LGUs to implement new rules on managing dive operations

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Tourism and the Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving have issued guidelines to local government units on the management of dive sites and the collection of standard diver’s fee.

The Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01, series of 2009 was signed by secretaries Ronaldo Puno of DILG, Joseph Ace Durano of DOT and the chairman of PCSSD, and Lito Atienza of DENR during the Dive Congress held in Manila early this year.

There are 48 cities and municipalities in the country covered by the said memorandum- 17 in Central Visayas, eight of which are in Cebu province, including Alegria, Cordova, Daanbantayan, Liloan, Moalboal, Oslob and Santander and Mandaue City.

The memorandum also classifies dive sites in the country from level 1 to 4 classifications.

In Cebu, Level 1 dive sites are located in Mandaue City and in the municipality of Santander while the Level 2 sites are in Daanbantayan and Hilutongan in Cordova. Level 3 sites are in Moalboal in the south and Malapascua Island in the north. The rest of the sites are yet to be classified.

Level 1 classification is generally accepted as a dive site by the diving community, and is characterized by a good live coral cover.

A site gets Level 2 classification if it is generally accepted as a dive site by the diving community, is characterized by a good live coral cover, as well as abundance of fish, and with a management authority in place.

A site is classified as a Level 3 dive site if it is generally accepted as a dive site by the diving community with existing diving-support facilities such as dive shops, gas fill stations, accommodation and dive boats, is characterized by good live coral cover, high diversity of marine life, and abundance of fish, and is declared and enforced as a marine protected area, with a management authority in place.

Meanwhile, a site gets a Level 4 classification if it is generally accepted as a dive site by the diving community with existing diving-support facilities such as dive shops, gas fill stations, accommodation, dive boats and emergency medical services, is characterized by good live coral cover, high diversity of marine life, and abundance of fish, and is declared and enforced as a marine protected area, with a management authority in place and has attained national and international recognition.

The recreational scuba diver’s fee is based on dive site classification such as P50 per day per diver for Level 1 sites; P100 per day per diver or an individual annual fee of P1,500 for Level 2 sites; and P150 per day per diver or an individual annual fee of P2,500 for Level 3 sites. The fee shall be based on national legislation and no other fees or charges shall be imposed by LGUs for Level 4 sites. — Gregg M. Rubio/JMO (THE FREEMAN)