Whale Shark Oslob South Cebu, Philippines

 First week  of November year 2020, i did swam with the whale shark in Oslob as a mermaid and I was so happy i did it again and again. That is my passion and i love underwater photography. 

Before I went theree, i called our parnter resort BCD to help me arrange the booking online for my ticket, because you cannot go there without appointment and confirmed ticket. What happened? when they booked me online the system of their payment was offline, so we went directly to the entrance of where the breifing about DO's and DON'T area to present my booking reference for payment. I went to the cashier and told her that Mlluiller was off line and she said i just give my payment there as manual and they accepted it.

I sat down in the briefing area to inform myself about the mandatory, rules and regulations about safety for me and for the whale shark.

1. Mandatory is not allowed to touch the whale shark  2 to 3 meters distance away. Let the whale shark touches you but do not touch the whale shark....

2. No Splashing upon entering the swimming area

3. 30 to 45 minutes allowed to swim with the whale shark

4. No flash photography they very sensitive in the sharp light

5. seawarden will always on guard to protect the whale shark, if you commit a crime to touch the whale shark you will be in prison for 6 months or you will be charge Ph2, 500 pesos if it's minor offense.

6. Boat and life vest, mask and snorkel are all included in your entrance fee.

7. Boatman can take photos of you and video, just give them a tip.

Last 2012 I was chosen to swam with the whale shark as a freediver and a mermaid to promote Oslob whale shark encounter. I was working with marine biologists to make tagging for the whale shark and to study about their bahavior. It was awesome experienced for 7 days working with them.

Whale shark in Oslob are residents whale shark... Well, before the feeding happened the whale shark it was there already, and they keep following with the fishermen when they are doing the line fishing.

After 6 months lockdown, no feeding still the whale shark are there, never gone because they stayed.
I enterviewed the fisherman if they fed the whale shark on 5 days lock down on their town and Fred said the whale shark still there and never go away. 

Oslob was very poor town actually before 2012 because their livelihood is only line fishing, speakfishing and nothing else. Most of the fishermen family they have 4 to 8 kids on their family and they cannot afford to send their children in the school for study. In Our culture as"Filipino" Family must have many children, that is why even though they cannot afford to send their children for education they are keep birthing because of this mindset. Parents, some of them are not educated not even finished high school only elementary, so we cannot impose to their mind in our 2,000 generation the way we think and plan. I am in the middle side of the fishermen's life in favor to help the whale shark stay for the tourist attractions for the sake of their children to be send in the school.

Oslob water was very hard also, they need to go to the town to buy their water for bathing, and drinking, if its raining season they saved the water for their supply. I myself witnessed the lives of fishermen. Gadie Bacali