THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon at Palawan (Mimaropa) region is planning to hold a consultation with stakeholders to ensure all views are taken into consideration on the planned construction of an underwater-themed park in Coron, Palawan.
Environmental groups stiffly oppose the proposed construction, whether on land or in the coastal and marine area in Coron, because of its potential impact on the environment.
In its official twitter account quoting DENR Mimaropa Regional Director Natividad Y. Bernardino, the agency said it still has to see pertinent papers of the resort.
Bernardino was reacting to recent reports the Coral World Park Undersea Resorts Inc. will push through with its proposed project in Palawan.
Bernardino said permits must be secured by the project proponents before any construction begins.
The tweet further said “Bernardino believes tourists flock Coron because of its natural attractions”.
DENR Mimaropa plans to hold consultations with stakeholders “to ensure all views are taken into consideration”.
Last Sunday the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), joining environmentalists’ call, asked Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu to reject the proposed underwater themed-park project.
In a statement, Pamalakaya Chairman Fernando Hicap said aside from threatening to destroy the coastal and marine environment, the project threatens the livelihood of small fishermen in the province.
The project is being pushed by the Coral World Park Undersea Resorts and the Viacom International Media Networks. The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Thursday said the project will push through to promote ecotourism in Palawan.
It was not immediately known where the proponents plan to put up the underwater theme park.
Palawan, the country’s “last ecological frontier”, boasts of a rich coastal and marine ecosystem and is home to unique, but threatened, species of flora and fauna, including marine wildlife. Palawan is also known for having rich municipal-fishing grounds.
“Environment Secretary Cimatu should prove his worth. We all know the proposed Palawan project is no protection, but will pose environmental degradation to our last ecological frontier and to its marine resources. Thus, we challenge the newly appointed DENR chief to release a public statement deploring the Palawan project and that he stands in the side of the fishermen who will be affected if the destructive project pushes through,” Hicap said.
Any project that poses potential environmental impact is required to acquire an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from the DENR by submitting the
project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
“The last thing the DENR could do to preserve our last ecological frontier is to abstain from securing this project with an ECC,” Hicap said.
Former Environment Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez had earlier declared Palawan as off-limits to destructive development projects.
“Cimatu should follow the path of Lopez: A road toward genuine protection of the environment without putting the lives of the ordinary people at stake. If this project pushes forward, we have nothing to blame, but the new DENR Chief Cimatu, who until now shows no ethos in genuine environment-protection and even continuing Lopez’s actions against giant destructive mines,” Hicap said.
The Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-Pne) said small fishermen in Coron stand to lose their fishing gounds to the proposed ecotourism project.
Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo confirmed Viacomm International Media Networks will push through in privatizing 400 hectares of onshore and foreshore areas in Coron, Palawan.
“The Krusty Krab-style of large-scale tourism development will not benefit the majority of the people and will definitely disrupt Coron’s immensely rich marine ecosystems,” Kalikasan-Pne National Coordinator Clemente Bautista said.
Krusty Krab is the burger restaurant in the cartoon series Spongebob Squarepants, a flagship series of the media giant Nickelodeon, which is pushing for the theme park.