Ocean Park in Manila Bay

[stephencua]

what do you guys think? personally i think its good for tourism but the animals might get contaminated by the water and die a slow death or something..

taken from INQ7.net website

Ocean park to rise in Manila Bay area

Posted 05:29am (Mla time) April 26, 2005
By Leila Salaverria
Inquirer News Service


Editor's Note: Published on page A20 of the Apr. 26, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

IN LESS than two years, Metro Manilans will be able to enjoy interacting with dolphins, sea turtles and other marine life in an ocean park at the Boardwalk behind the Quirino Grandstand in the Manila Bay area.

The foreign-funded park costing about $20 million is similar to those found in Hong Kong and Singapore.

The Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) yesterday signed a memorandum of agreement with the Chinese and Malaysian consortium China Oceanis Group Ltd. (COGL) for the building of the Manila Ocean Park.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was on hand to witness the signing between PTA Chairman Robert Dean Barbers and COGL's Lim Chee Yung.

Under the agreement, the COGL was given a 25-year lease to some parts of the PTA-owned Manila Boardwalk, and will shoulder the cost of building the facilities for the park which is expected to be open by December 2006.

Among the features of the park are open marine habitat facilities, dolphin feeding activities, a seaturtle area, a cactus garden and even a swimming area. The COGL would also build a plaza for special events and areas for shops and restaurants. They will also develop the park located in front of the Boardwalk.

The consortium will also pay a yearly rent of P16.5 million, with an upward adjustment every five years.

Barbers hailed the project as a major coup for the country because it is expected not only to enhance local and foreign tourism and to generate jobs for some 2,000 Filipinos, but to pave the way for further infrastructure development.

COGL director Lim Chee Yung said the park would also be used to advance the cause of marine environment protection.

And since a swimming area and snorkeling activities would also be available at the park, the consortium would be cleaning the murky waters around the Manila Boardwalk.

[Sou-jiro]

wowww kool!........

[renell]

lol die in contaminated water, i'm sure Manila Bay waters and Ocean Park waters will be separate or at least they should have the common sense that they will if it's put in Manila bay waters, and the tourists won't see much animals, cause it's murky

[Edmundtanso]

about time that manila will ahve it's own marine park!!! this could be the start of the development of manila bay...

[ryanr]

Great news!! I'm sure they will develop some kind of system that will clean the bay's water used for the Ocean Park. There is technology out there capable of doing so. Looking forward to this project

[pau_p1]

And since a swimming area and snorkeling activities would also be available at the park, the consortium would be cleaning the murky waters around the Manila Boardwalk.

well... this would be great.. to help make manila bay cleaner!

[Louman]

better build that park now before the squatters move in and build a place of worship. gwahahaha!

[stephencua]

hahahaha.. hope that doesnt happen..

anybody here who could go and take pictures of the planned area? im wondering where they could place the structure..

[pau_p1]

it's been 3 years I think since I last went to the boardwalk... and I haven't seen it again... yeah.. I hope some guys can take a picture of the place....

[renell]

Well it's a boardwalk, I think I've been there, I think....

It's basically a concrete boardwalk, last time I was there it was just that, with some temporary structures, but it's massive, something with Baywalk's potential. You can say something like Darling Harbour and other such developments.

[stephencua]

this was taken from philstar.com.. now im confused.. its going to be a walk-thru oceanarium?


Gov't, Chinese group ink accord for Manila Oceanarium
04/26 2:15:29 PM

A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) and China Oceanis Group Ltd. (COGL) was signed Monday for the construction of a world-class Walk-Thru Oceanarium in the city of Manila.

The first of its kind in the country, the oceanarium project will be built at the Boardwalk behind the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park by a Chinese-Malaysian consortium.

The project, set under a 20 million US dollar redevelopment program, is designed to maximize the Boardwalk’s tourism potential.

PTA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Robert Dean Barbers lamented that despite close to 300 million dollars in investment in the oceanarium by the previous administration, the project remains unfinished.

This time, construction of the oceanarium will be completed by 2006, Barbers said.

He added that the project is expected to generate 18-22 million dollars worth of investments, create 2,000 jobs and generate monthly earnings from rentals alone of 16.5 million pesos during the first five years of operation.

Rental rates are to be upgraded after five years, he said.

The oceanarium envisions to raise greater awareness of the country’s marine life, enhance environmental research and conservation and boost the country’s image as a leading tourist destination, Barbers said.

The Boardwalk was constructed along the offshore area behind the Luneta Park which was declared a Tourist Zone under Proclamation No. 69 in 1999.

Under the MOA, COGL agreed to operate some parts of the PTA Boardwalk for 25 years. The Oceanarium will showcase thousands of marine species, dining facilities, maritime discovery parks and promenade areas.

Barbers said, "Our efforts to convince foreign business to invest in the country’s growing tourism industry have finally bore fruit. I believe that the PTA is one of the first government agencies to bag such a profitable deal with a foreign investor."

"The PTA is confident that tourism, as a sunrise industry, is emerging as one of the most feasible roads to accelerate Philippine economic growth," he added.

[Francis20]

Thanks for the articles guys. ive seen that on the frontpage this morning. definitely not as awesome as HK's oceanpark. but the rendering looks nice. i didn't pay much attention to the details though.

[ryanr]

So it will have a walk thru tunnel similar to the one in HK, Singapore Sentosa and SeaWorld Jakarta? That would be nice...

[kiretoce]

Will the marine park be likened to Sea World, with animal shows, habitats, and a rescue/rehab center for injured and endangered marine animals?

Originally Posted by GreyX

So it will have a walk thru tunnel similar to the one in HK, Singapore Sentosa and SeaWorld Jakarta? That would be nice...

Jakarta has a Sea World? Is that a foreign franchise of the Sea World parks here in the US?

[ThisFire]

A nice idea but again, not another chinese project.

[David-80]

Jakarta has a Sea World? Is that a foreign franchise of the Sea World parks here in the US?

Yes, its located in a large complex of entertainment area, where there are dreamworld, water land and ocean park (for dolphin,sealion show).

Anyway, its good news for Manila. I want to visit it !

cheers

[kiretoce]

Originally Posted by ThisFire

A nice idea but again, not another chinese project.

Because they're the ones with the loads of cash (capital) to invest.

[Thunderflip]

Originally Posted by ThisFire

A nice idea but again, not another chinese project.

Bakit ayaw mo sa Chinese. Afterall, they are the ones who are attracted the most and their developments are not bad in quality at all but yeah, it would also be awesome to see investments from big German or Japanese firms, high end pa!

[pau_p1]

well... whichever foreign investor is a very good help and news for the country... at least this project would improve the area... and add more life to it... plus it might spur development and upgrade of the Rizal park...

parts of Rizal park has become slum-like... specially at night in front of the Department of Tourism...

[bustero]

Better chinese so that they will also sell it to their compatriots who will come here as tourists!