UP MSI showcases research in Arribada 2025

FEATURED PHOTO: THE FACES OF MARINE SCIENCE. The faculty, students, alumni, and staff of UP MSI at Arribada 2025.

The UP Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) hosted a celebration of science and community in this year’s Arribada, which featured the research of UP MSI’s graduate students through oral presentations, poster presentations, and even memes. The annual research festival was held on March 28, 2025 with the theme “Currents of Knowledge: Advancing Marine Science for a Sustainable Future for Filipinos”.

Wisdom was passed from older generations to the new as retired Justice Antonio Carpio opened the event with a keynote presentation on how historical maps and treaties establish the Philippines’ territorial claims over the Spratlys and Scarborough Shoal. 

This was followed by plenary talks from former-MSI professionals. Dr. Mary Beth Bacano-Maningas discussed early disease diagnosis in shrimp using LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) platform and RNA interference to enhance shrimp aquaculture sustainability. Dr. Richard Mualil shared his experiences on how science, together with traditional ecological knowledge, fostered a more inclusive and sustainable approach to coastal resource management in Tawi-Tawi. Dr. Wilfredo “Al” Licuanan described the impact of 2024, the warmest year on record, on hard coral cover and richness in Lian, Batangas, and how these threats and trends show the importance of establishing a coordinated monitoring system to guide coral reef conservation and management. 

The book Saribuhay Laut: A Glimpse of Philippine Marine Biodiversity was also launched, highlighting UP MSI’s research efforts in the past 50 years.

This year’s Arribada featured six oral presentations and 19 poster presentations representing UP MSI’s three academic specializations. Chris Toyado was recognized for delivering the Best Oral Presentation with his research, “One way to make a hypersaline lagoon: The case of Laguna de Bai, Philippines, 5,500 to 5,000 years before present.” 

Other awardees were:

• Leah Marie Mahomoc and Fraulein Calumpiano for Best Poster Presentation, Marine Biology: “Molecular phylogenies unveil the taxonomic identity of two undescribed species in the Tribe Laurencieae (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) from Northwestern Luzon, Philippines”
• Kristel Joyce Occeña for Best Poster Presentation, Marine Physical Sciences: “Water quality conditions during the June 2024 fish kill event in Pangasinan”
• Franches Rigel Jalos for Best Poster Presentation, Marine Biotechnology: “Assessing the neuroactivity of Philippine seaweed extracts”
• Ryan Hechanova for Best Research Meme
• Gerard Paul Chan for 2nd Best Research Meme

Arribada 2025 also marks UP MSI’s 51st Founding Anniversary. The event ended with a community celebration shared with students, faculty, and staff.

Arribada is hosted annually for the institute’s diverse laboratories to present their research work to their peers in different fields. It is fittingly named for the Spanish term describing mass nesting events for sea turtles.

Read through the Arribada 2025 Book of Abstracts here:
bit.ly/Arribada2025_BookOfAbstracts