Newsletter: West Philippine Sea and Benham Bank soft corals are among most diverse in the world

[THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE]

FEATURED PHOTO: The pulse coral Xenia sp. in Puerto Galera, Occidental Mindoro.

Soft corals, which are members of the class Octocorallia, are major components of marine ecosystems, including coral reefs. They are known to contribute to reef complexity and serve as habitats for many organisms. They also have potential economic benefits, such as being sources of compounds that can be used for making medicine, and due to their beautiful colors and shapes, they also add to the aesthetic of many tourist diving sites around the world. 

Newsletter: UP Professors Urge Long-term Monitoring of West Philippine Sea Resources

[THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE]

By: Eunice Jean Patron

The ongoing dispute over the West Philippine Sea between China and the Philippines hinders Filipino scientists from conducting scientific work in Philippine territory, but something can still be done.

Guest speakers of the SCIENCE x WPS forum held on May 13, 2024 (Photo credit: Craig Soroño).

The University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) facilitated a public forum titled SCIENCE X WPS: Opportunities and Challenges for Scientists in the West Philippine Sea on May 13, 2024. During the public forum, UP professors discussed the current geopolitical and ecological situation in the West Philippine Sea, as well as strategies that scientists and researchers can use to protect and preserve the sea’s marine resources.