One of PH best dive sites

TACLOBAN CITY– The Department of Tourism (DOT) here in the region is giving its support to declaring Panaon Island in Southern Leyte as a protected seascape saying the area is one of the best dive sites in the country.

Karina Rosa Tiopes, the regional head of the DOT-8, said that the declaration could further help attract tourists, particularly diving enthusiasts, to visit the area.

A bill declaring Panaon Island as a protected seascape under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act (RA 11038), is pending both at the House of Representatives and Senate.

Tiopes said the move is also timely considering that the DOT is also pushing for diving tourism. Just last week, the DOT launched the tourism dive dialogue in Cebu City.

“We are very supportive of that (bill). Panaon Island which is part of Sogod Bay is (not only) very rich in marine resources but is considered to be one of the best dive spots,” she said Thursday.

According to Tiopes, diving enthusiasts even described the area as a ‘little of Tubbataha Reef and a little of Anilao.’

“So we are very proud that what is found in Tubbataha, for example, is also found in Sogod Bay,” she said.

Tubbataha Reef is a marine protected area located in Palawan and is a world-renowned diving site while Anilao is in Batangas and is considered as the ‘birthplace’ of scuba diving in the country.

Tiopes said that diving tourism is fast emerging in the region, particularly along Sogod Bay.
She, however, admitted that of the several beach resorts located along Sogod Bay, only three are considered as diving resorts which are all in the town of Padre Burgos.

“There are only a handful of dive resorts there and that means, we can only have a limited number of guests that we can accommodate,” she said.

The diving season in Sogod Bay is between the months of November to April wherein only 2,500 guests during this time could be accommodated, Tiopes said.

She then asked the local government units to help their office further promote diving tourism and this way, pave the way for investors to locate and construct more dive resorts.
Oceana, an international advocacy organization dedicated to ocean conservation, said that Panaon Island has coral reefs with up to 60% of very good coral cover, way above the national average of around 20%.

It is home to endangered species listed under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species like whale sharks and sea turtles.

The proposed seascape has an area of about 61,251 hectares or 612.51 sq km covering the municipalities of Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, and San Ricardo in the province.
(JOEY A. GABIETA/ROEL T. AMAZONA)

BORONGAN CITY-The District Engineers League of the Philippines (DELP) and the Rank and File Employees Association (RAFEA) of the Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (DPWH ESDEO) jointly organized the “Gamit Pang-Eskwela Handog ay Saya” at Banuyo Elementary School in the inner village of Banuyo, Borongan City on September 19, 2023.

District Engineer Alvin A. Ignacio revealed that DELP conducts a yearly gift-giving event with the DPWH ESDEO employees’ union in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd).

“We showed our gratitude to employees in the district office for their participation and contribution to this gift-giving activity. And also to DELP for giving us a chance to be a source of blessings and inspiration to the students,” said DE Ignacio during the program activity.

Also, the district engineer requested the parents and students to take good care of the supplies provided by the team to ensure longevity and usefulness.

The event reached out to 111 pupils from kindergarten to grade six, who received school supplies such as bags, notebooks, papers, pencils, crayons, tumblers, raincoats, and umbrellas.

The President of RAFEA, Inigo Sugalan Jr., announced that their office had prepared 125 packs of school supplies. They distributed 111 to students and kept 14 sets for school heads to distribute to future enrollees to encourage out-of-school children to enroll. At the same time, the school head disclosed that the enrollment period is still ongoing.

Aside from receiving educational materials, the students at Banuyo Elementary School were also delighted with Jollibee meals and entertained by the dancing Jollibee Mascot.

The school head, Glenda Abella, expressed her gratitude to the DPWH ESDEO for choosing their students as beneficiaries for the Gift Giving Activity.

“Diri in hikakalimtan hin nga mga kabataan nga aanhi yana. Ira in hihimuon nga inspirasyon hit ira paglalakbay hit ira eskwela [This event will not be forgotten by these students that are present today. This will serve as their inspiration in their journey in education],” said Abella.

The school head is pleased with the umbrellas and raincoats given to the students as they will be helpful during the rainy season.

The event had several attendees, including teachers and staff, parents, barangay officials, Section Chiefs and Unit Heads of DPWH ESDEO, and RAFEA Officers.

The DPWH ESDEO is not only dedicated to enhancing the quality of infrastructure projects for the benefit of Filipinos but also actively engaged in social responsibility. With this initiative, they aim to inspire and encourage individuals and organizations to support the education system and make a difference in the lives of the youth, particularly those in the marginalized sector.(PR)