Marine Protected Areas Support Network

30/04/2026

Results are out!

🥈 The results are in—Philippines' 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢 places SECOND in the 2026 International Mollusc of the Year competition!

With an outstanding 5,097 votes, the humble antingaw is the 2026 IMOY's First Runner-Up, placing a close second after the winning mollusc, the Mediterranean Vampire Snail (𝘊𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘢 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘢).

UP MSI would like to thank everyone who rallied behind the antingaw and brought it to the world's stage. More than a competition, the International Mollusc of the Year has become a celebration of mollusc diversity across the world. The antingaw in particular shone a spotlight on the mysterious potential of Philippine shipworms. Thank you to everyone who voted and took the time to learn about the chalk-chomping clam!

Thanks especially to the following partners, collaborators, and organizations who promoted antingaw across their networks:

🌻
UP Diliman College of Science
UP Diliman Information Office
UP Los Baños UPLB Malacology Laboratory

👥
Philippine Association of Marine Science
Marine Protected Areas Support Network
Association of Systematic Biologists of the Philippines
Haynayan Philippine Biology Updates
ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
The Outstanding Women in Nation's Service (TOWNS Foundation Inc.)

🏛️
Governor Erico Aris Aumentado of Bohol
Mayor Trisha V. Chatto of LGU Balilihan
All other official organizations of Bohol

📺
Gusto TV PH
John Sherwin Felix and Lokalpedia
Kuya Kim Atienza and Dami Mong Alam, Kuya Kim
Dexter Macaraeg

📰 Media outlets who picked up our press release
🌊 And the flood of reshares and reposts that are too many to name!

You may still visit the IMOY official website and read about antingaw's fascinating competitors: the Mediterranean Vampire Snail, the Florida Horse Conch, the Mysterious Moon Clam, and the Seychelles White Slug. https://www.unitasmalacologica.org/mollusc-of-the-year-2026.html

International Mollusc of the Year is hosted annually by Senckenberg and the Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance - SOSA, in partnership with Unitas Malacologica. Read the official announcement of results here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1G2n6vDHTn/

24/04/2026

𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗡𝗢𝗪 for antingaw (𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢) as the 2026 International Mollusc of the Year (IMOY) through: https://bit.ly/IMOY2026_AntingawPH until April 26, 2026.

Learn more about antingaw through these links:

• A rock-boring and rock-ingesting freshwater bivalve (shipworm) from the Philippines
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article/286/1905/20190434/85124/A-rock-boring-and-rock-ingesting-freshwater

• UP Marine Science Institute-Species Splash
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AkF9M3EQw/

• 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢–The shipworm that decided wood wasn't enough, and learned to eat through stone
https://www.unitasmalacologica.org/lithoredo-abatanica.html

• Senckenberg : A diet of... solid rock? Meet 𝙇𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙤 𝙖𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖!
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1GCrFeMqv3/

09/04/2026

Mapagpalayang !

27/02/2026

Happy Birthday, Sir Perry!

Dr. Porfirio “Perry” Alexander M. Aliño served as the National Coordinator of the MPA Support Network for 20 years from 2005 to 2025. Through his leadership, institutions came together to provide sustained support and empowerment for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), strengthening both their performance and long-term management.

Building on this vision of collaboration, Sir Perry became instrumental in forging networks and linkages that advanced coral reef conservation across the Philippines and the broader Southeast Asian region. He cultivated critical partnerships among ASEAN, the European Union, the United States, Australia, and other nations—elevating coral reef health into a shared international responsibility. For Filipino scientists and practitioners, he established the Philippine Coral Reef Information Network, now known as the Marine Protected Area Support Network, which continues to unite researchers and managers in advancing science-based, sustainable MPA governance.

27/02/2026

𝗠𝗦𝗡 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗣𝗔 𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀

SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES—The Marine Protected Areas Support Network (MSN) concluded its February run of Marine Protected Area Management Effectiveness Assessment Tool (MPA MEAT) workshops with the Zambales South Cluster on February 24, 2026 at CASA San Miguel.

After convening northern Zambales LGUs in Iba earlier this month, MSN, through its project, Partnerships for the Philippine National Marine 30x30 Target, gathered representatives from the municipalities of San Antonio, Cabangan, and San Narciso along with representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Opening the session, Dr. Samuel Mamauag (Co-project leader) emphasized sustained collaboration with LGUs in improving the implementation of the MPA MEAT. Meanwhile, Technical Assistant Jethro Carlo P. Quijano provided a refresher on the tool’s framework, highlighting how systematic monitoring and evaluation support evidence-based policy and adaptive management.

Masinloc Senior Environmental Management Specialist, Emerlinda Dizon, then led participants through the technical components of the tool, clarifying key terminology and guiding municipalities in assessing their respective MPAs.

Municipal representatives shared updates on their MPAs, including existing ordinances, enforcement arrangements, IEC initiatives, and coordination with agencies such as the Philippine Coast Guard and Navy. Participants then underwent guided scoring using the MPA MEAT criteria, discussing documentation requirements, boundary delineation, enforcement capacity, and higher-level indicators such as partnerships and legal outcomes.

The workshop concluded with discussions on reassessment, strengthening documentation through database uploads, and continued technical support, capping off MSN’s February efforts to assist Zambales LGUs in enhancing MPA management in line with national conservation targets.

LGUs and parties interested in conducting MPA MEAT and/or Network Effectiveness Assessment Tool (NEAT) workshops, and want to request PDF copies of the tools, may coordinate with the MSN Secretariat through the MSN page or via email at [email protected].

By Genea Rupert Claire
Photo courtesy Sheila Albasin, Jethro Carlo P. Quijano, Romelyn Riveral, Cristina Valdez

14/02/2026

| 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗦𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀

One of the highlights of the NEAT Workshop with ZAMPAN, organized by MSN, was a compelling question from a participant about the extent of the law on cutting mangroves within his private property.

While he recognized that mangroves are legally protected, he raised a practical concern: what options are available when these trees begin to obstruct or limit the use of privately-owned land?

The question sparked an engaging discussion on the balance between environmental protection and landowner rights, bringing into focus what the law, particularly the Revised Forestry Code (Presidential Decree No. 705), actually provides.

So what does the law say?

(GRC)

14/02/2026

𝗠𝗦𝗡 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗣𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 (𝗭𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗡)

IBA, ZAMBALES—The Marine Protected Areas Support Network (MSN) concluded its Zambales North Cluster capacity-building initiative with a Network Effectiveness Assessment Tool (NEAT) Orientation and Workshop for the ZAMPAN (Zambales MPA Network) on February 12, 2026, at Bakasyunan Resort and Conference Center in Iba, Zambales.

Conducted under MSN’s Partnerships for the Philippine National Marine 30x30 Target Project, the activity brought together representatives from municipal LGUs, the Provincial Local Government Unit–Provincial Agriculture Office (PLGU-PAGO), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to assess and strengthen the effectiveness of ZAMPAN.

Setting the tone for the discussion, Project Manager Sheila Albasin drew insights on the significance of protecting Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in marine conservation noting that there are several identified marine KBAs in Zambales.

Jane dela Cruz, DENR representative, shared that Zambales is part of the CABATALES (Cavite, Bataan, Zambales) Marine Protected Area Network for Marine Turtle Conservation. She said that three species of marine turtles are present in Zambales. With this, Albasin reiterated how an effectively-managed network is crucial to the protection of threatened and endangered species.

Building on this perspective, Technical Assistant Jethro Carlo P. Quijano outlined the objectives of the workshop and provided a refresher on the NEAT. He emphasized that monitoring and evaluation are essential components of the adaptive management cycle and that the results of assessments are meant to inform the management plan, address identified gaps, and promote accountability across the network.

An overview of ZAMPAN was presented by Edwin R. Domingo, Senior Aquaculturist of the Office of the Provincial Agriculture, PLGU Zambales, highlighting its formation to strengthen coordination among municipalities managing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The Office of the Provincial Agriculture serves as the network’s secretariat, facilitating communication and regular meetings.

Masinloc Senior Environmental Management Specialist, Emerlinda Dizon, facilitated the workshop with a reminder that both MEAT and NEAT use consensus-based scoring, meaning that the members of the management body must agree on the final score per criteria. She reminded that indicators for each evaluation criteria should be scored based on the presence or absence of requirements, reinforcing objectivity and shared understanding in the evaluation process.

Dizon further emphasized that a network’s primary role remains the harmonization of policies and the conduct of joint activities, particularly among adjacent municipalities whose regulations must align to ensure effective and consistent marine conservation.

The workshop also served as an opportunity for MSN representatives to encourage ZAMPAN members to participate in Para el MAR 2027, an invitation that was met with enthusiasm.

By the end of the session, participants had collectively assessed ZAMPAN’s current status and identified practical steps to further enhance governance, coordination, and monitoring systems.

With the North Cluster activities completed, MSN will proceed with the South Cluster workshop later this month, continuing efforts to build stronger, more effective marine protected area management across Zambales.

By Genea Rupert Claire (GRC)
Photos| Sheila Albasin, GRC, Jethro Carlo P. Quijano, Romelyn Riveral, Cristina Valdez

12/02/2026

| 𝗠𝗦𝗡’𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗣𝗔 𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

“Ano ang mas maganda: isang malaking MPA o maraming maliliit na MPA?”

This thought-provoking question was asked by an AGHAM (Advocates of Science and Technology for the People) representative directly to Mr. Ruperto C. Apilado, Bantay Dagat Chairman of the Municipality of Candelaria.

Mr. Apilado shared this question with participants of the Marine Protected Area Management Effectiveness Assessment Tool (MPA MEAT) Workshop for Zambales LGUs, held on February 11, 2026, to spark discussion on effective marine protection strategies.

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.

(GRC)

12/02/2026

𝗠𝗦𝗡 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗣𝗔 𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝗚𝗨𝘀

IBA, ZAMBALES—The Marine Protected Areas Support Network (MSN) through its project, Partnerships for the Philippine National Marine 30x30 Target, conducted its first Marine Protected Area Management Effectiveness Assessment Tool (MPA MEAT) Workshop of the year held on February 11, 2026, at Bakasyunan Resort and Conference Center in Iba, Zambales.

The workshop gathered representatives from the municipalities of Masinloc, Candelaria, Iba, Sta. Cruz, Palauig, and Botolan, reinforcing inter-municipal collaboration in strengthening Marine Protected Area (MPA) management across the province.

The Partnerships for the Philippine National Marine 30x30 Target Project is being implemented by a consortium of 5 MSN members: Marine Environment and Resources Foundation, Inc., Conservation International Philippines, Rare Philippines, Oceana Philippines, and WWF-Philippines, and funded by the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors through the Oceans 5 Consortium and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Ocean Fund.

The activity marks the beginning of a series of capacity-building initiatives that MSN aims to conduct throughout 2026.

The session was facilitated by Masinloc Senior Environmental Management Specialist, Emerlinda Dizon with Project Manager Sheila Albasin serving as co-facilitator alongside Technical Assistant Jethro Carlo P. Quijano.

Albasin opened the program with an overview of the Philippines’ 30x30 Target Project, emphasizing the importance of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and the contribution of locally-managed MPAs and the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) in protecting these KBAs and towards achieving our commitment to the 30x30 target. She highlighted how strengthening local MPA management contributes to national and global biodiversity conservation commitments.

Quijano followed with a discussion on the background and fundamentals of the MPA MEAT, particularly for participants newly introduced to the tool. He clarified that “Marine Protected Area” is a general term that encompasses fish sanctuaries, reserves, and refuges. He also underscored the importance of systematic monitoring and evaluation in ensuring that MPAs achieve both ecological and community benefits.

Dizon then guided participants through each section of the MPA MEAT, allowing them to assess and score their respective MPAs. She provided detailed explanations and practical examples, carefully distinguishing between threshold questions—which determine the MPA’s management level—and criteria questions that measure the extent of management efforts and effectiveness.

The first day concluded with Quijano highlighting the Philippine MPA Database website and Genea Rupert Claire (IEC Specialist, MERF-MSN) promoting the MSN page.

For local government units and anyone interested in conducting MPA MEAT and/or Network Effectiveness. Assessment Tool (NEAT) workshops, and want to request PDF copies of the tools, representatives are encouraged to coordinate with the MSN Secretariat through the MSN page or via email at [email protected].

By Genea Rupert Claire (GRC)
Photos| GRC, Cristina Valdez, Sheila Albasin, Romelyn Riveral

03/02/2026

In celebration of World Wetlands Day, Mangrove Matters PH, with the support of the Global Mangrove Alliance Philippines, is organizing a youth-led webinar via Facebook Live on February 4, 2026.

The webinar brings together voices from policy, law, and conservation.

Kisha Muaña will discuss the "National Wetlands Conservation Bill" highlighting its importance in safeguarding our wetlands.

Atty. Nikka Oquias will share insights on the "National Coastal Greenbelt Bill" and its role in strengthening coastal resilience.

Jun Rey Tabarno will take about the "Las Piñas Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP): A Ramsar Site in Metro Manila."

Deign Soriano will explore the state and significance of "Freshwater Ecosystems in the Philippines."

The webinar will be hosted by Ney Cortez of Mangrove Matters PH.

This event celebrates cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and the eco-warriors on the frontlines of conservation and protection.

31/12/2025

Sa pagsalubong ng bagong taon, isang malaking SALAMAT sa ating coastal communities, partners, at local champions. Ang inyong dedikasyon ang tunay na lakas ng marine conservation.

Masaganang Bagong Taon, Kasabay ng Mahinahong Alon🌊💙

Visuals courtesy from Jeffrey Legara
Edited by Genea Rupert Claire
Closing shot from Jude Marino
Music/SFX ©Pixabay