Home to prehistoric coelacanths, colossal blue whales, ancient marine turtles and millions of yet-undiscovered species, the Coral Triangle spans 5.7 million square kilometers and covers six countries including the Philippines – which boasts of both the largest and most productive reefs in the region.

Through the generosity of thousands of airline passengers, both Apo Reef off Mindoro and the Tubbataha Reefs off Palawan shall enjoy better protection through improved Local Government alliances and enforcement efforts, financial sustainability schemes and responsible ecotourism.

Spearheaded by Cebu Pacific Air, Inc. (CEB), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Philippines) and the municipalities of Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro and Cagayancillo in Palawan, Bright Skies for Every Juan enjoins CEB flyers to take an active part in minimizing the environmental impacts of air travel by making online donations to climate change adaptation projects for both Apo and Tubbataha Reefs – the country’s Great Reefs.

Apo and Tubbataha Reefs: the Philippines’ Largest Food Factories

Formed from the eruption of undersea volcanoes nearly 15 million years ago, Tubbataha or ‘long reef’ in the Samal tongue plays host to over 600 kinds of fish that frolic amongst 396 types of soft and hard coral. Other denizens include eight breeding seabird, 13 marine mammal, 11 shark and two sea turtle species.

“Few reefs within the Coral Triangle come close to the biological productivity of Tubbataha,” explains WWF-Philippines Vice-Chair and CEO Lory Tan. “Through a well thought-out plan implemented by the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board and the Tubbataha Management Office, fish biomass has remained stable for over a decade. Today, Tubbataha’s fish biomass stands at over 200-tonnes per square kilometer. Incredibly, this is five times greater than the productivity of a typical healthy reef.”

On the other hand, Apo Reef is the largest in Asia and is situated 15 nautical miles west of Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro. It is home to almost 200 species of soft and hard coral, 385 species of fish plus charismatic undersea giants like thresher and hammerhead sharks, manta rays, sperm whales, dolphins and sea turtles.

Through the DENR and the local government of Occidental Mindoro, WWF helped secure the future of Apo Reef through its proclamation as a ‘no-fishing’ zone in 2007. Overall coral growth dwindled to less than 33% in 1994 but has steadily improved. In 2006, an assessment cited growth at 52% and rising.

Together, these Great Reefs continually seed adjoining regions such as Palawan, Mindoro and the western Visayas region with fish and invertebrate spawn, generating enough food and livelihood for some 40 million Filipinos each year.

The partnership began in July 2008 – initially to prepare Apo Reef for the looming effects of climate change. A powerful patrol boat bearing WWF and Cebu Pacific colors has now apprehended dozens of park violators. The inclusion of the Tubbataha Reefs off Palawan has dramatically enhanced the breadth of the program.

“The Bright Skies programme is CEB’s commitment to promote responsible flying and protect the Philippines’ largest coral reefs,” shares CEB President and CEO Lance Gokongwei. “The renewal of our partnership with WWF escalates CEB’s commitment not just to help coastal communities adapt to climate change but also to educate the public about responsible flying and the importance of caring for the environment even in simple ways that generate great impact,” he added.

Bright Skies stands poised to reverse decades of destructive coastal development, overfishing, sewage and chemical pollution, acidification, sedimentation and ocean warming. Together with Indonesia, the Philippines stewards the world’s most threatened coral reefs, less than 30% of which are in good condition. A mere 1% – including patches of these two Great Reefs – remains pristine.

Adds Tan, “At the end of the day, the most crucial decisions - that to consciously do what we can to reduce our impacts - lie in our own hands. We have a shared responsibility to minimize our footprint not just when we fly – but in whatever we do.”

Both CEB and WWF-Philippines invite travelers to fly responsibly and donate to the Bright Skies for Every Juan program when booking via www.cebupacificair.com.

For more information on the Bright Skies for Every Juan Program, kindly visit the Cebu Pacific website: www.cebupacificair.com/wwfbrightskies.