MANILA, Philippines - The Visayas island group is known for its diverse marine life, being part of the world’s Coral Triangle, and has become “must-see” dive spots for divers from all over the globe.
Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte is one of the unheralded but equally astounding marine sanctuaries which is slowly getting international attention.
Embracing the province like a huge cove, the bay is habitat to over 150 species of hard coral, hawksbill and green turtles, butterflyfish, groupers, sweetlips, stingrays and a host of colorful fish species.
It also boasts of shrimps, decorator crabs, octopuses, nudibranchs, sea slugs, sea snails, sea stars, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins.
The bay’s southern end in Pintuyan town is also the playground of the whale shark, the world’s biggest fish which is known locally as “tiki-tiki”.
To nurture this underwater paradise, the provincial government has forged a Memorandum of Agreement with London-based environmental organization Coray Cay Conservation for the Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project.
Initiated in September 2002, it initially completed a survey of marine sanctuary sites in the towns of Padre Burgos and Malitbog.
The project is now based at the Napantao marine sanctuary in San Francisco town and is implementing a four-week marine conservancy program for international dive volunteers for the preservation of the bay.
The program undertakes a comprehensive assessment of coastal marine resources in Sogod and collects quantitative information on ecologically and commercially important marine species.
It also produces detailed coastal habitat maps for use as an educational and planning tool for designation of marine protected areas (MPAs) across the province.
Anchored on the alleviation of poverty, the project also undertakes community education and capacity-building programs to empower communities.
On the tourism side, Sogod Bay is being promoted by the Department of Tourism as a scuba diving haven in Eastern Visayas, being the only validated dive spot in the region.
DOT Region 8 director Karina Rosa Tiopes said that Southern Leyte is being marketed as the “Playground of Eastern Visayas” because of this specialized adventure activity.
To sell it to the global tourist market, the DOT’s Market Development Group recently held a dive expedition in July with noted underwater photographers Yorko Summer of Taiwan and Jerome Kim of Korea.
The three-day dive documented the bay’s lush marine life and is being promoted in international publications and social media.
To build upon this initiative, the DOT and local tourism stakeholders will be spearheading an international underwater photography workshop in Padre Burgos in December to tap into Asia-Pacific’s niche dive market.