Manila Ocean Park supports Expedition: Danajon Bank project

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Ocean Park makes a serious commitment to environmental conservation through “I LOVE MY OCEAN PLANET,” a campaign that encourages volunteerism among the management, staff and private individuals, through public education and community mobilization activities.

The program is also designed to increase public awareness on issues, such as:  coastal resource management, coral triangle initiatives, biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable development. “I Love My Ocean Planet” upholds the values of responsible stewardship not only of our marine resources but also other living organisms that are dependent on the wellness of the ocean.

As in any ecosystem, everything is interconnected. Man is part of this interconnectedness, and how we use these resources will ultimately determine its survival.

Manila Ocean Park's CSR efforts are geared toward addressing this issue through educational programs and projects that are made available to the public. MOP becomes an active partner of the government, schools, and communities in the said initiative.

This year, the Manila Ocean Park is working with the Project Seahorse Foundation to promote the conservation of the Danajon Bank, the only double barrier reef in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia located off the north coast of Bohol Island.

This unique reef formation was believed to have formed 6,000 years ago and one of the three double barrier reefs in Indo-Pacific Region and among of the six documented in the world.  The stretch of the outer reef (Caubayan) is about 132.3 km and the inner reef (Calituban) is about 249.2 km.  Overall, the two reefs covered the area of about 272 km2, supporting diverse species of reef fishes and marine invertebrates. It is protected under the jurisdiction of the 4 provinces -  Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, and Southern Leyte. Unfortunately, this complex ecosystem faces many threats such as overfishing, destructive fishing practices like dynamite fishing, coastal development, and climate change.

Expedition: Danajon Bank is a collaborative effort of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) – a group world’s top nature photographers and the marine scientists of Project Seahorse Foundation and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).  This project is an international photo exhibition, book, and advocacy campaign to protect a rare and threatened double-barrier coral reef in the Philippines and educate the world about marine conservation.  It aims to capture Danajon Bank in all its fragile beauty and share the images with the world to raise awareness about the threats facing this important ecosystem and many thousands of fragile marine ecosystems around the world.

The images captured during the underwater photo expedition will be displayed as an international photographic exhibition at aquariums and public spaces around the world such as the ZSL London Zoo in UK, Hongkong Ocean Park, and John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, USA.  As the images travel around the world, each carries an ultimate conservation message to millions of people who viewed it and raise awareness on how they could get involved.

The Manila Ocean Park, being the first marine themed park in the Philippines was chosen to be a venue for the photo exhibition which will be launched on June 2013 as part of the World Oceans Day celebration.  Through this photo exhibition, Manila Ocean Park will educate hundreds to thousands of Filipinos about the existence of Danajon Bank, its importance and the urgency to protect and conserve this unique and threatened ecosystem.  

MOP will support the future protection of the Danajon Bank though its advocacy and educational campaigns. Manila Ocean Park is fully aware of its obligation to reach a broad public and impart necessary information that is relevant to today’s current environmental issues.