(UPDATE) US pays Philippines $2 M for Tubbataha Reef ship grounding

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The United States has paid compensation to the Philippine government for the damage incurred on Tubbataha Reef in the middle of Sulu Sea by its Navy ship that ran aground two years ago, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.

Manila received from Washington on Jan. 20 the full requested amount of P87,033,570.71 ($1.97 million) as compensation for the damage caused to the marine sanctuary by the grounding of the USS Guardian, the DFA said.  

"The compensation will be utilized for the protection and rehabilitation of Tubbataha Reef Natural Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Portions of the fund will also be used to further enhance capability to monitor the area and prevent similar incidents in the future," it said.

Aside from the compensation, the DFA said that the US government is also providing additional assistance to the Philippine Coast Guard to upgrade the PCG Substation in Tubbataha.

The USS Guardian, a minesweeper, was stuck into Tubbataha Reef in January 2013 and was removed from the area after about three months.