Information, Publication, and Public Affairs Office, UP Manila.
Prof. Rene Rollon of the UP Diliman Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM) delivered the keynote lecture at the 2026 International Flores de Mayo Festival and Conference, held on May 5, 2026 at UP Manila.
In his lecture, Prof. Rollon called for a shift from site-based mangrove planting to science-based, ecosystem-level coastal conservation. He emphasized that mangrove rehabilitation must account for habitat connectivity, tidal conditions, seagrass beds, coral reefs, river inputs, and regional restoration priorities, noting that poorly planned planting efforts can disrupt rather than restore coastal ecosystems.
Organized by the UP Manila Museum of a History of Ideas and the College of Arts and Sciences under the theme “Roots Beneath the Waves,” the conference highlighted the need to connect science, culture, and policy in addressing coastal degradation.
