Tambobo, crown jewel in the south.

The last time I visited Tambobo Bay in Siaton, I was mesmerized by the beauty of this natural resource.
I will say without batting an eyelash that Tambobo Bay stands as one of the province’s crown jewel for tourism.
Perhaps, we will leave it to another generation of political and economic visionaries to cultivate this rich natural resource.
Tambobo Bay, in case you may not know, uniquely formed shore with natural curvatures.
The dictionary defines a bay as “a body of water forming an indentation of the shoreline, larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf”.
This definition can hardly be visualized.
Just think of Tambobo bay as a U-shaped shore.
I am encouraging everyone to visit one of our own natural resources and discover its richness, before you explore other areas within the country, and beyond.
We marvel at the natural resources of other provinces. But we fail to recognize the potentials of our own.
What is tragic about Tambobo Bay though, is that the locals aren’t the ones reaping and enjoying the benefits.
It is heavily being used as a stop-over point by foreigners on sea adventures, mostly riding in yachts.
They use Tambobo to make stop-overs to rest, re-charge, get food and water, to prepare for another rendezvous in the high seas.
And I cannot be sure if all trade activities going on there are legal.
How unfortunate.
It is up to the local governments to rise to the occasion to make sure that the benefits to be derived from Tambobo Bay should first be accorded the locals, before it is offered to outsiders.
For instance, Tambobo Bay can serve as a natural refuge or safety zone for local fishers, big and small in case they encounter rough seas due to inclement weather.
Because it is uniquely shaped, the waters in Tambobo always lay still.
But most important, Tambobo Bay is a potential tourist attraction.
Perhaps, the local governments, particularly the municipality of Siaton can regulate the activities going in Tambobo Bay, specially those by non-Filipinos.
There are legitimate issues there that need to be addressed.
First, peace and order.
Who are these foreigners staying in yachts in Tambobo Bay?
We hope they are not fugitives in their respective countries using Tambobo as perfect refuge.
We pray none of these foreigners in Tambobo are criminals, nay hibernating terrorists, using Tambobo Bay as a safe haven.
But are we sure?
Second, environment. We must not allow anybody, be they foreigners or locals to destroy the environs surrounding the bay.
Where do these international visitors throw their trash when they visit Tambobo Bay?
Third, income generation. How is our government compensated for the use of our natural resources?
Needless to say, the local government code grants authority to local government units to regulate and create sources of revenues for the use of our natural resources.
Section 18 of the local government for instance, grants local government units the power to generate income and apply natural recourses.
Section 447 of the local government code, authorizes local governments to levy fees.
They are authorized to prescribe reasonable limits and restraints on the use of property within their jurisdiction.
By the way, it is not correct for visiting foreigners to deflect local fees by claiming they are already paying fees to immigration authorities.
Local government fees are for a different purpose.
Local governments have their own powers.
We hope our local leaders will initiate a development plan for Tambobo Bay.
We have no reason to say we suffer from a lack of natural resources.
We have that crown jewel in the south.