By Stewart C. Ocampo

A year after it was launched, the Coastal Engineering and Management Research and Development Center (COASTER) Building of the Mariano Marcos State University was inaugurated today, January 19.

The building dedication and inauguration was led by MMSU President Shirley C, Agrupis, and was witnessed by DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, DOST Regional Director Dr. Armando Q. Ganal, members of the MMSU Board of Regents, the Provincial Government represented by Vice Governor Cecilia A. Marcos, DPWH, partner agencies, and several engineering students.

“This building is a manifestation of our commitment to take disaster-risk reduction and coastal engineering to a higher scale, geared at adequately building research competence through state-of-the-art facilities toward building resilient communities,” Dr. Agrupis remarked in her speech.

Dr. Nathaniel Alibuyog, COASTER program leader, explained the two-storey building is composed of material testing laboratories, wave flume control room, fabrication laboratories, conference room, and personnel offices to facilitate the conduct of the center’s projects and activities.

Secretary Renato U. Solidum expressed his hope for MMSU to develop coastal communities, saying, “You [MMSU] are in a position to create a big impact and to support our vision to make our country a resilient maritime nation through the development of disaster-proof coastal areas, not only in Ilocos Norte and in the region, but in the whole country.”

In November 2021, the COASTER was operationalized to spearhead the development of technologies and innovations to mitigate and manage coastal disasters and risks, particularly in Ilocos region. It is funded by the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) through its Science for Change Program (S4CP).

The partners of MMSU for this program include DOST, University of the Philippines - Marine science Institute (UP-MSI) in Diliman, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), Kyoto University-Japan, Urdaneta City University (UCU), and University of Northern Philippines.

Prior to the completion of the building, the CoastER office was temporarily housed at the College of the Engineering.

The ceremony was concluded through a building tour among the involved participants.