HANGGA’T may pagkakataon pang masagip ang nababalahurang kalikasan, determinado ang Junior Chamber International (JCI) Manila sa pagsasagawa ng ‘coral rehabilitation’ sa pamamagitan ng inilunsad na ‘Sea of Life’ underwater museum.

Anim na rebulto na may taas na tatlong talampakan at may bigat na 400 kilos at inihulma bilang pagpupugay sa  anim na JCI luminaries – Kofi A. Anan, Ramon V. Del Rosario, Sr., Henry Giessenbier, Washington Z. Sycip, Artemio  L. Vergel De Dios, at Alfonso T. Yuchengco – ang itatanim ng JCI Manila bilang artificial coral reef sa karagatan ng Tingloy, Batangas.

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“Artificial reefs show quick increases in local fish population, coral reef and algae growth in the first 1.5 years and a complete reef structure covered in corals after its third year. In fact, the Sea of Life Barangay Saimsim, Batangas led of 2015 has had encouraging results. The team returned to the site after three years and saw colorful marine fauna flourishing on all 30 underwater dome sculptures,” pahayag ni JCI Manila president Atty. Joaquin Pablo A. Esquivas.

Sa pakikipagtulungan ng Philippine Navy, Department of Environment and Natural Resources at local na pamahalaan ng Batangas, gayundin ang sponsors na Gold Seas Tuna Chucks at Chivas Regal, plano ng JCI Manila na makapagbuo ng underwater museo sa naturang karagatan.

“The installation of the first sculptures is just Phase 1. Every year, Sea of Life Museum will drop more sculptures at the same site until a total of 50 sculptures is completed within four to five years. Each batch deployed will be closely coordinated with DENR Calabarzon and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office-Batangas,” sambit ni Jim Jimenez, co-chairman ng Sea of Life project sa media conference sa BRP Gregorio Velasquez na dinaluhan ng mga opisyal mula sa Philippine Navy at DENR.

Iginiit ni Jimenez na may pagkakataon ang mga pribadong individual o korporasyon na maging bahagi ng programa at maitanim ang sariling nais na sculpture, ngunit kailangang masunod na panuntunan na binuo ng JCI at DENR.

“To create the sculptures, the committee consulted marine scientists and the Reef Ball Foundation (reefball.org), an international non-profit foundation that introduced a formulation of globally recognized artificial reef modules,” sambit ni Jimenez.

Aniya, ang mga rebulto ay hawa sa pH-neutral cement na hindi nakakasira sa lahat ng may buhay sa karagatan. Sang kap nito ang 10,000 micro silica na magpapatibay sa epekto ng tubig alat.

“The micro silica gives the sculptures an expected life of 500 years or more,” aniya.

Para sa karagdagang detalye hngil sa naturang programa, bisitahin angwww.jcimanila.org