The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is inviting other government agencies to join their efforts in rehabilitating the coral reefs in the West Philippine Sea following the successful mission that was completed early this month.

In an interview with reporters in South Harbor on Wednesday, Commodore May Belicena Marfil, Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Marine Environmental Protection (MEP) confirmed that another coral reef rehabilitation efforts will be conducted in Pagasa Island on September following the successful mission conducted by the PCG Marine Science Group (MSG) in the area from May to June.

"We are considering it every quarter... Our marine science group are diving... by September we expect better sea condition when the Northeast and Southwest monsoon met, that is the time we can dive properly," she said.

"Later on we can expand in (other) areas as long as our marine science group are safe and we are inviting other government agencies to join us to expand our coral rehabilitation initiatives," she added.

Marfil did not say how large is the area of the damage coral reef in Pagasa Island but she noted that it was caused by climate change which lead to acidification and the illegal activities which damage the corals.

She said the PCG MSG was formed to conduct coral reef rehabilitation in coordination with Western Philippines University in Palawan and the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).

The PCG MSG, through expert technical support, utilized methods such as selecting of coral fragment, handling and replanting procedures and assisting biodiversity assessments and underwater surveys.

"It was started before the end of May up to the first week of June, it takes them 15 days to complete the coral reef rehabilitation. We used coral bed frame which houses our corals, we took live corals and transferred them to to the coral bed frame," Marfil said.

She noted that according to the marine scientist, it will take "months and years" until the coral reef will be fully develop. Robina Asido/DMS