Gigantic tourism leap rattles Gigantes Island

GIGANTES Island draws more tourists than it can handle. NESTOR P. BURGOS JR./ INQUIRER VISAYAS

ILOILO CITY—Gigantes Islands’ white sand beach and coves, crystal clear waters and rock formations have been luring visitors in increasing numbers in recent months, raising serious concern among authorities about untrammeled tourism in the islands in Carles town, Iloilo province.

Gilbert Marin, provincial tourism officer, said tourists would have to wait until September to visit Tangke, a popular saltwater lagoon in Gigantes Sur, which is undergoing rehabilitation and cleanup.

The number of visitors will also be limited to 100 a day, he said. The municipality of Carles is requiring boat operators to acquire passes to help ensure that the number of people they bring in is within the limit.

Arrivals started to dramatically pick up in the last quarter of 2014. From 10,947 in 2013, the figure rose to 11,356 in 2014 and more than doubled to 24,977 last year.

As of June, tourist arrivals had reached 13,555, according to the provincial tourism office.

Gigantes Islands in northern Iloilo derived its name from folk belief that nine-feet-tall inhabitants once roamed the islands. These were among the areas severely damaged by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) on Nov. 8, 2013.