Sub operator losing millions in income

CEBU, Philippines - The management of Cebu Yellow Submarine claims to have already loss millions of pesos in income since the Lapu-Lapu City government issued a suspension order against its operation last month.

Cebu Yellow Submarine general manager Kim Jun said the company is losing at least P252,000 a day since April 25. The tour submarine has a capacity of 42 passenger at P1,200 per head. It is capable of having a minimum of five trips daily.

Kim is praying for local government to already lift the suspension order and allow them to resume their operation because several tourists are coming to Cebu just to experience the attraction.

Lapu-Lapu City Attorney Yuri Binluan said they are still on the process of evaluating the findings and recommendations of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on the damage that the submarine had caused to the coral reef in Barangay Maribago.

Binluan said after evaluation they will look into the penalties to be imposed before lifting the suspension.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza earlier said that she is not for the total stoppage of the yellow submarine operation because it adds more attractions to tourists in the city. However, Radaza said it must be regulated to avoid damage to coral reefs.

DENR marine biologists found more damages of the corals underwater at Kontiki wall in Barangay Maribago.

Meanwhile, local government units in Central Visayas are urged to allocate a reasonable budget to fund the implementation of various coastal resources management programs particularly on the enforcement and regular patrol for the continued protection and conservation of coral reefs.

DENR-7 made the call in consonance with the country’s observance of the Ocean Month. This year’s observance has a theme “Ang Bahura ay Kagubatan sa Karagatan, Ating Pangalagaan!” (The Coral Reefs are the Forests of the Seas, Let Us Protect Them).

DENR-7 executive director Isabelo R. Montejo said that some methods like trawling, blast fishing, drive-in nets, and cyanide fishing are threats or pressures on the coral reef ecology as it somehow affects its physical or biological structure.

Montejo added dredging, removing or coral mining is equally destructive activity as it poses a great risk on food security as coral reefs contribute about 10 to 30 percent of the country’s fish catch.

Similarly, Montejo said pollution and the rapid growth of population which is dependent mostly on reef resources for livelihood are some of the reasons why these resources are affected.

Coral reefs cover an estimated 27,000 square kilometers of seabed in the Philippines, which together with Indonesia harbors 77 percent of Southeast Asia’s reef.—— (FREEMAN)