PAGTAOBTHE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MCKEOUGH MARINE CENTER XAVIER UNIVERSITY DEC 2013 - JUNE 2014 2 - ISSUE VOLUME PAGTAOB is a Visayan term for the rising of the tide. Every flood of the tide brings with it new “The dive could have felt nutrients and other important components that sustain like any other first the numerous denizens in the intertidal zone. Just like deep dive, but the nutrients that are being brought in, information is also FIRST DIVE TO somehow it was vital for marine scientists. BENHAM RISE! special, because as far This newsletter aims to update By Ria Duana A. Roble as you know, no one has the XU community and our partners on the different been there before.” programs and activities of the McKeough Marine Center. ~ Patrice Roa-Chio INSIDE THIS he United Nations Convention on the Law of the speak,” Quimpo said. Difficulties were encountered ISSUE Sea (UNCLOS) officially confirmed that Benham in the dive trip because the area was beyond the Rise, a 13-million-hectare underwater plateau, recreational and open circuit scuba diving limits. First dive to T 1 off the coast of Aurora and is bigger than Luzon is now Resources are abundant (energy, food, water, etc.) but Benham Rise! part of the Philippine continental shelf and territory studies must be done to further know and emphasize Ang Panagtagbo sa 2 on April 12, 2012, three years after it has been solely their value. Tigbantay sa Lasang, claimed by the country. It was named after an American Suba ug Dagat geologist who discovered it, Andrew Benham, way back “The impact is not only on the resources but I believe XU opens marine 3 in 1933. on the morale of future Filipino explorers and scientists. station in Jasaan But resource-wise, it all depends on how this Two senior researchers from Xavier University - generation will utilize this speculated availability, which Study tour in 4 McKeough Marine Center namely, Fra-and Timothy can either make this country richer or make it even SEAFDEC Quimpo and Patrice Bianca Roa-Chio joined a poorer than ever,” Chio remarked. Celebrating the Month 5 team of researchers and divers in an expedition to of the Ocean 2014 Benham Rise on May 3-17. The team was led by Dr. The depths of the Benham Rise are dangerous and Hildie Nacorda of the University of the Philippines unpredictable, however, being part of the first team Enhancing Resiliency 6 Los Baños-School of Environmental Science and to explore our country’s newly-acquired territory is to Climate Change in Management (UPLB-SESAM). Other participants undeniably rewarding. T Macajalar Bay were from UP-Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Photos from Dr. Hildie Nacorda and Fra-and Timothy Quimpo UPLB-SESAM and Institute of Biological Sciences, UP Mindanao, UP Baguio and Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU). The team reached, for the first time, the 50-m deep Benham Bank, the shallowest part of Benham Rise. “From the many marine biologists and scientists in the Philippines, there were only a handful of us chosen to be part of the expedition so it was really an honor to be part of the exploratory team of Benham Rise, being the first to see and grab the bottom of Benham so to Fra-and Quimpo (left) and Patrice Chio (right) take a pose underwater. The KGVs listen as an MMC staff explains a marine organism. Datu Macmac (right most) shares his experiences on forest protection. ANG PANAGTAGBO SA TIGBANTAY SA LASANG, SUBA UG DAGAT (The convergence of the custodians of the mountains, river and the sea) The participants enjoy the river cruise along the By Ria Duana A. Roble and Warwin O. Sabasaje Cagayan de Oro River. s humans, we are essentially linked For the coastal and marine areas, an on- characteristics of Mt. Kitanglad and Mt. with nature. What we do to our site exposure and a short lecture on the Kalatungan at Central Mindanao University Aenvironment significantly affects the different marine resources (giant clams, (CMU). Introducing some sustainable farming nature’s balance. The slew of environmental seagrass, seaweeds, macroinvertebrates, strategies and proper management practices, problems nowadays have challenged us fishes, corals and mangroves), including they went to Unifruti farm in Valencia City, to do our part, enforcing programs and a brief demonstration on how to wear the Cinchona eagle nest site and Binahon actions for the conservation of our natural snorkeling were conducted by the MMC staff. Agroforestry Farm in Malaybalay City. ecosystems, and maintaining it to develop Participants explored the coastal barangays better and sustainable resources. of Laguindingan, MisOr and look for ways on The six-day activity started with a sacred how to manage and utilize their resources, ritual called “Pamuhat Alang sa Kinaiyahan: Different programs in our region had already and develop livelihood opportunities for the Pamumulakaw” held in Talakag-Dansolihon started to preserve and develop the natural coastal community. boundary, participated in by various ecosystem and prevent further damage to indigenous people community and leaders the remaining forest and aquatic resources. A river cruise for the group took place at the of Higaonon tribe with the presence of Learning exposure trips to the different areas Cagayan de Oro River hosted by a member Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma SJ, DD. It in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental were held of the CDORBMC, the Safer River Life culminated at the Perrine Farm in Manolo on March 7-12 which gave the participants a Saver Foundation, Inc. (SRLSF). The tour Fortich, Bukidnon. realization that all their efforts in maintaining started near Liceo de Cagayan University and protecting their respective areas of (LdCU) all the way to the river mouth and To wrap up the whole learning exposure, responsibilities are all interconnected through back, witnessing the people dwelling along a series of talks, sharing of individual the ridge-river-reef (R3) landscape principle. the riverbanks as well as the ruins brought experiences and practices in protecting and about by Typhoon Sendong. Rehabilitation conserving the environment were done at Different resource managers joined the and research works in the area were also the end of each trip. The cross visit was activity: the Kitanglad Guards Volunteers explained during the tour. indeed a huge success! Coastal protection (KGVs) of Kitanglad Integrated NGOs (KIN) is ineffective if the river and upland areas for the forest and watersheds, Cagayan Bukidnon was their last stop wherein the are taken for granted, thus, there must de Oro River Basin Management Council participants ventured on the planted trees be solidarity among all the environmental (CDORBMC) for the river; and the Macajalar in the Center for Ecological Development guardians to combat the threats of Bay Development Alliance (MBDA) and and Recreation (CEDAR) including its destruction caused by natural and man-made McKeough Marine Center (MMC) for the characteristics and uses. The KGVs also calamities. T coastal area. imparted their efforts and interventions on forest management. The participants also attended a lecture on the biophysical Vol 2 - Issue 2: PAGTAOB 2 XU OPENS MARINE STATION IN JASAAN By Ria Duana A. Roble “ ou cannot be a Jesuit University if source of baseline information for present The blessing and inauguration of the marine you don’t have a clear environmental and future studies,” said Fr. Mars Tan SJ, station was attended by the members of Yprogram,” said Xavier University MMC director. the Macajalar Bay Development Alliance president Fr. Bobby Yap SJ, emphasizing that (MBDA), local government units (LGUs) of caring for the environment is part of the Jesuit In addition, the marine station serves as: (1) Misamis Oriental, the Bureau of Fisheries and mission. a facility to propel the awareness of the local Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the Philippine communities and schools in the Municipality Coast Guard (PCG), Samdhana Institute, XU With the University’s expanding approach of Jasaan and nearby towns on coastal Marine Biology alumni, MMC staff and other on research and outreach work, XU and marine conservation, (2) a venue for members of the XU community. formally inaugurated the XU Marine Station hatchery for the mass culture and farming of in Barangay Solana, Jasaan, Misamis marine resources such as sea urchin and sea As the kick-off activity of the marine station Oriental on May 6. It will be managed by the cucumber, (3) a nesting site for the sea turtles was successfully held, it will now cater McKeough Marine Center (MMC). (Eretmochelys imbricata – a Hawksbill turtle) various resources to help students and considering that the unique characteristic of researchers obtain a higher level of learning, Intended to support courses in Biology and sea turtles is to go back and lay eggs from and to aid them in their mission to rally for Marine Biology, classes could be held here where they have been hatched. sustainability not only in the coastal and for on-site lectures and fieldwork, and to aquatic areas but for the environment as a conduct small-scale experiments for research Aside from being a research facility, the whole. T studies of students with undergraduate or marine station has other functional structures graduate theses. such as a multi-purpose hall, a dormitory and several cottages for trainings, meetings and “MMC has already generated 3D bathymetric other capacity-building activities. and resource map of the coastal site as a XU McKeough Marine Center (MMC) 3 MARINE CORNER Scientists extract the blue blood of the horseshoe crab in a STUDY TOUR AT SEAFDEC laboratory. (A still shot from the PBS Nature documentary By Czarmayne T. Escoro “Crash: A Tale of Two Species”) ncluded in the Macajalar Bay Development cultured organisms.