BEN UNIDO VIRGIN MARY SANCTUARY

In September 2010, the local government of

Ben Unido, a small town in the northern part of Bohol, decided to set a statue of the Virgin Mary off the Danajon Bank. The purpose was to discourage local fishermen from using illegal fishing methods such as dynamite and cyanide, which have been destroying the reef for many years.

The statue of the

Virgin, which is just over four metres tall, was lowered to a depth of 27 metres with the help of local divers and fishermen. It serves as a reminder to all that the sea and its resources should be respected and not abused. A month later, a second statue, Sto Nino, the Holy Child Jesus, was set nearby to rest in shallower water. The message was apparently well understood, as the fishing abuses stopped immediately and more sustainable fishing methods are now practised in the vicinity of both statues.

Conditions:

For Advanced divers. Surface marker is often missing so local knowledge is a must.