At Last.... The Manila Ocean Park

BUSINESSWORLD: Vol. XXI, No. 63Tuesday, October 23, 2007 MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Today’s HeadlinesManila Ocean Park nears completion, targets July ’08 opening
TOURISTS AND KIDS AT HEART who want an underwater experience — without literally having to get wet — can flock to the country’s first marine-themed complex by July next year.
Located behind Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park, Manila Ocean Park will house an oceanarium, a mall, a boutique hotel, a restaurant strip and open marine habitats all rolled into one, designed to give everyone a “deeper experience.”
The P1-billion project of China Oceanis Philippines, Inc. — a joint undertaking of Singaporean and Malaysian investors — is currently 80% complete, with the Oceanarium set to open in time for this year’s Christmas holiday.
The Park will include a mall, restaurants, a hotel and multifunction facilities. — BW File PhotoOceanarium, the first phase of the park, will be the first and largest aquarium facility in the country wherein over 20,000 exotic and colorful fishes would come from the waters off Cavite and Palawan.
Tina Mistica-Santos, marketing manager of Manila Ocean Park, said the oceanarium is way bigger than the famous Sentosa Underwater world in Singapore. “Manila Ocean Park is about 8,000 square meters wide, while Sentosa is 6,000,” she told reporters, adding that the main attraction of the Oceanarium is a 25-meter long, 220-degree curved acrylic walkway tunnel, compared to the standard oceanarium with a 180-degree view.
“It replicates the water flow from a fresh water source that eventually leads to the open ocean, creating a model of the interconnectedness between land and sea. It then takes one through the different depths of the sea-showing each area’s beautiful and natural inhabitants,” she said.
One side of the tunnel’s wall, Ms. Santos said, will feature corals and small fish, while the other wall will have sharks and rays.
She added that Oceanarium is divided into sections that carry Filipino terms. Some of them are Agos, a rainforest-themed part with freshwater species in eight tanks; Bahura (Reef), a section composed of 48 tanks showcasing artificial corals; Laot, a long tank featuring big fishes and Eagle-spotted rays; and Kalaliman, wherein barracudas would swim around in one large tank.
“The Oceanarium also has a multipurpose hall that could be used for educational exhibits and various functions all year long,” Ms. Santos said.
Both the Oceanarium and the Open Water Marine Habitat — where visitors can swim and scuba-dive with sharks and other fishes — will contain 12,000 cubic meters of seawater coming from Manila Bay.
Scheduled to open April next year, a boutique mall and a 100-room high-end hotel will form part the second phase of the project. “It will feature new and unique shops that are not commonly found in other malls. It will likewise showcase a unique restaurant row located at the rear of the facility, alongside a promenade that offers an obstructed view of the Manila Bay,” Ms. Santos said.
Ms. Santos said the Oceanarium is expected to accommodate 1.5 million visitors, while the boutique mall will have a foot traffic of 28,000 individuals per day. — L. N. P. Lee

Visit its website at http://manilaoceanpark.com/