Lions Club to set up sea sanctuary in Hundred Islands

ALAMINOS CITY ,Philippines  – Remember that imposing lion’s head along Kennon Road going up to Baguio City courtesy of the Lions Club?

Soon, one of the islands in the famous Hundred Islands here would be developed to become a sea sanctuary bearing a Lions’ marker, without defacing the natural integrity of the island.

That’s through a project expected to be realized with a visit today to Lions Island, one of the 123 islands of the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) that Lions Club International-District 301 has adopted.

The visiting group, led by District Gov. Westly Rosario, as the project proponent, will be joined by District Gov. Young-Sik Kim of Lions Club International District 356-D of Cheongju City, Chungbuk, Korea, and other Lions officials. Young-Sik is reportedly keen on helping carry out the project.

The project will enable the Lions to take part in environmental protection and increased marine biodiversity through direct intervention, like propagation, nurture and protection of marine resources, and extensive promotion of environmental awareness in the HINP.

The project’s research and development aspect will be carried out together with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center (BFAR-NIFTDC) in Dagupan City, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Alaminos City government based on a memorandum of agreement they earlier had signed.

Two Lions clubs – the Hundred Islands Lions Club of which City Mayor Hernani Braganza is a member, and the Pangasinan Coast Lions Club – BFAR-NIFTDC and the city government will conduct a comprehensive physical, chemical and biological profiling of the project area to provide benchmark health status of Lions Island and the sea sanctuary.

Rosario said the biological profiling of the Lions Island periphery is important to identify the different marine organisms that exist in the national park.

The study will include various species of fish, shellfish, marine plants, corals and other living things that are important for a balanced marine ecosystem.

Depending on the results of the biological profiling, Rosario said additional stocks of marine organisms identified in the locality will be dispersed in the Hundred Islands such as sea cucumbers, sea urchins, various species of giant clams, Trochus spp (top shell), and various species of corals. 

Only those species endemic in Lingayen Gulf will be used in the re-stocking to maintain the genetic integrity of the different organisms.

“The Lions Island will be a tourist attraction and a monument of Lionism. It will create extensive awareness on the objectives of Lions Clubs International, not only in the Philippines but all over the world,” Rosario said.

Part of the plan is to install a Lions signage at the center of the island that will be visible even at one-kilometer distance. It will be equipped with a solar panel that will supply electricity to illuminate it.