Category: News

On February 28, 2020, VIP CORALS organized a seminar as a celebration of its 2nd Founding Anniversary. Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo gave his welcome remarks and felicitations to the participants and guests.

Dr. Jonel Corral shared his expertise on “Parasitic Relationship between Isopod and Crab in the Marine Environment,” while Dr. Miguel Azcuna shared his expertise on “Allelopathic Compounds from Sponge: Understanding the Ecological Roles and Screening for Bioactivity.”

Dr. Jayvee Saco, a Balik Scientist, also launched his lecture series on “Green Tide Blooms in the Philippines.”

The officers of the Philippine Phycological Society, Inc. (PPSI) held their first organizational meeting on February 22, 2020.

Photos from Philippine Phycological Society Inc. Official Facebook Page

On February 13,  Dr. Jayvee A. Saco had his courtesy call for the Balik Scientist Program with DOST-PCAARRD Officials, together with other Balik Scientists Dr. Charina Lyn A. Repollo and Dr. Zenith Gaye A. Orozco-Bautista, at PCAARRD Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna.

Photos from Balik Scientist Program Official Facebook Page

The VIP CORALS team had a meeting with SEA Institute and Dr. Katherine Sanchez-Escalona of MinSCAT on February 10 for the future schedules and activities for the Eco Camp by the Sea.

Left to right: Joal Ascalon, Dr. Jonel Corral, Dr. Jayvee Saco, Dr. Miguel Azcuna, Alecs Persia, Najeen Rula, Dr. Katherine Sanchez-Escalona, Jovy Ann Valera

Photo from Joal Ascalon

VIP CORALS conducted their fieldwork on December 11-14, 2019 for the “Biodiversity of seaweeds and associated flora in the Verde Island, Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines,” which is funded by Nagao Natural Environmental Foundation (NEF).

Committed to protect our marine ecosystems, the Batangas State University has partnered with the United States Embassy to host Dr. Kent Carpenter, a Professor in Biological Sciences at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia for a lecture-forum on November 20, 9:30 AM at the Lecture Room, CITE Building, Batangas State University Pablo Borbon Main I, Rizal Avenue Extension, Batangas City.

The program started with an invocation and the singing of the Philippine National Anthem. Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo gave his welcome message followed by an AVP presentation of the VIP CORALS. Dr. Romel U. Briones introduced the resource person, Dr. Kent Carpenter. The lecture of Dr. Carpenter entitled “Environmental Damage to Coral Reefs in the South China Sea and International Arbitration Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea” provided insights and raised awareness about the detrimental effects of human activities to the coral reefs. Students from different colleges were present during the lecture-forum.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/vipcorals.batstateu/photos/?tab=album&album_id=546316045986234

Dr. Miguel Azcuna and Ms. Jovy Ann Valera participated in the Training on Retrieval and Processing of Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) for Reef Cryptobiodiversity and Ocean Acidification last October 5 to 7, 2019 in Seas Spring Resort, Mainit, Mabini, Batangas.

Najeen Arabelle Rula, Jovy Ann Valera, and Dr. Jayvee Saco attended the International Training on Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) last August 12-15 and October 1-4, 2019, respectively.

The said training served as an international framework for efficient fisheries management using the ecosystem approach. The training also ignited meaningful discussions about the challenges in sustainable management of our fisheries resources.

Last September 20, 2019, De La Salle University, in partnership with Batangas State University, VIP CORALS, Oscar M. Lopez Center, California Academy of Sciences, SEA Institute – VIP, Pusod, Inc., Smithsonian Institution, and Old Dominion University, organized Saknungan sa VIP 2019 with the theme ” Building a Sustainable Verde Island Passage through Citizen Science.”

Saknungan sa VIP 2019	Infographics and video presentations about Verde Island
Infographics about Philippine Reefs	Fish Identification Guide
Signing of MOU between DLSU and BatStateU; MOA between CAS and BatStateU
Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo delivered his opening and welcome remarks for the Saknungan sa VIP 2019. Afterwards, Dr. Ronquillo presented the VIP CORALS as the National Center for Marine Biodiversity Research in the Verde Island Passage.
Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan, Dr. Meg Burke, Dr. Terrence Gosliner, and Dr. Jeff Williams discussed the Citizen Science in Coral Reefs: The 4M Methods.
Glenn Mariano of Pisces Project talked about “Scaling Up Beyond the Three Communities.”	Pacifico Beldia from Malampaya Project shared the lessons and challenges from basic coral reef monitoring for biodiversity conservation.

Photos from Batangas State University Public Relations

SEA Institute – Verde Island Passage and VIP CORALS organized the first-ever EcoCamp by the Sea for Teachers held at Cerca Parola Beach Resort, Lobo, Batangas last July 11-12, 2019. The participants were the Grade School and High School teachers of Batangas State University Integrated School.

During the first day of the EcoCamp, the teachers were introduced to the marine environment, habitat, ecosystems, different marine plants and animals, and basic field equipment.

On the second day of the EcoCamp, there were discussions about threats to the marine environment such as marine pollution. They also conducted a coastal clean-up.

Photos from Joal Ascalon of SEA Institute