The Philippines’ famous dive spots in Batangas province are reopening to tourists.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) shared the good news in a Facebook announcement on October 14, 2020, as it called on ocean-lovers to explore the beauty of the premier diving destinations in the country.
“The DOT calls on divers to dust off their masks, fins, snorkels, regulators, and other gears as popular dive sites in Batangas prepare to welcome tourists,” DOT wrote.
Batangas City, a declared GCQ area where “staycation” is allowed, offers some of the best dive sites such as Balayan Bay, Cathedral Rock, Beatrice Rock, Twin Rocks, and Mainit Muck – located just South of Manila.
DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat signed the Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD) Administrative Order No. 2020-001 released to the public on October 13, which states that diving activities are now permitted while following these guidelines:
Guests/Divers
- Must bring their own set of scuba gear and equipment box
- Divers are reminded of the liberal use of hand disinfectants and hand washing throughout the day
- Practice physical distancing
- Wearing of protective face masks when not on an actual dive
- Guests are required to present negative in a test before travel not earlier than 48-hours prior to arrival
Dive establishments
- Provide a defog solution consisting of soap or shampoo for guests to use on their dive masks.
- Spitting on the mask or the use of saliva as a defogger is prohibited
- Reservation and booking are all pre-booked through digital means
- Cashless modes of payment are encouraged
- Health declaration and contact tracing forms are completed
Dive boats
- Boat crew and passengers must wear face masks and observe physical distancing
- Dive boats must also be disinfected before and after use
“We express our support to the diving community in Batangas, one of the premier diving destinations in the country. We remain optimistic yet cautious of its reopening to recreational diving. We remind everyone to Test Before Travel and likewise reiterate that only those with a valid DOT and/or PCSSD Accreditation will be permitted to operate. While guests of all ages from GCQ and MGCQ areas are welcome, the activity is off-limits to those with comorbidities and currently pregnant,” Puyat announced.
The Philippines was voted the Best Diving Area at the Marine Diving Fair held in Ikebukuro, Japan. Palawan’s Tubbataha and Cebu’s Moalboal were named in Lonely Planet’s most “spectacular dive spots” and the country scored nominations including the World’s Leading Dive Destination at the 27th World Travel Awards.
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to Batangas province for re-opening its famous dive spots to tourists.
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