Gov't calls on more action to save threatened Coral Triangle

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government is seeking more action to save the reefs in the region known as the Coral Triangle amid threats to its ecosystems, ranging from overfishing and pollution to impacts of climate change, a senior government official said today.

Philippine Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said that although the country had already taken important steps to protect its own reefs and marine life, more needs to be done in developing sustainable solutions for the threatened reefs in the Coral Triangle, a global hotspot of marine bio-diversity in the Asia Pacific region.

"We face a crisis on the continued degradation of our fragile ecosystems and resources that could endanger the survival and quality of life of future generations," he said.

"Investing in coastal and marine protection can certainly help ensure a better future for our children and a better environment for all," he added.

The Philippines, being at the apex of the Coral Triangle, is a partner-nation of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF). The triangle also covers the exclusive economic zones of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.

CTI-CFF is a multilateral cooperation among the six member countries to safeguard the Coral Triangle, which is home to more than one third of the world's coral reefs, including over 600 different species of reef-building coral and 3,000 species of reef fish.