A partnership between the national government, the Australian government and non-government organizations (NGOs) launched a fellowship program to bridge marine scientific research with policymakers toward protecting the Philippine seas.

During the Manginhas launch event on Monday, the NGO Asia Foundation awarded a fellowship to 20 professionals composed of marine scientists and government executives as part of the Kalalawdan Fellowship Program.

The fellowship seeks to develop champions for the Philippine seas by having them undergo a series of immersive workshops that would enhance their understanding of marine scientific research and policymaking.

These individuals would focus on four policy research areas —marine scientific research, marine protected areas, the institutionalization of the National Academic Research Fleet (NARFleet) and sea lanes and climate change impact.

One of its goals is to establish a marine protected area in the West Philippine Sea.

The fellowship program is part of Project Nexus, a program that aims to bridge the gap between science and policy by fostering collaboration between scientists and policymakers.

Project Nexus is a partnership between the national government, the Asia Foundation through the Waypoints Project, the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, and the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation, Inc., with support from the Australian government.

In her message, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu said international laws are currently “being challenged” all the time, necessitating “robust, sustainable, and resilient” policies.

“How? We need science and data-driven policies. We should not rely on anecdotal stories. We need to look at the science of every situation to build strong evidence for the policy we put forward,” Yu said.

She underscored the need for matching scientists with policymakers.

“We need policymakers to have the mindset of asking what is the data this policy needs?” she said.

During the event, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga said the Philippines has some of the best environmental laws yet disasters can still occur.

“Who decides, who prioritizes, develops, and maintains our survival as an archipelagic country?” Loyzaga said.

The Kalalawdan Fellowship, she said, would generate a “cohort of system thinkers” by mentoring individuals who would have the role of solution seekers in the government and marine scientific research. (PNA)