The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has broken ground for the first Marine Scientific Research Station (MSRS) in Central Luzon, aimed at strengthening the sustainable management of Aurora province’s rich coastal and marine ecosystems.
Located on a 1,000-square-meter site in Barangay Dibacong, Casiguran, the MSRS will serve as a key hub for scientific research, ecological monitoring, and policy development. It will focus on protecting vital marine resources, including coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and marine wildlife habitats.
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga led the groundbreaking ceremony and highlighted the station’s role in advancing evidence-based governance and regional collaboration for climate resilience and biodiversity conservation.
“Our vision is clear: this station will become a beacon for marine research in the region. It will strengthen local capacities, foster partnerships, and generate knowledge to support transformative action,” Loyzaga said. “Through aligned national and regional research efforts, the MSRS will contribute to both Philippine and global conservation goals.”
Aurora, situated along Luzon’s eastern seaboard, lies within the Coral Triangle — considered the global center of marine biodiversity and dubbed the “Amazon of the seas.” The station will support sustainable fisheries, coastal protection, and climate adaptation measures, while also providing economic and cultural benefits to local communities.
Loyzaga emphasized the importance of conducting baseline studies and exploring adaptive habitat restoration methods. “This facility will provide critical data for informed decision-making and help us respond to climate threats and ecosystem degradation,” she added.
DENR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo said the MSRS reflects the agency’s commitment to science-based strategies. “It will deepen our understanding of marine ecosystems and guide sustainable management initiatives across the region,” Pablo said.
The MSRS in Aurora will focus on the North Philippine Sea and the Philippines Rise Marine Resource Reserve. It is one of six marine research stations to be established nationwide, with others planned in Cagayan Valley, Eastern Samar, Zamboanga, and Sarangani.
Also present at the ceremony were Aurora Lone District Representative Rommel Angara, Governor Reynante Tolentino, Casiguran Mayor Roynald Soriano, Aurora State College of Technology President Renato Reyes, Daloy ng Buhay, Inc. President Paul David Watts, and DENR officials including Undersecretaries Juan Miguel Cuna and Augusto Dela Peña.
