Cooperative defends glitches over P50M environmental restoration project

The Sangkalikasan Producers Cooperative has defended its P50 million underwater environmental restoration project in this resort island.

This developed after the Municipal Agriculture Office reported to the local council describing the SPC project like a 'cemetery' zone.

Malay Councilor Dante Pagsuguiron, chairman on the committee on environment, said he recommended to the MAO to submit a copy of the report to the Office of Senator Loren Legarda for her comment. Legarda provided the funding for the SPC project.

"We do not consider ourselves environmental scientists to comment on this project. So we wanted Sen. Legarda to send team of experts to determine if the project has been effective," Pagsuguiron said.

The SPC has undertaken the project by planting coral reef technology to restore the damaged coral reefs in this resort island. Among the causes of damaged coral reefs were human intervention and global warming.

For his part, Jojo Rodriguez of the SPC said that water quality issues, disturbance and siltation caused the project to become imperfect. But the SPC hopes that in five years time, it will grow.

"The reef bud technology is a World Bank awarded innovation. It was utilized in Anilao, Batangas and in Rosario, Cavite. The SPC inspected both project sites and witnessed the positive results. The SPC also utilized the Department of Science and Technology coral propagation method as an innovation to the existing technology, " Rodriguez said.

The coral propagation method was reportedly used by the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute is practically a cloning method of coral reproduction.