[Source: Wikimedia Commons]
However, major environmental concerns were raised from Palawan following the alarming announcement of the parent company of Nickelodeon, Viacom International Media Networks. The company actively voiced its vision for a water theme park in Palawan with its development company, Coral World Park Undersea Resort Inc., where visitors would be able to “interact with the brand and the iconic characters they love”.
Nickelodeon has been pushing approval to build the water theme park and has recently received approval just last month. The talks of the project has alarmed many citizens and environmentalists because the development of the theme park would inevitably cause detrimental effects on aquatic life. However, when Viacom Networks initially introduced its project, they stated their advocacy for ocean protection, contrary to the facts that were revealed shortly after.
[Source: Wikimedia Commons]
Another environmental group, the Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, Inc., criticizes that the theme park will have “potential effects on the coastal and marine biodiversity in and around the proposed site”. The foundation further voiced their concern by stating that “the project may also alter the water movement around the area”, significantly impacting “the behavior of some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems”. The environmental group lastly comments that the proposed project “will affect how corals settle and build a reef thereby threatening tens of thousands of marine species sheltered by corals”, as well as other biodiversity.
Despite the growing opposition of citizens and environmentalists, Nickelodeon is pushing forward with their Palawan plans. More news coverage and opposition must be met in order to stop the destruction of the world’s most beautiful island and its biodiversity.
