DUMAGUETE CITY––Different cause-oriented groups have installed man-made reef domes in Bacong town, Negros Oriental.
Dr. Chev Demegillo of the Philippine Dental Association Negros Oriental said the project is a collaborative effort of the chapter and other groups in the province.
Twenty 20 man-made reef domes were mounted in Bacong as part of the environmental social responsibility program of the Philippine Dental Association.
“This is independent of recent issues like the Dumaguete reclamation and it doesn’t lean towards any political side,” she said in a phone interview.
Demegillo said they conceptualized the project for two years and met several delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before the installation, she said they conducted a marine survey together with marine scientists at Silliman University.
“We don’t just put it up there. We have consulted experts and scientists. We conduct surveys, and it shows that the area fits the project,” Demegillo said.
Based on their studies with marine experts from the Silliman University Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences, she said their domes are much better and sustainable than those of waste materials commonly used for building reefs.
“These domes are more sustainable and sturdier compared to usual old tires used to build reefs,” she said.
The domes will be placed near coral reefs and other marine organisms.