29/04/2026
๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐: ๐
๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐๐ฉ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐
LIBERTAD, ANTIQUE โ Long before the sun fully rose over the coastline, Fisheries Management students from the University of Antique were already gearing upโnot for a typical field class, but for an immersive experience that blurred the line between classroom learning and community-driven science.
Through a Citizen Science Training on Ecosystem Assessment, students found themselves working side by side with local stakeholders, diving into the realities of coastal resource monitoring in Libertad, Antique. The initiative, spearheaded by the Peace Corps volunteers, the Local Government Unit of Libertad, and Rare Philippines, brought together science, community, and conservation in a shared mission.
At the heart of the training were three vital marine ecosystems: seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and coral reefsโeach offering its own lessons, challenges, and stories.
Students were divided into groups and paired with members of the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Management Boards from Libertadโs coastal barangays. This pairing transformed the activity into more than just a trainingโit became a collaboration between future fisheries professionals and current stewards of the sea.
In the seagrass ecosystem, participants learned the meticulous process of laying transects and estimating percent cover, guided by mentors including Keith Andrei V. Castillo, Ms. Ceara Rush, Ms. Sarah Mae Embac, and Ms. Alyssa Renee Dagala. Kneeling in shallow waters under the morning sun, students quickly realized that these seemingly simple underwater plants play a complex and critical role in coastal productivity.
Further inland, the mangrove group navigated muddy substrates and dense root systems under the mentorship of Mr. Roderick Nacionales, Maโam Ma. Clarissa Rendon, Ms. Rowan Obach, and Mr. Mark Edsel Rendon. Here, the conversation shifted to coastal protection, biodiversity, and the silent resilience of mangrove ecosystems that buffer communities from storms and erosion.
Meanwhile, in deeper waters, the coral reef team conducted reef assessments guided by Dr. Garner Algo L. Alolod, Ms. Anya Kirshner, Ms. Lovella Mae Magluyan, and Mrs. Eda Antonette Unlayao-Ramos. Equipped with snorkeling gear and transect, students documented coral conditionsโwitnessing firsthand both the beauty and vulnerability of reef systems.
What made the experience distinct was not just the exposure to these ecosystems, but the citizen science approach itself. Data collection was not confined to scientists aloneโit was shared with community members who are directly connected to these resources. In this space, knowledge flowed both ways: students offered technical methods, while local participants shared lived experiences of environmental change.
For many students, this was their first time applying theoretical knowledge in a real-world setting where accuracy matteredโnot just for grades, but for management decisions that impact livelihoods and biodiversity.
Beyond the fieldwork, the training also highlighted the importance of partnerships. The College of Fisheries extended its appreciation to the Peace Corps volunteers, the Local Government Unit of Libertad, and Rare Philippines for facilitating an experience that empowered both students and communities.
Gratitude was likewise expressed to the campus administration for their continued support, led by Porferio S. Bangcaya (Campus Director), Mrs. Juliet D. Salvacion (Director for Administration and Finance), and Dr. Charlene Joy R. Amar (Director for Academic Affairs), whose leadership enables field-based learning opportunities to thrive.
As the tide receded and the dayโs work wrapped up, what remained was more than just data sheets and field notes. The students carried with them a deeper understanding of coastal ecosystemsโand a clearer sense of their role in protecting them.
In Libertad, citizen science was not just taught. It was lived.
