More than 130,000 people have signed a petition against the development of an underwater theme park in Palawan, Philippines, stating the project would destroy the marine habitat it is claiming to protect.

Palawan, which is widely recognised the Philippines' last ecological frontier, would become home to the Coral World Park, which uses Nickelodeon IPs, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to “encourage ocean protection.”

“By building artificial structures, you will undeniably damage and disrupt Palawan's marine ecosystems,” said the petition. “If you are sincere and serious about marine conservation, the money allocated for the underwater theme park should be invested in marine protected areas, sustainable livelihoods for local communities, and environmental education programs.

“For a channel that targets children, Nickelodeon is setting a terrible example to the younger generation by taking away their right to enjoy our natural resources. We don't need an underwater theme park – our underwater life is fascinating, entertaining, and educational on its own.”

According to a press release from Viacom – the parent company of Nickelodeon – the resort would open in 2020 and feature restaurants and lounges six meters below sea level, with 1sq km of the 4sq km development dedicated to the Nickelodeon park.

"We are taking very, very careful measures to ensure that the biodiversity is kept intact," said Coral World Park chair, Paul Monozca, speaking to AFP.

The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development – a government organisation – said the project had yet to be approved, and that Viacom had not been in contact in regards to a project application. Environment secretary Gina Lopez has also said via Twitter that she “won’t allow” the underwater theme park to be developed.