Whale Watching Worldwide

Philippines
Year Number of
whale
watchers
AAGR Number of
operators
Direct
expenditure
Indirect
expenditure
Total
expenditure
1991 Minimal N/A N/A Minimal Minimal Minimal
1994 Minimal N/A N/A Minimal Minimal Minimal
1998 12,000 N/A N/A $121,000 $806,000 $927,000
2008 17,000 3.5% ~60 $540,540 $1,022,400 $1,562,940
Capital City: Manila
Whale Watch Locations:
01: Pamilacan Island
02: Bais
03: Puerto Princessa
04: Malampaya Sound
Whale and dolphin watching tourism in the Philippines has grown
over the last ten years, particularly in the Central Visayas, around
Pamilacan, an island south of Bohol. Other popular areas are Bais
on Negros Oriental and Puerto Princessa on Palawan. Local
government and NGO initiatives have been important in
establishing cetacean tourism as successful enterprises in all these areas bolstered by Philippine Department
of Tourism and New Zealand Aid assistance.
Pamilacan Island now boasts up to 60 whale and dolphin watch operators. The area around the island
(Panglao and Baclayon towns) south of Bohol receives roughly 15,000 passengers per year. A range of
tourists, from package tours to backpackers, are attracted to the area due to Bohol’s cultural and eco‐
tourism feautres, such as the Chocolate Hills, Tarsier monkeys and dive sites. Most whale watch operators
are fishermen who have converted their boats to work informally, offering trips to tourists on the beach,
using small, open boats that take from four to 20 passengers. Cetaceans are present in the waters year‐
round, with peak season being from December to May (this coincides with peak tourism numbers and
calmer waters). Main cetaceans sighted are spinner, bottlenose, Risso’s, Fraser’s and pantropical spotted
dolphins as well as melon‐headed and short‐finned pilot whales. Occasionally Bryde’s and sperm whales are
also seen, sometimes bringing calves.
The Pamilacan Island Dolphin and Whale Watching Organisation (PIDWWO) is the only local community‐
managed operator that works like a cooperative, with 40 staff on rotation. The business places an emphasis
on protecting the cetaceans and follows strict, self‐imposed guidelines to ensure the sustainability of the
business. In 2006 the PIDWWO won a Tourism for Tomorrow award from the World Travel & Tourism
Council.
Concerns have been raised about operators on other islands in the area offering day tours using poorly
equipped fishing boats. They have minimal safety standards for passengers and cetaceans, but are attractive
to tourists as they cost considerably less.
Pamilacan has a history of whale hunting over several hundred years and the crews of today’s whale
watching boats were formerly whale and dolphin hunters. The island’s name is derived from the local term
‘Pamilacan’ which is a large hook that was used to harpoon whales and other large marine species, such as
whale sharks and manta rays. Hunting of large marine life continued at a subsistence level until the mid‐ to
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