PHILIPPINES - Tubbataha generates P4M from dive tourism in 2006

Bayanihan.org, December 18 2006

Tourism Prime divespot Tubbataha Reef National Park has generated P4 million from dive tourism from January to December 2006.

Angelique Songco, park manager, said the Tubbataha Management Office has collected P3.6 million as conservation fees from dive tourists and operators during the period.

However, Songco said it didn't meet its P4.5 million target income from diving activity.

The reef, located off Sulu Sea and some 182 kilometers (113 miles) southeast from this city, is home to 10,000 coral reefs, 483 species of fish, two nesting species of marine turtles and nine species of marine mammals.

The reef's islets are among the last breeding strongholds of seabirds in Southeast Asia.

Songco said tourism income will be used for conservation, research and monitoring and other park-related management job which pegged at P10 million annually.

In the last week's national conference, Songco said, the well-managed conservation of Tubbataha has benefited the lives of Cagayancillo in terms of fish resources.

Fish biomass doubled from 166 metric tons per square kilometer in 2004 to 318 metric tons per square kilometer in 2005.

Tubbataha, which was declared as World Heritage Site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1993, has reportedly contributed ecological value of P840 million every year in the country's economy in terms of fisheries and tourism. (PNA)

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