Last week, French couple Claude and Nadine Spring felt like they owned a piece of paradise on Panglao Island in Bohol province as they sunbathed on the white sand beach and swam in clear blue waters all by themselves. The Springs were the only guests at Barangay Bolod in Panglao even if the province had already allowed the resumption of all tourism businesses on June 21. The directive, however, covered only local tourists and stranded foreigners like the Springs who could not go home to France because of travel restrictions and lack of commercial flights due to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Udtohan, L. (2020, August 1). Bohol beaches empty a month after welcoming local tourists. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A10.