EXCLUSIVE: Bohol LGU pushes fair pricing after ₱1,650 pompano scandal

radar picked up the viral meal complaint in Panglao, sparking a wider debate over Bohol tourism.

The Bohol provincial government says it wants tourism to deliver more than visitor numbers, calling for fair prices, better service, and more opportunities for local communities following the viral ₱1,650 pompano controversy in Panglao.

“Our responsibility is not merely to attract more tourists to Bohol, but to ensure that tourism becomes a source of opportunities, jobs, and livelihoods for the people of Bohol,” the provincial government said in a statement exclusively sent to radar on Saturday, Sept. 19.

The statement was written in Binol-anon and translated into English using Google Translate.

The provincial government said it does not want Bohol “to be known solely for a viral story,” but acknowledged that it should not “ignore complaints that help us identify areas where we need to improve.”

“Our direction is clear: quality tourism, fair pricing, excellent service, and sustainable development,” it said. “We want the benefits to extend beyond large tourism establishments. Tourism revenue and opportunities must reach our local businesses, farmers, fisherfolk, drivers, guides, artisans, and the families within our communities.”

The provincial government also acknowledged that it cannot achieve this alone.

“We need unity across the tourism industry—involving LGUs, agencies like DOT-7 and DTI, and every single Bol-anon,” it said.

It called on tourism operators and businesses to “safeguard the trust of tourists” by offering fair prices, excellent service, and an experience “that reflects the hospitality of the Bol-anons.”

The statement comes days after radar first reported on a Boholana’s viral Threads post about being charged ₱1,650 for a single pompano at a hotel or resort in Panglao. The post sparked a wider debate over the cost of food, accommodation, transportation, and tours in Bohol.

As the issue spread, Boholano architect and digital creator Dodong Arambala pushed back against the idea that one expensive meal could define the province, cautioning against linking the viral complaint to Bohol’s tourism decline without considering other factors.

Bohol recorded a 59.3% year-on-year decline in tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2026, from 417,142 visitors to 170,016. The figures do not establish that high prices caused the decline, with transportation costs and weakness in key markets also cited as factors.

For the provincial government, the larger goal is to ensure that tourism growth reaches more people across Bohol: “True success lies in ensuring that as the number of visitors to Bohol grows, so too does the number of Bol-anons who benefit from it.”