LOS BAÑOS, Laguna – The City Government of San Pablo and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) have formalized a five-year partnership aimed at strengthening research, environmental protection, and sustainable management initiatives for the city’s famed Seven Lakes.
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed on May 19, 2026, at the Chancellor’s Conference Room of UPLB. Signatories to the agreement were San Pablo City Mayor Najie B. Gapangada and UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho Jr. The signing ceremony was witnessed by city and university representatives, including city officials and public information personnel.
The partnership, known as the “UPLB-7LAKES” Program, will run from September 1, 2025 to August 30, 2030. It is designed to advance science-based solutions addressing environmental degradation, sustainable resource utilization, lake restoration, and community participation in managing the Seven Lakes of San Pablo City.
Under the agreement, UPLB will lead the technical, scientific, and research components of the program while the City Government of San Pablo will provide local coordination, stakeholder engagement, and policy implementation support. The collaboration also covers environmental monitoring, research coordination, capacity building, technology transfer, policy development, and public awareness initiatives.
Several research and extension projects are included under the agreement, reflecting a comprehensive approach to environmental conservation, fisheries management, public health, and sustainable development.
Among the major initiatives is the LEAD41PH Project, which focuses on leadership and capacity-building programs for stakeholders involved in aquatic resource management using One Health and Planetary Health frameworks. Complementing this is the CHANGE-PH Project, which seeks to develop educational materials and digital knowledge systems centered on Planetary Health.
The program also includes studies on invasive mollusks and fish species affecting lake ecosystems, as well as the formulation of conservation strategies. Sustainable land and lake-use planning projects will be undertaken for Sampaloc, Palakpakin, and Pandin Lakes to support long-term watershed and environmental protection.
Public health and environmental monitoring form a major component of the partnership. Researchers will conduct studies on waterborne pathogens such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia, assess endocrine disruption and pollution impacts on fish populations, and monitor microplastic contamination in water, sediment, fish, and mollusks across the Seven Lakes.
Additional projects include the Bangus Exposomics Project, which focuses on milkfish health and environmental assessment, and the Kulantro Biotechnology Project, which explores the use of aquatic plants for fish feed additives and biofertilizers. Studies on fish ecology, environmental exposure, and antibiotic residues in fish and water samples from selected lakes are likewise expected to provide valuable scientific data for fisheries management and food safety.
Community engagement and environmental education are also central to the partnership. Through the “Pitong Lawa, Pitong Likha” campaign, UPLB and the city government aim to strengthen conservation awareness while promoting ecotourism and public appreciation of the Seven Lakes.
City officials said the agreement is expected to provide San Pablo with access to scientific expertise, stronger environmental governance, improved fisheries and aquaculture management, enhanced environmental and public health monitoring systems, and long-term conservation strategies.
The MOA does not impose direct funding obligations on the local government for the research projects. Most initiatives will be financed through UPLB and partner funding institutions, including the Department of Science and Technology, the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research, the European Commission Erasmus Mundus program, and other funding agencies.
The City Government’s role will focus on administrative and logistical assistance, coordination with communities and stakeholder groups, facilitation of site visits and monitoring activities, dissemination of research outputs, and support for the implementation of policies and ordinances arising from the studies.
The local government is also expected to provide institutional support by facilitating community engagement, granting access to project sites, coordinating with fisherfolk groups and non-government organizations, and helping advance sustainable lake management policies.
Mayor Gapangada described the partnership as a significant step toward positioning San Pablo City as a model for sustainable lake management and environmental research collaboration in the country, aligning with one of the major priorities of his administration.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
