Philippine Impressions

Eric Hanauer · Issue 55, Jul/Aug 2010 · pp. 52–57

Products mentioned: Subal ND20 housing, Nikon D300, Ikelite 160s strobes, Tokina 10-17mm, Nikkor 105mm, Panasonic DMC-TZ4

Things I already knew about the Philippines: 1. It’s the world center of marine biodiversity. To be exact, the Philippines and western Indonesia boast nearly 3,000 different species of reef fishes, nearly a third of all that have been identified worldwide, along with over 300 species of corals. The further one moves from the epicenter, the less the diversity. Hawaii, for example, at the eastern fringe of the tropical Pacific, has fewer than 500 species. 2. Destructive fishing practices, including dynamite, cyanide, and bleach, pose serious threats to that marine environment. 3. Over 7000 islands spread out over many miles of ocean make enforcement of environmental laws, or any laws, difficult. 4. World War II blasted across the islands. They were conquered by the Japanese early on, and recaptured by American forces two years later. Filipinos still love Americans, and General Douglas MacA…