Coral reef rehab project approved

The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) central office has allocated P5 million for a coral reef restoration project in Southern Leyte.The project aims to preserve the marine ecosystem here and boost ecotourism.

According to Edgardo M. Esperancilla, the DOST regional director for Eastern Visayas  the project involves the rehabilitation of a one-hectare coral reef in Padre Burgos town, one of the region’s popular dive sites.

“Legwork has already started but the launching schedule is yet to be determined,” he said.

A trainers’ training and stakeholders’ meeting has already been conducted by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) together with Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) and dive resort owners in the province.

The DOST regional office will provide the technical assistance, trainings and management of the project..

Esperancilla said coral reefs in Southern Leyte have been damaged by human activities such as household waste and sewage, and industrial and agricultural chemicals from land that are dumped into the sea.

“Illegal fishing methods such as blast and dynamite fishing also contribute a lot to coral reef destruction,” he added.

Coral Cay Conservation (CCC), an international marine conservation organization, said Southern Leyte is home to some of the most spectacular coral reefs in the world, often forming walls of color or small patches on sandy slopes waiting to be explored.

The provincial government  has also considers its coral reefs particularly in the Sogod Bay area as one of its five tourism hubs that could be developed by the government and  private sectors.(By: ANGELYN BOOK)

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