SINCE 1993, the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) has been conducting research on what lies beneath Pag-asa Island — the largest in the Kalayaan Island Group or the Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea.
Last month, UP MSI launched a new page on its website focusing on Pag-asa’s fascinating biodiversity. Scientific studies on the island had often gone through “considerable odds,” since China, Taiwan and Vietnam each claim they own the island — “a speck of green and white, only 37 hectares large” and about 277 miles west of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, with an estimated population of over 400 residents composed of Filipino civilians, fisherfolk and government personnel.
But the website steers clear of any mention of the dispute.
Instead, it points out that “researchers keep returning to Pag-asa (“hope” in Filipino) whenever opportunities arise, inspired by life’s resilience on this remarkable island and its oceanographic and biological connections to the broader region.”
It showcases the marine biodiversity of Pag-asa Island, the timeline of research in the Kalayaan Islands, and the human stories behind the science, inspiring action for the wise management and conservation of its natural resources.
Timeline
1993: The First Step
The first recorded research expedition by UP MSI to Pag-asa Island is accomplished through national and international collaboration efforts.
1997–1999: Early Explorations
Five more research expeditions in the region deepen scientific understanding and establish research continuity.
2000: Permanent Research Presence
The Pag-asa Island Research Station (PIRS) is inaugurated, establishing UP MSI’s permanent research base in the West Philippine Sea.
2001–2016: Period of Scientific Hiatus
A gap in expeditions marks a pause in field research activities.
2017: Reawakening Inter-Agency Collaboration
Maritime responsibilities and national cooperation reawaken scientific interest in the Kalayaan Island Group.
2019: Advancing Ecosystem Connectivity Research
A large-scale expedition focuses on ecological linkages and fisheries implications in the West Philippine Sea.
2021–2022: Strengthening National Marine Research Capacity
Positioning marine scientific research as a concern of national security enables sustained, multidisciplinary, and technology-driven research. UP’s fleet of research vessels grows.
2023: Integrating Ecosystem Valuation and Ocean Monitoring
Biodiversity, biogeochemistry, and ocean monitoring become the foundation for ecosystem accounting and environmental management in the West Philippine Sea.
2025: Integrating Biodiversity Conservation and Blue Carbon Research
Research on marine biodiversity is integrated with carbon sequestration studies to strengthen ecosystem-based conservation and climate resilience strategies.
– Implementation of the “Integrated Research for Biodiversity Conservation and Carbon Sequestration in the West Philippine Sea (BioConSeq-WPS) Program.”
– Aimed to advance biodiversity conservation while quantifying the carbon sequestration potential of coastal ecosystems (blue carbon), particularly seagrass habitats.
– Conducted through two expeditions (February and April), focusing on reef flat ecosystems in Pag-asa Island.
Personal reflections
A humanizing feature of the website is a section dubbed “Letters from Pag-asa,” composed of personal reflections from UP MSI staff.
One is from Dr. Gizelle Batomalaque, a university researcher and advocate of improving biodiversity awareness and science literacy in the country.
She writes: “There were pleasant surprises, which at first seemed unexpected but made much sense after some thought. For one, the elementary school told us that their dropout rate is zero, and students have almost zero absences. Commerce also seemed to be faring well as sari-sari stores lined one of the main streets. Furthermore, our team got wind of a chat group where locals used mainly as an online neighborhood marketplace and occasionally to announce travel advisories and air grievances (e.g., a stolen water jug).
“Through the chat group, we bought donuts, leche flan, and fresh octopus — the first two dishes, one rarely gets to eat when conducting fieldwork. Goods were either delivered to us in PIRS or we had to pick them up at the seller’s residence.
“The latter was better as it allowed us to see more of the residential areas, with no house numbers but with everyone you asked knowing where who lived. In a way, these made us feel like we were not on an isolated island, thousands of kilometers from the Palawan main island.
“This familiarity is comforting because it breaks down preconceived ideas of exoticism of the place and the people. Our interactions and observations with the locals made us realize that island life has parallels, whether you are in Pag-asa, It-bayat (Batanes), Balut (Sarangani), or any small island in the Philippines. Not to invalidate security concerns, but taking aside the geopolitical backdrop, the residents of Pag-asa Island show the [natural] tendency of humans to self-organize and make the most out of their situation.”