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| The underwater corals of the coastal village of Anilao in Mabini, Batangas (Image Source: PhilStar.com/Department Of Tourism) |
The coastal village of Anilao in the municipality of Mabini, Batangas is widely considered and highly regarded as the birthplace of scuba diving in the Philippines. Lying within the so-called Coral Triangle, it has the most diverse concentration of the world's marine biodiversity, with over 48 dive sites all over Balayan Bay. With a plethora of underwater terrestrial wonders and a wide array of recreational activities, Mabini becomes a "Waterworks wonderland" and is also the diving haven of the archipelago. In 2020, the virtual paradise was hit with a huge bevy of whammy - the Taal Volcano eruption, the COVID-19 pandemic, and two powerful typhoons that destroyed hundreds of houses and fishing and dive boats sending the diving industry towards an uncertain depth, displacing workers dependent on tourism in the process.
Fortunately, the Batangueño's trademark "barako" character literally pushed the citizens of Mabini to weather the storms and challenges around them and begin getting back on their feet. Hope would eventually be flickered when the national government allowed the resumption of the local diving industry in mid-October under strict and stringent health and safety protocols. On December 9, 2020, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat visited the town and vowed to support the continuing development of dive tourism there by lowering antigen test requirements and waiving accreditation fees for dive establishments. Moreover, outside help from private individuals and corporations has also been coming in during the quarantine and post-typhoon periods. Among those which gave sustained assistance to the local folks is Metro Pacific Investment Foundation (MPIF), the corporate social responsibility arm of MVP Group Of Companies.
To liven up the holiday spirit in the scuba diving capital of the Philippines, MPIF distributed Noche Buena gift bags with One Meralco Foundation and Alagang Kapatid Foundation under the conglomerate's "Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko" campaign to affected boatmen and tourism-affected workers. More than a decade ago, Metro Pacific established its foothold in the area when it founded the Shore It Up marine biodiversity conservation program which its components include coral restoration, laying of mooring buoys, underwater and coastal cleanup, community empowerment, environmental education for school children and other key interventions. Metro Pacific has also pledged sizeable seed funding for a cooperative soon to be organized by the community in order to assist the townsfolks on their road to recovery.
As of December 5, 2020, DOT Region IV-A (CALABARZON) has issued 51 Provisional Certificates of Authority to Operate (PCAO) to dive establishments in Mabini, Batangas; 28 of which are accredited by the Philippine Commission On Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD). At present, only dive activities are allowed in Batangas province which remains under general community quarantine (GCQ) where leisure travel is strictly prohibited due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
