DOST holds marine science, geology camp

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Science and Technology in cooperation with the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute conducted from April 28 to May 4 in Puerto Galera the Geo-Marine Science Camp, bringing in 59 students and teachers from Luzon.

With the theme "Rock the Ridge, Reach the Reef," the camp included lectures, hands-on exercises and exposure trips in marine science and geology.

“The inclusion of geology this year makes this science camp more special and highlights the importance of creating more geologists and marine scientists in the country. These fields contribute a lot in research and development activities in relation to environmental protection and disaster mitigation,” DOST-Science Education Institute Director Dr. Filma Brawner said.

The first three days of the camp focused on marine science where students were taught the basics of oceanography, sea safety and survival, navigation, waves, currents and tides, water quality sampling, chemical analysis, plankton sampling and microscopy and basic snorkeling. The participants also cleaned up Haligue Beach and interacted with communities in Barangay San Antonio.

The geology camp followed after the marine science camp, where the students learned the basics of geology, petrology, mineralogy, map reading, key geology skills like determining pace factor and describing outcrops which they used when they trekked Mt. Malasimbo.

“This camp is a really good endeavor and I believe you really learned a lot in a matter of days. We hope to see you as students of geology in UP Diliman in the future,” Dr. Carlos Primo David of the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences and director of the geology camp said.