‘Graffiti’ found on corals at Kontiki Wall

CEBU, Philippines -  The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7 warned that writing on the corals is very damaging to the marine biodiversity since corals only grow an inch every 10 years.

DENR-7 issued the warning following reports from the Lapu-Lapu City Task Force Kalikasan that some of the corals at the Kontiki Wall in Barangay Maribago were found to have writings.

Andy Berame, coordinator of Task Force Kalikasan, said they were surprised to see the writings on the corals because these are supposed to be off-limits to divers.

“Di pa siya alarming kay di man gyud hinoon ing-ana kadaghan ang suwat-suwat. Pero, kinahanglan nga di na ni siya modaghan,” Berame said.

DENR-7 information officer Eddie Llamedo said that resort owners with underwater activities, diving schools, and diving professionals need to be reoriented on the benefits of the corals as well as the disadvantage if these are not protected.

Berame said he will recommend to the city government to require diving schools and diving professional to educate their diving students not to touch anything at the bottom of the sea.

“We are suspecting nga ang nag-dive gyud ani ang naghimo aning suwat-suwat. Ang atoang effort is marine conservation not marine destruction,” Berame added.

Six resorts and water park owners in Lapu-Lapu City signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DENR-7 last year supporting a public awareness campaign and conservation measures for the coral triangle initiatives.

Isabelo Montejo, DENR-7 executive director, said that around 75 percent of all known coral species, 6,000 species of reef fish, 3,000 species of marine fish, and at least 27 species of marine mammals such as dolphins and whales are cuddled up in the coral reef.

Straddling six countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste covering six million square kilometers, Montejo said the coral triangle is the very cradle and the life support system of the Earth’s coral reef diversity.

Also, 51 of the world’s 70 mangrove species, and 23 of the world’s 50 species of sea grass are nourished on the said reef that provides food security and employment to more than 120 million coastal people and feed millions more, Montejo added.  (FREEMAN)