Lagundi Reef opened to the public

Lagundi Reef, a marine sanctuary in Talisay City that is a 10-minute boat-ride away from barangay Poblacion shores, was yesterday officially opened to the public who may want to explore or view, for a fee, its treasure trove of marine life.

Cebu first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas and Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez led guests in the ceremonial ribbon-cutting held at a floating guardhouse right in the middle of the three-hectare reef area.

Councilor Shirley Belleza, chairman of the City Council tourism and cultural affairs committee, said it took over a year of preparation to have Lagundi Reef, described by many scuba divers as “garden under the sea” available for public viewing.

Part of the opening ceremony was a 25-minute dive done by world-class divers, including Eric Roque and Tom Woodfin from Britain, among others.

Roque, a World Underwater Federation instructor, said the Lagundi Reef dive was his “very best” of all he had in the past.

Woodfin, for his part, was also impressed by the underwater scenery of coral reefs and tropical fish in Lagundi. “It was a great dive, it’s fantastic. I can recommend it to everybody,” he said.

Rudy Balbuena, of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, said the Lagundi Reef is amazing and unusually alive, considering that this area is very near the polluted Mananga River.

He recalled that the first time he dived in Lagundi over a year ago, he was surprised to see a well-preserved sanctuary from a city where even dynamite fishing abounded.

Another diver, Rev. Fr. Tito Soquiño of Sto. Niño Parish in barangay Mohon, said the city should be thankful for sparing Lagundi from being destroyed by dynamite fishing.

On July 2 last year, the City Council approved an ordinance regulating the use of the Lagundi Reef where every scuba diver or snorkeler, or swimmer within the sanctuary would pay P150 to cover the costs of the area’s protection and preservation.

Belleza said the amount is much higher than another dive spot to make the place income generating while preserving the area and regulating its number of visitors.

The ordinance also penalizes, such as a P5000 fine, those who violate the rules of the sanctuary like destroying any marine life there, she said.

Fifty percent of the total revenues from fees and penalties would go to the city, 30 percent goes to the Talisay City Swimming and Lifesaving Association, Inc. (TCSLAI), and 20 percent to barangay Poblacion government.

There is already the Task Force Lagundi, which was created to guard for 24 hours the place from any form of destruction or abuse.

The TCSLAI—a non-government group deputized by the city to protect the reef—is part of the task force along with the Fishermen Sea Ecological Care, the police, and the tanods. — Liv G. Campo/RAE