Sixty (60) students from three elementary schools in Mabini, Batangas joined the Hands-on-ARMS outreach event on 14 June 2019 at Seas Spring Resort. Hands-on-ARMS is an annual outreach event organized by the Biodiversity Management Bureau to increase awareness on marine cryptobiota and create local champions for marine biodiversity conservation.

Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure or ARMS is a specialized underwater monitoring unit made up of PVC plates that mimic the complexity of coral reefs to attract and collect colonizing marine cryptobiota. Marine cyptobiota are small invertebrates that settle onto these units, afterwhich scientists will collect data to study on their biodiversity. ARMS units are also used to study the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on reefs. 

Hands-on-ARMS is an outreach event which aims to link science to community by providing an opportunity for the participants to observe and experience first-hand the marine cryptobiota. At the sorting station, participants were able classify these small animals into their respective groups through the use of forceps. A plate photography station, on the other hand, allowed them to view the ARMS plates and the complexity of the animals’ body structures.

Lectures on marine cryptobiota and the status of the coastal and marine biodiversity of Verde Island Passage were also presented. Activities such as Web of Life and Behind the Scenes were also conducted for the students to appreciate the concept of biodiversity and interconnectedness of life.

The participants also shared their little ways on how they can help in conserving our oceans. BMB challenged them to raise advocacies and organize small but impactful activities in their schools as an application to the learning from the outreach event.

Simultaneously, DENR Region 6 conducted Hands-on-ARMS activity in Bohol while same activity will be spearheaded by Regions 7 and 4B in Siquijor and Palawan, respectively, on July 2019.