The Coral Triangle is regarded as the world’s center for biodiversity. A vast and colorful coral nursery, it encompasses the islands and waters of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and beyond. It is home to 76% of the world’s known coral species and 37% of the world’s coral reef fish species, commercially valuable species such as tuna, and six of the world’s seven known species of marine turtles.

Hamilo Coast and Pico de Loro Cove, being situated in Nasugbu, Batangas, is part of the global Coral Triangle and the Verde Island passage in the Philippines.

The Verde Island Passage is one of the most significant links to the global ecosystem of the Coral Triangle. Located between Batangas in Luzon and Oriental Mindoro, the Verde Island waterway is “the center of the center of marine biodiversity,” describing the density and concentration of its coral and underwater life in comparison to the rest of the Coral Triangle. It is also one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, increasingly central to economic activities such as fishing and shipping, providing food, livelihood, and other benefits to over 2 million people.

It’s also home to charismatic species such as whale sharks, sea turtles, nudibranchs and an impressive array of corals. These waters continue to yield new species to science, further underscoring its global biological significance.