THE MARIANO Marcos State University will establish a Coastal Engineering and Management Research and Development Center in Region I.

The school received a P79 million grant from the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development for the project.

MMSU said COASTER aims to spearhead the development of coastal engineering and management technology and innovation to mitigate and manage coastal disasters and risks in the region.

“With a P79.9 million fund from the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development and a P25.15 million counterpart fund, the establishment of the research center is under the agency’s Science for Change Program–Niche Center in the Regions program,” MMSU said.

Dr. Nathaniel Alibuyog, COASTER program leader, said the R&D center will address several important issues within the coastal waters and tributary rivers in the region by coming up with an efficient integrated coastal management strategy.

Alibuyog said the project will focus on coastal erosion, coastal flooding, coastal protection and enhancement of enhancing coastal design and infrastructure.

“The COASTER will develop science-based technologies and innovations to address coastal risk and management, capacitate the human resource capital of higher education institutions in Ilocos region toward coastal engineering research and management, and formulate policies that will enhance the resiliency of coastal communities,” he said.