Years ago, Panglao was a sleepy fishing town until an enterprising fellow, Jacques (Jack) Trottin - hope we spelled his name right – established a dive shop and invited Europeans to explore the seas around his resort. From then on Panglao tourism industry prospered. Almost all the shorelines are occupied. New investors came but is seems there is no space for them. In 2009 Kag Vincezencio Arcamo of the Panglao Sangguniang Bayan passed a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement for a feasibility study of creating a man made island calling it reclamation to expand tourism business opportunities. On the other hand, Gov Erico Aumentado on the recommendation of Oasis Island Management and Development Corporation applied for creating another manmade island or reclamation in Panglao Bay.
The 2010 elections came and went. A new set of officials were installed in the Panglao Sanmgguniang Bayan and the provincial government. Andrea Domingo, Chair of the Philippine Reclamation Authority sent a letter to Bohol governor asking for the status of the Panglao reclamation project. This caused varied reactions. The present governor Edgar Chatto professed no knowledge of the project. This was referred to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. The SP then recommended that a resolution holding the project in abeyance be passed. The new Panglao Sangguniang Bayan passed resolution No140 holding all activities on the reclamation abeyance. The reason is that the said project would endanger a unique species of marine life found only in Panglao.
There was once a foreign marine research organization which requested permission to catalogue marine life in the Bohol triangle. This was denied on the instigation of some Bohol NGOs. There must have been another survey after this but this did not make news if there was. If seems as if the new set of officials would not like an expansion of Panglao tourist industry. To do business in the Philippines is hard even if one is a citizen of the country. One set of officials would issue the permit. This will be revoked by the succeeding regime. The Good Book says “it is God who giveth and it is also God who taketh away”. Or words to that effect. This I also emulat5ed by the small gods. During the last barangay elections those who were against reclamation lost. So the report said. If this will snowball, this may become inconvenient.
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