Gov. Aris Aumentado said in an interview with the media on Aug. 2, 2022, that he is going to close the said area in Panglao town, a place that drew controversy after a post went viral showing the exorbitant food prices being peddled by food vendors there.
“Akong ipasarado ang Virgin Island, dili nako motugot nga himoon pa ug ingon anaon. Unless, ma cleared na tanan. Tungod naa diha ang grabeng abuso,” the governor quipped during the media interview.
As this developed, one of the officers of the Capitol’s media group, Ric Obedencio, issued a clarification in relation to the local chief executive’s pronouncements.
Obedencio said that the governor’s statement meant that he (the governor), would stop all trips to the Virgin Island area.
The media officer clarified that the governor’s plan to stop all trips to the sandbar is only a “recommendation”.
“Gipasabot sa gobernador nga ang iyang pagsulti nga ipahunong ang mga biyahe sa mga bangka didto sa isla usa lang ka rekomendasyon ngadto sa Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ug sa ubang ahensyang hingtungdan,” Obedencio said in his post on social media.
He continued: “Kon ipahunong man ugaling ang mga biyahe, dili ang tanang biyahe ngadto sa mga isla, kon dili kadto ra ang padulong sa Virgin island lang, ang gobernador nagkanayon.”
“Matud ni Aumentado sa interview ganinang hapon nga kon ihunong man ugaling ang pagpamaligya, sa maong isla lang kini angay buhaton,” Obedencio added.
The reaction of the governor comes at the heels of the viral post where tourists spend P26,000 for food in their visit to Virgin Island.