Nickelodeon's plans for an underwater Spongebob Squarepants attraction has sparked outrage
Despite uproar from the local community, it appears Nickelodeon will push ahead with its plans to build an undersea attraction in Palawan -- one of the Philippines' most pristine islands.
Nickelodeon first announced on Monday in a press release that it would be building an "undersea attraction and resort" on Palawan, as part of a 400-hectare development with Coral World Park (CWP).
Palawan Island is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and has been called the "last ecological frontier of the Philippines".
Nickelodeon said the attraction is planned to include some of its iconic characters such as Spongebob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer.
Netizens and environment groups alike quickly protested the announcement, with an online petition organised by environmentalists reaching more than 170,000 signatures.
Philippine Environment Secretary Gina Lopez, also expressed disapproval, saying she "would not allow the underwater theme park in Palawan."
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“That’s our wealth. I will never allow the corals to be harmed. You can't kill the corals for a theme park. No way,” Ms Lopez told ABS-CBN.
Nickelodeon says it isn't really underwater.
In response, Nickelodeon said its "underwater" attraction isn't quite underwater-underwater.
To clarify, while the initial press release said the "underwater restaurant and lounges will be located 20 feet below sea level," the builder CWP later said on Wednesday that the developments won't drill into the sea bed.
CWP's intended attraction will instead feature a floating structure with an underwater extension below it, it told Mashable.
CWP sent us these images to illustrate what it means, though these are not what the actual attraction will look like.
"The only infrastructure in the water is floating and what that means is the structure does not touch the seabed as it is anchored and mobile like yachts", Susan Lee, Marketing and Communications Director of CWP said.
The structure may still damage the environment
According to an expert at the Tropical Marine Science Institute, boat traffic to and from the park could still potentially cause mechanical damage to reefs.
"Boat traffic has to be regulated to prevent mechanical damage to coral reefs due to anchoring and boat propellers," Dr Toh Tai Chong, a research fellow with the institute, told Mashable.
Dr Toh added that it was important that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) be carried out.
"It's important that an EIA be done prior to construction to assess the potential impacts of the development. These include the input of freshwater and pollutants from the park directly into the sea, which may reduce the water quality and eventually leading to coral death."
Nickelodeon and CWP say they'll push on with the plan. The attraction is expected to open in 2020, with CWP adding that they were "completing the final masterplan" in order to "proceed with the other requirements the government needs."
Yvette is a Viral Content Reporter at Mashable Asia. She was previously reporting for BBC's Singapore bureau and Channel NewsAsia.
