By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

The Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) will soon establish the Coastal Engineering and Management Research and Development Center (COASTER) in Region I after getting nod from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). 

A first in the Philippines, the COASTER aims to spearhead the development of coastal engineering and management, technological breakthroughs, and innovation to mitigate and manage coastal disasters and risks. 

With a Php 79.9 million fund from the DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) and a Php 25.15 million counterpart fund, the establishment of the research center is under the agency's Science for Change Program (S4CP) – Niche Center in the Regions (NICER) program.

Dr. Nathaniel R. Alibuyog, COASTER program leader, said the R&D center will address several important processes and issues within the coastal waters and tributary rivers in the region to come up with an efficient integrated coastal management strategy. 

Alibuyog said the project will carry out four project components: coastal erosion trends and management strategies; assessment, monitoring, and prediction of coastal flooding; development of science-based engineering approach to coastal protection; and enhancing coastal design and infrastructure intervention through the establishment of wave testing laboratory. 

To realize this, the COASTER will develop science-based technologies and innovations to address coastal risk and management, capacitate the human resource capital of higher education institutions in Ilocos region toward coastal engineering research and management, and formulate policies that will enhance the resiliency of coastal communities.  

Starting this year until 2024, the establishment of COASTER in MMSU is in cooperation with the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute in Diliman, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University in La Union, Urdaneta City University in Pangasinan, and the University of Northern Philippines in Ilocos Sur.

Other agencies as well as the provincial and local government units in Region I also committed to support the program.

Alibuyog said the coastal engineering R&D center in the region can contribute to reduction of agricultural and fishery losses to disaster by 20% or about Php 100 million per year. It will also help improve protection of coastal communities from coastal erosion, saving about Php 1 billion every year, and will boost tourism industry in the region. 

"Ilocos region has a wide and long coastline; there are many challenges and opportunities in its coastal areas, especially in terms of construction, infrastructure, and disaster risk management," said PCIEERD executive director Enrico Paringit, hoping the center will help protect resources from coastal flooding and improve the lives of people in coastal communities. 

Studies show that the threat of coastal erosion in the Philippines is very alarming. Annually, the coastal areas in the country suffer various degree of infrastructure damages caused by tropical storms and typhoons. (StratCom)