The world is in a state of climate emergency and developing countries, although low emitters, are the most affected. The Philippines, for instance, has been experiencing high temperatures exacerbated by the El Niño weather phenomenon since March, resulting in class suspensions in different cities across the country. The struggle will continue as extreme weather is also expected in the coming months.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the Philippines will likely experience more tropical cyclones in 2024 than last year. This is due to the potential return of La Niña which will bring stronger trade winds, heavy rainfalls, excessive flooding, or worse, landslides in certain parts of the Philippines. These, among other natural disasters, prompt many Filipino scientists and researchers to come up with ways to mitigate the worsening effects of climate change through research and innovation.

Located in the heart of Cebu City, the University of San Carlos (USC) is a private, Catholic, higher education institution that focuses on developing research projects that would benefit local communities. Administered by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), USC is home to brilliant researchers like Danilo B. Largo, Ma. Kristina O. Paler, and Roland Emerito S. Otadoy. These researchers are working on different projects that aim to understand how local communities can increase resilience to climate change through research, innovation, and collaboration.

Seaweeds as carbon sinks

Danilo Largo, who has a Ph.D. in aquatic environmental science, is known for his works on ice-ice disease of the red seaweeds, Eucheuma and Kappaphycus. Products from these seaweeds are used in food and beverages, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries, among others. Currently, as head of the Marine Biology Section, he is working on developing several culture techniques for the mass propagation of local species of Sargassum for both fishery stock enhancement and harvestable crops for industry applications.

Seaweed cultivation, however, is more than just a source of functional foods. They are also carbon sinks. Seaweeds, like other plants, absorb carbon dioxide and convert it to biomass which helps control its increasing amount in our atmosphere. Use of wide-scale seaweed farming is an important carbon sequestration measure against global warming and climate change, especially in climate-vulnerable countries such as the Philippines.

Battling with plastic pollution

The University of San Carlos’ environmental research does not end with seaweeds. It also extends to the study of plastic pollution, particularly its drivers, pressure, state, and impact. This is where Ma. Kristina Paler, who has a doctorate in environmental science, comes in. The Philippines has been tagged as among the top contributors of plastics to the marine environment. This is largely due to the country’s growing population, rising incomes and consumption, inadequate infrastructure, and weak regulations. Considering the significant role that the Philippines plays in this global issue, researchers like Dr. Paler are working towards demystifying the problem at the local level to bring about a national and global understanding of how communities, businesses, and governments can work together.

Currently, she is working on three projects, namely: (1) South East Asia Marine Plastics (SEAmap): Reduction, Control, and Mitigation of Marine Plastic Pollution in the Philippines; (2) riverine plastic inputs into the marine environment; and (3) development of chitosan-based bioplastic from shrimp waste. All these aim to understand the complexity of plastic pollution in the country and, therefore, mitigate the issue by coming up with plausible solutions that can be implemented across the plastic value chain within and outside the Philippines.

Addressing flooding amidst heavy rains

Complementing the above-mentioned projects is Roland Otadoy’s work on flood modeling, flood risk assessment, and natural resources mapping using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data. Dr. Otadoy holds a doctorate in physics and is an expert in remote sensing and imaging as well as computational physics. 

For the past few years, Metro Cebu has experienced frequent flooding events due to torrential rains. Located in the Western Pacific Typhoon Belt, the Philippines is constantly threatened by typhoons and torrential rains. This has now been exacerbated by global warming, resulting in extreme rainfall and increased flooding in major cities. As head of the USC Center for Geoinformatics and Environmental Solutions (CenGES), Dr. Otadoy is leading the research program, Smart City Solution to Urban Flooding (SMART TURF) which includes Project POSTe. In essence, the project is developing an integrated modular design called a POSTe kit which consists of a rain gauge, water level sensor, and early warning devices attached to a post or other existing structure to monitor flood levels.

Dr. Otadoy’s work also extends to fresh groundwater in the small islands of the Philippines, particularly in Bantayan Island located in the northwestern tip of Cebu Province. Given its pristine waters and natural resources, Bantayan is undergoing rapid development with tourism, fish, and poultry industries driving economic growth. The island, however, has a limited supply of freshwater as it only depends on groundwater raising concerns about sustainability. This even becomes more problematic as climate change and El Niño are factored in.

Accordingly, Dr. Otadoy aims to understand the dynamics of the freshwater lens through a network of monitoring of wells which is a crucial step in providing solutions to water problems not just in Bantayan Island, but for the rest of the islands in the Philippines encountering similar challenges. Dr. Largo, Dr. Paler, and Dr. Otadoy are just some of the many Filipino researchers who join thousands of scientists around the world in coming up with plausible solutions to attain climate justice through scientific research.

While government policies are important, research serves as the basic foundation for understanding human-environmental interaction and its implications on global warming and climate change. For its part, the University of San Carlos’ research programs, with the support of the SVD, continue to play a crucial role in understanding the causes of climate change and how to mitigate its effects in the local communities and beyond.

As of February 2024, the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold has already been reached, signifying the need to push for drastic measures before climate change becomes unstoppable. Therefore, climate justice is no longer an option but a duty to the next generation.

This is what Education with a Mission now stands for.

Source: USC