Strong typhoons have not only affected the lives of Filipinos but coral reefs have been also immensely affected by weather disturbances.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF-Philippines), storm surges like the ones seen in Tacloban and Manila Bay can pull debris like logs and rocks out to sea smashing the seabed and coral reefs.
The destruction of coral reefs is a major concern, the WWF said because Filipinos must look to the sea for food and coral reefs form one of the most critical hubs of oceanic productivity.
Healthy reefs annually produce 30 to 40 metric tons of seafood per square kilometer.
However, only 1 percent of the country’s reefs remain in excellent condition, the result of 60 years of overfishing, pollution and climate change effects like super typhoons, WWF pointed out.
Citing the Apo Reef in Occidental Mindoro, it became a no-take zone in 2007, curbing illegal fishing activity.
Fish biomass breached 76 tons per square kilometer. Even after full protection though, Apo Reef suffered extensive damage from super typhoon Caloy in 2006.
It is the largest reef park in Asia and the second largest and covers 34 square kilometers and hosts almost 200 coral species.
“It looked exactly like a freshly-deforested jungle,” recalled WWF-Philippines Mindoro project manager John Manul after the typhoon.
“Giant table corals were uprooted. Broken coral branches were everywhere. Even the distinctive haze that envelopes burnt-out forests was replicated, because even after a week, the water was milky from stirred up sand,” he added.
Estimates reveal that 10 percent of the world’s coral reefs are heavily degraded, while about 30 percent are critical and may die in 20 years.
Through a business-as-usual scenario, as much as 60 percent of the planet’s reefs may die by 2050, WWF noted.
At present, WWF-Philippines is working with coastal communities, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local government units (LGUs) of Sablayan and Cagayancillo, and Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) to protect the country’s most important coral reefs.
Launched in 2008, Bright Skies for Every Juan enjoins CEB flyers to take an active part in minimizing the environmental impacts of air travel by making online donations to climate change adaptation projects, for both Apo Reef in Mindoro and the Tubbataha Reefs in Palawan.
“We are happy to offer our passengers an opportunity to support WWF-Philippines’ climate adaptation programs for Apo and Tubbataha. With everyone’s help, we can preserve these valuable resources and be part of the solution to climate change,” said CEB President and CEO Lance Gokongwei.
Bright Skies for Every Juan is considered a model in the country’s aviation industry for effective platforms to support climate change adaptation. Since 2008, CEB passengers have donated over P25 million to WWF climate adaptation initiatives for the two reefs, funding the procurement of patrol boats, establishing monitoring stations and conducting fish plus coral surveys.
“Though reefs have seen through millions of years of storms, the combined effects of climate change, pollution and overfishing might push some over the brink,” explained WWF-Philippines Vice-chair and CEO Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan.
“However, healthy coral reefs have a way of bouncing back – provided that they are shielded from human impacts. The full range of biodiversity contributes to overall reef resilience. By curtailing illegal fishing and poaching, we shall maximize their chances of recovery,” he said.
Palawan’s Tubbataha Reefs, damaged by two ship groundings in January and April 2013, are slowly recovering due to the presence of herbivorous fish like surgeonfish, locally called labahita.
“Their constant grazing keeps algae from taking over the freshly-exposed rock,” noted Filipino coral scientist Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan.
“It is because of them that coral larvae will be allowed to resettle on damaged reefs,” he added.
