US pays P87m for Tubbataha reef damage

The Philippine government has received P87.03 million from the US government as payment for the damage caused by a US Navy minesweeper that ran aground on a protected coral reef two years ago, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

The minesweeper USS Guardian ran aground and caused damage to the Tubbataha Reef, a World Heritage Site in Palawan, in 2013. “The compensation will be utilized for the protection and rehabilitation of Tubbataha Reef Natural Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Portions of the fund will also be used to further enhance capability to monitor the area and prevent similar incidents in the future,” the DFA said in a statement.