By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr.

University President Shirley C. Agrupis has affirmed the support and commitment of Mariano Marcos State University for the West Philippine Seascape project in Ilocos Norte during an inception meeting and stakeholders’ consultation at the MMSU Hostel today, February 10.

Emphasizing the MMSU’s status as a national university for fisheries, she said, "MMSU's creative and relevant fisheries research programs can surely contribute to the implementation of the seascape project."

The WPS project aims to establish programs for inclusive resource governance, security, resilience, and sustainability within the West Philippine seascape. It covers 13 coastal municipalities: Pagudpud, Bangui, Burgos, and Pasuquin in Ilocos Norte; Narvacan, Ilocos Sur; Agno and Infanta in Pangasinan; Sta. Cruz, Zambales; Taytay, El Nido, Aborlan, Balabac, and Puerto Prinsesa City in Palawan.

The project is spearheaded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Gerry Roxas Foundation (GRF), and the IMPL Project Philippines Foundation.

It is part of the INSPIRE program (Investing in Sustainability and Partnerships for Inclusive Growth and Regenerative Ecosystems), which seeks to improve natural resource resilience and security through the increased participation of civil society organizations, media, academe, and local communities. 

IMPL Global Executive Director Ryan Young said the project intends to create a scalable, data-driven, and outcome-focused platform to have efficient planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of initiatives.

Also present in today's activity were GRF Project Program Manager Fredo Doods Abacajen, IMPL Philippines Executive Director Yoyong Suarez, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Director Rosario Segundina Gaerlan, BFAR Ilocos Norte Fishery Officer Vannesa Abegail Dagdagan, representatives of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte and local government units, MMSU personnel, and other stakeholders. (HLY/JVBT, StratCom)