The WPU and the WPS: The Birth of ICWPS
The Western Philippines University (WPU) has been actively involved in research and development efforts on the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) since 2004. In April 2002, the Municipality of Kalayaan launched the Kalayaan Discovery Tour to introduce the municipality to the public. During the 2004 tour, a group of WPU researchers conducted marine studies on the island. This was followed by a fish census study in April 2006, carried out by the university in the shallow reefs of the island. In 2008, WPU conducted an island biodiversity expedition survey commissioned by the Municipality of Kalayaan. The 23-day survey, conducted from April 28 to May 21, was carried out aboard the 15-meter municipal pump boat “Otso-Otso.”
During the university’s strategic planning in 2012, WPU recognized that its research and development efforts were primarily concentrated on the northern and eastern parts of Palawan, with limited interventions in the southern and western coasts. Dr. Benjamin J. Gonzales, then Vice President for Research, Development, and Extension (RDE), pointed out this gap, emphasizing that WPU’s sustainable development initiatives needed to expand westward, particularly toward the West Philippine Sea (WPS). With the full support of the university administration, WPU increased its focus on this region, acknowledging its vast and valuable resources.
To solidify its commitment, WPU established Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) with the Municipality of Kalayaan for the joint implementation of various projects. Since then, the university has undertaken numerous initiatives on Palawan’s west coast in collaboration with non-government organizations (NGOs), local government units (LGUs), the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI), among others.
One significant effort was WPU’s close collaboration with the Municipality of Kalayaan and its partners in 2018 to develop a Tourism Development Plan. As part of this initiative, marine resources on Pag-asa Island were reassessed for monitoring. The findings from this assessment played a crucial role in shaping the Municipal Tourism Plan, particularly in guiding the sustainable development of the island’s marine areas.
Furthermore, with the approval of its Board of Regents, WPU allocated an annual budget to internally fund research and extension activities on Palawan’s western coast. This included hosting the International Conference on the West Philippine Sea (ICWPS) every two years. The first conference was held in 2014, followed by the second in 2016 in partnership with Malampaya Foundation Inc., the third in 2018 in collaboration with the Protect Wildlife Project-USAID, and the most recent in 2023, in partnership with the Fish Right Project, Gerry Roxas Foundation-USAID, and Tanggol Kalikasan.
Through these initiatives, WPU continues to play a crucial role in marine conservation, sustainable development, and policy advocacy in the West Philippine Sea. Its commitment to research, collaboration, and environmental protection reinforces its position as a leading institution in addressing the challenges and opportunities in this vital maritime region.
