Last March, to the delight of scuba divers, the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) opened up to visitors for the first time in two years. It was indeed cause for celebration; although the whale sharks didn’t come around to say hello to us on our trip last June (they did for other groups), we on board the dive boat Discovery Palawan were still blessed with the presence of an abundance of sharks, big fish, dozens of delightful bumphead wrasses, and a highlight of the trip, an encounter with graceful mantas, one of which passed and paused right in front of our ecstatic group.

Honasan, A. B. (2022, August 14). How Tubbataha’s park rangers didn’t miss a beat during COVID. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. C2.