What is common between the two is that I was involved with these two. I used to work for the conservation of Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park working for WWF Philippines. The Philipines one and only marine park. While I volunteer for Greenpeace specifically when the Artic Sunrise ship visited Manila in 2002. I volunteered as a tour guide on the boat and solicited signatures for the campaign.
Irony of ironies just recently in the news, Rainbow Warrior II sliced through Tubbataha and was fined for about 640,000 pesos or 11,600 US$ someone blogged about it too (read here)Save our Reefs from Greenpeace. Rainbow Warrior II there to find evidence of bleaching due to global warming but found out that our reef is healthy. If they have a researcher on board, at least one should note that Tubbataha is located in deeper waters thus much cooler and less prone to bleaching which is associated to global warming.
I think they should see the GBR if they are looking for bleached corals. Having snorkelled in GBR recently and worked in Tubbataha, I think our reefs are far more beautiful indeed. I can't remember who said it, "GBR is like Disneyland but Tubbataha is like Safari". I remember the time when we dived off season at Tubbataha and we saw 8 magnificent eagle rays.
For the past few days my email has been swamped with invitations to visit the boat on Nov 14 and 15. Lakay volunteers will be there. Well, I am still thinking. This boat destroyed more corals that it can ever regrow in 20 years. Environmentalist kill environment...How is that?
After thinking about it and talking with old WWF friends, I decided not to volunteer anymore.
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