CEBU, Philippines — The municipal government of Santa Fe in Bantayan Island in northern Cebu has regulated the diving activities.
An ordinance, passed by the town council in December last year and approved by Mayor Ithamar Espinosa on March 29, 2023, regulates the diving activities there.
The Municipal Ordinance No. 11-2021 states that diving operators and businesses related to diving activities in Santa Fe must secure a permit from the Office of the Mayor. The local and international guides must also be accredited through the Municipal Tourism Office.
“All local dive guides, tour guides and boat captains applying for accreditation shall attend an orientation on responsible diving annually to be conducted by the municipality,” reads part of the ordinance.
Diving operators and businesses are also called to join and form an association which will be called Santa Fe Diving Association.
The local government unit will be the one to identify the diving sites in the town’s coastal water with the assistance of the diving operators.
A prior report must also be made to the centralized diving center of the LGU and monitoring and inspection is formed and tasked to monitor the activities and operation of the businesses and diving operators in the town.
“A recreational diver’s fee amounting to P100 is hereby imposed on every diver-tourist for every day of living,” reads the ordinance.
The collection from the recreational scuba diver’s fee will be utilized to finance the research, training, IEC, sanitation treatment system; rehabilitation of marine ecosystem; development of an existing natural environment; conservation and protection of marine biodiversity and effective enforcement of all laws and ordinances relating to environmental protection.
The ordinance also provides for prohibited acts or activities during diving activities.
“It shall be prohibited to dive without placing and maintaining on the dive site any mooring buoys; it shall be prohibited for diving boats to drop boat anchors at the dive sites; it shall be prohibited to spear fish or do any fishing activity on any dive spot around the municipal waters” reads some of the prohibited acts.
The law also is not allowing individuals to collect natural items from the ocean and step or touch the corals.
Video filming and documentation is also unlawful without a written permit from the Office of the Mayor.
Those found violating the local law will pay P2,000 to P2,500 fine and face revocation of business permit and/ or may be imprisoned of up to five years.