MANILA, Philippines ? Manila has added to its tourist attractions a world-class marine park that opens at 10 a.m. today.

?If you will notice when tourists come to Manila, they only go to Intramuros. After Intramuros they go to Boracay, Cebu. Now they can stay one more day because of the Manila Ocean Park,? said Philippine Tourism Authority general manager Robert Dean Barbers during Friday?s soft launch of the country?s first ?oceanarium.?

Sharks, manta rays and exotic fishes mostly from the Philippines fill the tanks of Manila Ocean Park (MOP) behind the Quirino Grandstand.

President Macapagal-Arroyo was guest of honor at Friday?s ribbon-cutting. She was joined by Barbers, Sen. Richard Gordon, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Manila Ocean Park president Lim Chee Yong. House Speaker Prospero Nograles also attended.

Barbers said the President, who was visibly amazed at the aquatic displays that included a 20-meter, 220-degree curved tunnel, asked that a ?charity day? be set every month for out-of-school youth.

Free tour

Around 1,000 public school students from Baseco, Tondo, Manila and Payatas, Quezon City, got a free tour of the marine park Friday courtesy of the President.

?This changes the game of tourism in Manila. We have something that we can all be very proud of, more than the money, more than the investment,? said Gordon, former tourism secretary, of the project that cost P1.2-P1.5 billion.

Lim said the new tourist magnet ?will send a strong message to our people to help protect and conserve this heritage that our country has been blessed with.

?This colossal tourist attraction will definitely herald the influx of local and foreign tourists to our shores and, most importantly, provide new job opportunities for our people,? he added.

The 8,000-square meter oceanarium is only the first phase of the unique park. A boutique mall is scheduled to open this year while a hotel with a marine theme and a view of the famed Manila Bay sunset will be unveiled later.

The park will not have endangered species or marine mammals like dolphins and whales. In partnership with World Wildlife Fund for Nature, it will help ensure the conservation of these species and carry out research on marine life.

The Manila Ocean Park is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Sunday. Ticket prices are P400 for adults and P350 for children. Senior citizens get a 20 percent discount.