Officials launch investigation after making disturbing discovery in ocean recreation area: 'We will punish those responsible'

Even the most resilient of nature does not stand a chance against mindless vandalism.

Following coral reef vandalism reports off the coast of the Philippines in late 2024, the Bohol provincial government recently announced yet another instance of coral reef damage off "Barangay Tangnan in Panglao, one of the town's top diving spots," Inquirer.net reported.

Officials found a portion of the coral reefs at the Napaling dive site destroyed by divers who had carelessly stepped on the corals.

The No. 1 rule when it comes to preserving coral reefs in nature is to never touch corals — including kicking, feeling, or standing on them. These ecosystems are quite fragile, made up of tiny coral polyps with exoskeletons that are easily broken by even the slightest touch. Corals are also extremely sensitive to environmental stressors, including warmer water temperatures, lower water quality, higher ocean acidity (from capturing and storing carbon), and even microplastics, which could contribute to coral stress and cause coral bleaching.

While the province's tourism activity, including scuba diving off the protected beaches of Panglao, has helped support the local economy, it has simultaneously jeopardized marine biodiversity, allowing negligent diving activity to destroy threatened coral reefs.

Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado vowed to fully enforce the country's environmental laws and hold the person responsible for the coral damage accountable.

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"We will punish those responsible for the damage to the corals in Tangnan, Panglao, because I cannot allow any of our marine treasures to deteriorate from abuse and neglect," he said, per Inquirer.net.

The Provincial Government of Bohol's Facebook page released a call to action, calling all Boholanos, tourists, and local officials to take a stand "in protecting our marine life and being responsible stewards of our waters."

"The ocean connects us all. Protecting it is our shared responsibility," the Facebook post read.

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