Siargao is a stunning island in the Philippine Sea. While it's only 169 square miles, it has many beautiful beaches and incredible wildlife.

Its small size only makes it more upsetting when people try to ruin it for their own gain. In the island's subreddit, r/SiargaoPH, a Redditor shared how a luxury villa developer destroyed reef beds during construction.

"Locals have been reporting that a luxury villa developer used a backhoe to level reef beds at night ruining the protected landscape and also potentially affecting Cloud 9 wave formation," the original poster wrote. "This must be illegal right?"

The OP went on to ask how they could report the development to the local government unit and the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). In a comment, they also identified the developer and property as Louie Matthew Nocum and Paloma Resort, respectively.

The Cloud 9 the OP referred to is a hollow reef and cherished surfing area in Siargao. People enjoy riding the waves, and the area is vital to protecting local wildlife.

Initiatives are happening around the Philippines to conserve areas that do a great deal for the environment. A "coastal greenbelt" in the province of Negros Occidental aims to keep people safe from weather events like typhoons and flooding. And researchers are keeping an eye on Mindanao squirrels despite how deforestation has affected their survival.

Commenters were upset to hear about the situation in Siargao.

"That's heartbreaking … a total lack of respect," one Reddit user stated.

"This is terrible!" another person exclaimed. "I don't think they would work without orders from their bosses so it seems like the [cease and desist order] doesn't stop them."

Lifestyle.inq reported that the issue gained more traction when local pro surfer Ana Mae Alipayo posted about it. 

What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment? $200 or more 💰 $100 💸 $30 💵 I'd only do it if someone else paid for it 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The site's most recent update said that the DENR's Protected Area Management Board passed a resolution to file a case on Oct. 4 last year. It remains to be seen if the area's local government unit will actually revoke Paloma Resort's building license.

Though the case's outcome is uncertain, Siargao's community still came together to protect the land from future threats.

Another local pro surfer, Aping Agudo, wrote on Instagram, "Let this be a warning and a lesson: short-term gain cannot come at the cost of long-term destruction. The ocean is our life. The reef is our protection. And Siargao is not for sale."

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.