DOST-NRCP, CarSU Engage Stakeholders to Strengthen Agusan Marsh Protection
The Department of Science and Technology and Caraga State University convened stakeholders in Agusan Marsh to discuss projects on health and environmental sustainability aimed at strengthening community well-being and wetland protection.
Recognized internationally as a Ramsar Wetland Site of International Importance, Agusan Marsh is one of the most ecologically valuable wetlands in the Philippines. It also drew global attention in 2011 as the habitat of “Lolong,” one of the world’s largest crocodiles ever captured alive.
The stakeholders’ meeting was held on August 27, 2025 at the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary Protected Area Management Office (AMWS-PAMO). Three projects designed to guide policies on ecological protection and public health in the wetland were discussed:
- Surveillance of Water and Snail-Borne Diseases Under Wetland Ecosystem Gradients in Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, Philippines: Implications to Human Health (SWEAM2Health), led by Joycelyn C. Jumawan.
- Mapping and Quantification of Habitat Fragmentation in Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary: A Preliminary Study in a Protected Wetland of the Philippines (MaHFA), led by Dr. Jess H. Jumawan.
- “Heavy Metal Contamination Assessment and Pollution Load Estimation in Aquatic Ecosystem Gradients of Agusan Marsh: Implications to the Safety and Security of the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, led by Dr. Temmy P. Vales.
DOST-NRCP Governing Board member and Chair of the NRCP Division of the Biological Sciences, Dr. Eric Zeus C. Rizo, delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing that open communication and collaboration with stakeholders are key to project success.
CarSu project leaders Dr. Joycelyn C. Jumawan, Dr. Jess H. Jumawan, and Dr. Temmy P. Vales presented the rationale, objectives, methodologies, and expected outcomes of their respective projects, giving stakeholders a clear understanding of how the initiative aim to support both community health and wetland conservation.
Key stakeholders from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region XIII, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Region XIII, and various Manobo clans residing within the marsh shared their expectations and expressed commitment to supporting the projects.
Prior to stakeholders’ meeting, the DOST-NRCP monitoring team representatives, Mr. Nhikerr M. Morota, Science Research Specialist II; Ms. Jonna P. Gofredo, Project Technical Assistant IV; and Ms. Myra R. Baldiviano, Project Administrative Assistant attended the engagement and facilitated the inception and monitoring meetings with CarSU project leaders, project team, and key administrative personnel to ensure alignment on technical, administrative, and reporting requirements for smooth project implementation.
Meanwhile, Dr. Rizo emphasized the importance of the inception meeting as a platform to review the DOST Grants-in-Aid (GIA) guidelines.
Through multi-sector collaboration and stakeholder engagement, the initiatives aim to strengthen Agusan Marsh’s ecological resilience and biodiversity conservation. (Kareena Ynez A. Abungin, S&T Media Service)
