SEN. Raffy Tulfo yesterday called on concerned government agencies to order the closure of a beach resort in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone after an elementary school girl died of a jellyfish sting there in July 2024.
Tulfo said All Hands Beach Resort has apparently violated an order for it to cease operations following the death of Ranziel Maningding last year. The resort at the time did not follow safety standards and was unable to implement appropriate measures to respond to emergency situations.
Tulfo said he received information that the resort administration even took off the “no swimming” sign so it can continue its operations.
“Nobody conducted an inspection. No one went there to see if it is following safety regulations. It seems nobody is minding All Hands. It seems that its owners are untouchable, have close links to people in government,” Tulfo said as the Committee on Women conducted a hearing on Senate Bill No. 2971 or the Child Tourist Safety Act.
“I want it shut down kasi insulto naman po, may namatay na bata…We didn’t do so much (I want it shut down because it is an insult to all of us. A child died there… We didn’t do so much…Something has to be done; at least its operations have to be suspended),” he added.
Tulfo added that the beach resort should be closed after he learned that it is not accredited with the Department of Tourism (DOT).
“It appears that they are illegally operating,” he said.
DOT Undersecretary Maria Rica Bueno said they have referred the matter to the concerned local government unit as their agency has no authority to close down any establishment.
Bueno said the DOT regional office, which has been informed about the matter, has conducted an inspection of the beach resort.
Director Virgilio Maguigad, of the DOT’s office of tourism standards and regulations, said the department’s regional office has recommended to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the LGU the closure of All Hands Beach Resort.
Senate minority floor leader Risa Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate committee on women and children, asked the DILG to inspect the Ausan Resort in Palawan to determine if it has complied with safety standards after a young girl also died there from a jellyfish sting in October 2023.
Hontiveros was referring to the case of Sandy Garovillas, 6, who was with her parents when the incident happened.
The Garovillas couple said the resort did not have emergency medical kits, which might have saved their daughter.
Sarah Garovillas, mother of Sandy, recalled that the resort did not even have an emergency response team to immediately attend to emergency situations, considering that the nearest hospital is about four hours away by land.
In a letter read by Sarah Garovillas before the committee, Jahaziel Maningding, mother of Ranziel, said All Hands Beach Resort in Subic had no warning signs of jellyfish threat and was surprised to see their daughter with many jellyfish stuck to her body while swimming.
She said Ranziel was not immediately taken to the hospital since the resort had no available vehicle. A resort guest volunteered to take Ranziel to the hospital, but she was declared dead on arrival.
Hontiveros said Senate Bill No. 2971, which she authored, seeks to prevent, mitigate, and respond to risks affecting children and other visitors to Philippine tourist destinations by making sure that these have access to adequate medical and emergency services, as well as life-saving equipment, medicines, and facilities.
