by Donald Wood
Last updated: 3:30 PM ET, Wed January 11, 2017
On Wednesday, Philippine environment minister Gina Lopez announced that she would reject a proposal from American television network Nickelodeon to build an underwater theme park in the Palawan Islands.
According to the Agence France-Presse, Nickelodeon announced its plans to build a 1,000-acre resort and amusement park featuring underwater attractions inspired by the network's popular shows, including Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants.
Nickelodeon's parent company Viacom International Media Networks announced that it planned to have the resort opened by 2020, but is now facing backlash from the local government.
The theme park and resort proposal created concerns from environmentalists about the long-term protection of the pristine islands. Lopez told local media outlets that she would not support a project which could damage the environment and the welfare of local communities.
"That's our wealth. It's not allowed. You can't kill the corals. For a theme park? No. No way, man," Lopez told ABS-CBN television. "The commitment of the government is first and foremost and always, always to the benefit of our people."
The Palawan region is the home of two UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites and has been called the Philippines' "last ecological frontier" due to its relatively untouched coastlines and forests.
Less than 24 hours after the announcement was made, over 125,000 people signed a petition developed by local environmentalists which called for the theme park project to be shot down before construction could begin.
Coral World Park is Viacom's Philippine partner on the project, and officials from the company claim the resort would put a focus on ocean conservation and help fund environmental protection in the area.
In addition, Coral World Park disputed the claims that they would be building a theme park in the region and said most of the resort would not be underwater. Officials also went on to say the project would "be the largest coral reef conservation program in Asia."
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