Pangasinan’s Hundred Islands now a coral restoration site

On a clear day at low tide, all 124 islets that constitute Pangasinan’s world-famous Hundred Islands can be seen.

But come high tide, one of the islets disappears under the swollen waters of Lingayen Gulf situated off the western flank of the province.

This is one of the vignettes of the storied Hundred Islands, a cluster of verdant islets off the scenic city of Alaminos.

Today, the islands are a destination not just of foreign tourists but Filipino visitors as well.

The islands have been designated as among the sites of a coral restoration program now being implemented by various government research and development and academic institutions.

Dubbed “Filipinovation on Coral Reef Restoration,” the program was launched in 2012 with funding support from the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD).

Upon its completion in 2013, the program was continued in nine provinces by the National Coral Reef Rehabilitation Roll-out Program using the same asexual reproduction technology.

The scientific technique involves the collection of dislodged live coral fragments or “corals of opportunities” (COPs). These are attached to coral nursery units (CNUs) for quick recovery and regeneration to increase survival rates upon transplantation in degraded coral reef sites.

A CNU can hold 500 COPs per batch and can be used several times a year.

PCAARRD reported that the coral reef restoration project in the Hundred Islands is part of the Filipinovation program.

Quezon Island, named after Manuel Quezon, president of the Commonwealth, has been designated as the coral donor/collection site.

Romulo Island, named after Gen. Carlos Romulo –who had been president of the United Nations, education secretary and University of the Philippines president – was designated as coral transplantation site.

Clave Island, named after an illustrious son of Pangasinan who had served as civil service commissioner and an executive secretary during the Marcos administration, was assigned for the setting up of coral nursery units.

Aside from Pangasinan, other provinces where the Filipinovation on Coral Reef Restoration program has been continued are Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud), Bataan (Bagac), Zambales (Subic Bay), Palawan (Puerto Princesa City), all in Luzon; Bohol (Anda); Camiguin, Zamboanga City and Sarangani (Kiamba), all in Mindanao.

“Overall, the two programs are now in 20 locations across 11 regions,” said Melvin Carlos, Christie Surara and Rose Ann Mananghaya in a joint report.

Developed by the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute, the direct coral transplantation technique was implemented with local communities to restore an area in Bolinao, Pangasinan.

“The technique has been pilottested in major tourism and diving sites, including those in Batangas, Bohol and Boracay,” Carlos, Surara and Mananghaya said.