Environment conservation groups oppose Palawan underwater project

An online campaign opposing the proposed underwater project that in Palawan was created on Tuesday called #CoronIsNotBikiniBottom.

The hasftag refers to the home of TV cartoon character Sponge Bob, one of the characters featured on Nickelodeon.

In the campaign, which is addressed to the local government of Palawan, Nickelodeon (Viacom International Media Networks), and Coral World Park Undersea Resorts Inc., the complainants are asking the companies to "junk their plan to build a 400-hectare underwater theme park in Coron, Palawan."

The campaign is led by Save the Philippine Seas Executive Director and Co-Founder Anna Oposa and posted on her Facebook account and on Bataris website. Oposa is the daughter of renowned environment lawyer Tony Oposa.

The firm said the park on Palawan island would be part of a 400-hectare undersea development showcasing the area's marine life that would give fans a chance to "interact with the brand and the iconic characters they love."

Palawan was chosen for the development because it "is known to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world today," Ron Johnson, an executive vice president with Viacom International Media Networks, which owns Nickelodeon, said in a statement emailed to AFP on Tuesday.

"Dear Nickelodeon," Oposa wrote, "I grew up watching your shows. I also grew up swimming, snorkeling, and diving in the Philippines' rich seas."

"Yesterday, you announced the plan to build an underwater theme park in Coron, Palawan, which will cover 400 hectares. Contrary to your statement that it would "advocate ocean protection," it will accomplish the opposite. By building artificial structures, you will undeniably damage and disrupt Palawan's marine ecosystems -- our last frontier," she said.

Oposa said the network is setting a precedent that does not benefits its target audience, children.

"For a channel that targets children, you are setting a terrible example to the younger generation by taking away their right to enjoy our natural resources. We don't need an underwater theme park -- our underwater life is fascinating, entertaining, and educational on its own. Spongebob would agree," she added.

In a separate statement, the Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, Inc. said: "This marine attraction will have potential effects on the coastal and marine biodiversity in and around the proposed site."

"The project may also alter the water movement around the area which may have significant impacts on the behavior of some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems. This project by Nickelodeon and Coral World Park Undersea Resorts will affect how corals settle and build a reef thereby threatening tens of thousands of marine species sheltered by corals. Needless to say, the project will affect corals and other biodiversity which rely heavily on their tactile and aural sensory to navigate and settle on reefs," the group also said.

Haribon noted that the coastal habitats are feeding and nursery grounds for 1,881 coral reef-associated fishes, that the crypto-biodiversity that live in the nooks and crannies such as crabs, shrimps, worms, colorful nudibranches, other molluscs, sponges, bryzoans are estimated at about 6,800 species.

">The Philippines has 29 of the 50 Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) Coral Reef species, including the elegance coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei), considered Vulnerable by Philippine coral scientists and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species., 

As of posting, the online campaign has gained 162, 151 of 200,000 target signatures.

Environment Secretary Gina Lopez, through the official DENR Twitter account, has said she does not approve of the underwater theme park.

Viacom's Philippine partner, Coral World Park, issued a statement on Wednesday insisting the development was not a "theme park" and emphasized that it would not all be underwater.

The statement also highlighted the project's "ocean conservation focus" and said it would help fund environmental protection in the area.

It referred to plans for a marine sanctuary and said the Coral World Park would "be the largest coral reef conservation program in Asia".

"There has never been any form of communication from our side mentioning a theme park," said Coral World Park marketing and communications director Susan Lee.  — BAP, GMA News with Agence France-Presse