OCEANS 5 Project
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Partnerships for the Philippine National Marine 30x30 Target
Funding Agency: Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Program Leader: Michael P. Atrigenio, Ph.D.
Project Duration: October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2026
Partner Organizations: MSN-MERF, Conservation International - Philippines, Oceana, Rare, WWF - Philippines
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Five MSN Members Form Consortium for the Partnerships for the National Marine 30x30 Target Project
For the first time since its founding, the Marine Protected Areas Support Network (MSN), led a consortium for a project entitled "Partnerships for the National Marine 30x30 Target”. The project’s main goal is to assist the Philippine government in determining its national 30x30 commitments. This goal is accomplished by enhancing policy and governance frameworks, bolstering capabilities at the national, sub-national, and local levels, and implementing inclusive, community-led initiatives. Efforts focus on coastal resource protection, biodiversity conservation, and fisheries management, thereby ensuring that all activities are guided by scientific evidence and uphold the principles of community participation, inclusivity, and respect for local rights. This 3-year project started in October 2023 and will end by September 2026. The work is made possible through the support of Oceans 5 and its Bloomberg Ocean Fund and Bloomberg Arcadia Funding Initiative. Oceans 5 is a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
The project involved five (5) of the network’s member institutions, namely: the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation, Inc. (MERF), Conservation International - Philippines (CI-Philippines), Oceana Philippines, Rare Philippines, and the World Wildlife Fund - Philippines (WWF-Philippines). MERF is the main project proponent, with MERF President Dr. Michael P. Atrigenio as the project lead. The consortium members held an inception meeting on November 17, 2023, to discuss key aspects of project implementation and the planned activities of the three-year project. The project was formally launched on March 21, 2024, during the 1st National KBA Workshop, held in Quezon City.
The MSN is a network composed of government and non-government institutions that promotes science-based knowledge to establish and strengthen the performance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Philippines. The network was formally established in 2005 with eight (8) founding members, with MERF as one of the founding members. It has since expanded to 17 members.
Partnerships for the National Marine 30x30 Target Project Year 1 (2023–2024): Laying the Groundwork of Science for Marine Conservation
In its first year of implementation, the project laid critical groundwork to advance the Philippines’ 30x30 commitment by successfully conducting national workshops to review and update the country’s Marine Key Biodiversity Areas (MKBA). These workshops brought together government agencies, technical experts, local stakeholders, and conservation partners from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to build stronger consensus on areas of high biodiversity importance.
The MKBA updating process established an important evidence base for national marine conservation planning. More than a series of technical consultations, the workshops set the stage for stronger biodiversity governance and climate action by connecting science, policy, and on-the-ground conservation needs. The partnerships and information gathered during this founding year continued to support the Philippine 30x30 Target in the years that followed.
Partnerships for the National Marine 30x30 Target Project Year 2 (2024–2025): From Partnerships to Local Action
Building on the scientific and institutional foundations laid in Year 1, the project made significant strides toward achieving conservation priorities by advancing the Panaon Island Protected Seascape (PIPS) in Southern Leyte through R.A. 12238, signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on August 29, 2025. The PIPS covers 612.04 sq km and includes the four municipalities in the island, Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, and San Ricardo in Southern Leyte. Years of stakeholder engagement and technical work led by Oceana secured the protection of PIPS marine resources and the communities that depend on them.
Partnerships also took center stage with the 10th Para el MAR (MPA Awards and Recognition), which brought together marine protected area (MPA) practitioners/managers, local/national government agencies representatives, and conservation partners to recognize effectively-managed MPAs across the country. At the same time, the Marine Protected Area Support Network (MSN) renewed its conservation commitments through the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by 17 partner organizations. With these two significant milestones, the project demonstrated how sustained partnerships can turn scientific knowledge into strengthened conservation actions toward the Philippines’ 30x30 Target.
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