A marine scientist who has made Negros Oriental his home has been awarded the 2024 Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation by the prestigious US-based Pew Charitable Trusts.
Dr. Rene Abesamis, now associate professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman–Marine Science Institute, will receive $150,000 over the three-year fellowship to support his work on enhancing local capacity to identify and protect climate-resilient coral reefs in the central Philippines.
Dr. Abesamis and five other scientists from Canada, Denmark, China, the United Kingdom, and the US were selected by an international committee of marine science experts after a rigorous nomination and review process.
“The world’s oceans have never been under greater threat. Humankind relies on healthy oceans in countless ways,” said Susan K. Urahn, Pew’s president and CEO in a statement. “These talented scientists are working to conserve and protect marine species and habitats across the globe—from Africa’s coasts to the coral reefs of the western Pacific Ocean.”
Abesamis joins the ranks of only three other Filipinos who were previously awarded for their work: his mentor National Scientist Angel C. Alcala in 1999, National Scientist Edgardo D. Gomez in 2001, and Academician Jurgenne H. Primavera in 2005.
Recognizing the importance of coral reefs to coastal communities, Abesamis will work with local and national stakeholders to identify and strengthen protection of climate-resilient coral reefs in two marine protected area networks in the Philippines.
“Negros Oriental and Occidental will still be my study region for this three-year grant,” the new Pew Fellow said.
“Identifying and protecting coral reefs in the Philippines that are more resilient to the impacts of climate change is crucial because coastal communities in this region are highly dependent on coral reefs for food and livelihood,” he added.
Dr. Abesamis gained prominence in 2021 for warning the Dumaguete government against its P23 billion offshore reclamation project which aimed to add 174 hectares of reclaimed land to the coastline:
“There is no doubt in my mind that is going to be a monumental ecological disaster. It’s going to be this tomb for marine ecosystems. It’s going to be this underwater tomb,” Abesamis said on national TV.
The marine scientist had cautioned the local government against the massive scale of the reclamation “equivalent to maybe 4,000 basketball courts, 10 Lunetas [Park], and would occupy 85 percent of Dumaguete’s coastline” and its impact on the marine ecosystem.
Now working in two marine-protected area networks in the South Negros Marine Key Biodiversity Area, Dr. Abesamis will train people in the community to survey and assess reefs, as well as streamline processes for sharing information with environmental managers.
He said he will also map resilient reef sites in central Philippines by developing indicators like coral diversity and reef fish abundance.
He will collaborate with local scientists and residents of coastal communities to train citizen scientists to conduct surveys, and collect data needed to identify reefs that are likely to do better than others in the face of climate change.
Emphasizing on the key role of local stakeholders, Dr. Abesamis said he will put them at the heart of his work, and inform them with the best available science.
Results of his project will be used to inform the country’s National Coral Reef Strategy, and its goal to protect at least 30 percent of its marine territory by 2030.
“I hope this work will clearly demonstrate how local stakeholders from various backgrounds and occupations can meaningfully contribute to identifying and protecting climate-resilient reefs,” Dr. Abesamis said.
“I also hope the experience from this research will be useful to policymakers at the national level,” he added.
Abesamis will have a three-day cohort workshop in Europe in June. The new Fellows will also be attending the annual meetings for the first three years.
The Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation, with more than 200 Fellows from 42 countries, supports mid-career scientists and experts from around world to advance knowledge and innovation in ocean protection. Founded in 1948, the Pew Charitable Trusts is an independent, non-profit global research and public policy organization with interests in: communities, conservation, finance & economy, governance, and health. Its vision is to “serve the public interest by improving public policy, informing the public, and invigorating civic life”. (With reports from UP MSI)
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Photo Caption: Dr. Rene Abesamis takes notes underwater on the appearance of a coral reef while diving in the Philippines.
