refuse to follow his executive order, Aumentado said that he will refer the matter to the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Aumentado is not worried that they will have fewer tourists after the closure of the whale-watching operators since they have other popular attractions, but he said he is “just protecting [their] province.”
Bohol Island was designated as the first UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGp) in the Philippines in May 2023 due to its breathtaking geological heritage, identity, and landscape.