PB member Ouano airs concern over coral reefs

CEBU, Philippines - A provincial board member is drafting a proposal that would seek to regulate tourism activities that could harm coral reefs vis-a-vis the recent incident in Lapu-Lapu City where an underwater tourist sea craft allegedly damaged coral reefs.

Provincial board member Thadeu Ouano of the 6th district said he is currently drafting the resolution to be submitted to the provincial board for discussion.

Ouano said if the “yellow submarine” did destroy the corals and marine habitat, its operation should be stopped.

But Ouano said the tourism sea craft also bears educational purposes.

With this, the PB members said guidelines and parameters should be set for the operations of the submarine considering that other municipalities and towns may also follow the idea of having a submarine to boost tourism.

The Cebu Yellow Submarine Undersea Tour Corp., operator of the Yellow Submarine, have denied that its vessel hit the corals saying that the impact shown in a video shot by a diver was just a cloud of dust caused by the submarine’s propellers.

The incident is still being investigated.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza has ordered the submarine operations stopped for the meantime.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources as well as the Philippine Coastguard have sent divers to investigate the extent of the damage, if there is, caused by the submarine.

DENR had earlier said though that its office has not issued any permit which would allow the submarine to operate.

Ouano said the concern is not only on the crushing of the corals but also of the disturbance of the ocean floor sediments by its propellers which he said smothers the corals.

Ouano said the proposal, may not be included yet in the coming session but he said he will submit it immediately once he is done with it.  (FREEMAN)