Chinese tourists had booked Apo Island hotels and dive sites for the whole month of February. But the clampdown on tourist arrivals starting Saturday due to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus has suddenly turned the islanders’ fortunes for the worse.
“No Chinese tourists arrived starting today and the people have no income,” said former barangay captain Liberty Rhodes, who also runs a hotel and dive shop in the island.
Rhodes said the islanders were looking forward to celebrating their island’s fiesta in April but this condition is dampening everyone’s spirits.
The decision to close the island to Chinese tourists was made after the Philippines’ first patient found to be positive for the coronavirus probably visited Apo Island when she stayed in a nearby resort in the town of Dauin from Jan 23 to 24.
Apo Island barangay captain Mario Pascobello supported the move, saying, “If it were up to me, I would not allow tourists from China to visit Apo this time when we are under threat of the coronavirus because I have to put the health interests of the islanders first and foremost.”
Apo Island is a barangay off the coast of Dauin. The closest jump off point, barangay Malatapay in the town of Zamboanguita, is about 25 kms. south of Dumaguete.
Apo Island is Negros Oriental’s top tourist drawer due to its diverse underwater life and giant marine turtles. It has been ranked as one of top dive spots in the world.
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Mila Elnar, chief dispatcher of the Apo-Malatapay Pumpboat Operators, also said they have not encountered any passenger by the name of the Chinese national, although they continue to have a number of Chinese nationals who take their boats from Malatapay in Zamboanguita to cross the channel to go to Apo Island.
Some resorts in Negros Oriental, or those in Cebu, Bohol, and northern Mindanao, also have their respective boats that ferry foreign tourists directly to Apo Island.
Brgy. Capt. Pascobello said he was monitoring the coast of Apo Friday, and noted the arrival of only two boats of tourists.
Last Saturday a group of 14 Chinese tourists were able to enter the island for a day trip, Pascobello said.
On a good day, about 10 boats, all loaded with Chibese tourists, visit the island to go scuba diving, snorklig or to swim with the marine turtles.
That number does not include local tourists and those from other countries.
Rhodes said the loss of income from tourism would force the islanders to go back to fishing.
“What worries me is that our marine resources have already been depleted. I was happy that the tourism income eased the pressure on our marine resources,” she said.
She said although she is wary of nationals coming from where the virus originated, the locals in Apo are not threatened (“walay pakialam”) by the corona virus. “Ang Lord na bahala sa amin. Alam Niya gaano naming kamahal ang Isla,” she said in response to a user’s suggestion for an awareness campaign for their own safety. (Irma Faith Pal)
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