Diving Deep

Sammy Basa ’25 collaborates with the Sibuyan Island fishing community to protect its coral reefs

Sammy Basa free dives off the coast of Sibuyan Island, in the Philippines

Sammy Basa and his collaborators use free diving to study the reefs of Sibuyan Island in the Philippines.

Photos Courtesy of Sammy Basa

By Bridgette Ramirez

Sammy Basa ’25 traces his love for the ocean to a boat ride under a starry canopy to Sibuyan Island in the Philippines. Basa recalled how the brisk wind cooled his face and how he and his mother dipped their feet into water that glowed with bioluminescence.

“The bright flashes of blue and green were like stars in the sea, and we watched in wonder as they faded into the darkness,” he said. “While those flashes appeared as pure magic to my younger self, they signified something profound—a deep-seated bond between my family, our land, and the marvels of the natural world.”

Basa’s family hails from Sibuyan Island, and Basa has many childhood memories from his grandfather’s farm. Sibuyan is called the Galápagos of Asia for its biodiversity. However, underneath the emerald forests is a saddening ecological reality: coral reefs devastated by dynamite fishing and climate change.

Nature’s Unsung Heroes

About 25 percent of marine species depend on coral reefs. Resource Watch estimates that 1 billion people benefit from the ecosystems of reefs, including food and protection of coastlines from storms and erosion. A study in Nature finds that reefs reduce wave energy by an average of 97 percent.

Sibuyan resides in the Coral Triangle region, which hosts 30 percent of the world’s reefs according to a 2020 report released by Earth.Org. Despite this reality, Basa noticed a gap in reef monitoring in Sibuyan and sought to rectify it.

Basa, who studies environmental science at Pitzer, started an independent study in fall 2023 with Visiting Assistant Professor Suryatapa Ghosh Jha as his adviser. He delved into scientific literature and 3D mapping techniques to prepare for data collection in Sibuyan, where his family had planned a visit during one of his winter breaks.

A young Sammy Basa stands on Sibuyan with his grandfather and older brother — Basa’s ties to Sibuyan Island give his research a personal connection. (Basa is seen here, on the right, with his older brother, Daniel, and grandfather, Gabriel).

Basa faced challenges in applying for institutional funding for this work, but he proceeded anyway with his own limited budget. Once he arrived in Sibuyan, the local community embraced him thanks to his grandfather’s legacy.

“My lolo [“grandfather” in Tagalog] was an environmentalist and did a lot for the island,” said Basa. “He took care of people. That’s why they helped me.”

Documenting Coral Reef Health

Community members drove Basa and his team out on boats to survey shallow reefs. Basa set a goal to make a baseline coral health assessment for the local government in the Philippines. He immediately noticed an algae issue.

“Lack of fish and runoff have led to a big bloom of algae,” said Basa. “Coral can’t survive when there’s overfishing, but at the same time people have to eat.”

This issue is also related to dynamite fishing, which uses explosives to stun or kill fish. Although the practice is banned, Basa heard booms while he was diving underwater.

Integrating Science and Local Communities

Sammy Basa prepares for a dive off the coast of Sibuyan — Basa prepares to photograph sections of the island's reefs.

“You can’t just tell people not to make a living, especially when they’re impoverished,” said Basa. “You can’t expect marine sanctuaries to work if people don’t understand their value and what they can do in 10 years.”

The complexities of marine conservation, food, and society have strengthened Basa’s passion for community-driven scientific research and education.

“It gives a deeper meaning to your research when you’re working with the community,” said Basa. “The people have valuable insights on the future of their home. They are the ones who will take care of that place.”

With support from the Pitzer Internship Fund, Basa returned to Sibuyan earlier this year in May to survey more reefs. He also interviewed fisherfolk about how they experienced the changes in the ocean.

“In the 1990s, some fisherfolk were catching 200 kilos a day,” said Basa. “Thirty years later, they struggle to get 2 kilos.”

Basa also talked to the fisherfolk about their co-ops and self-regulation practices to adjust to the shifting ecosystem. Basa plans to use the latest data and interviews from Sibuyan for his senior thesis.

“It gives a deeper meaning to your research when you’re working with the community. The people have valuable insights on the future of their home. They are the ones who will take care of that place.”
— Sammy Basa ’25

Expanding far beyond his initial independent study, Basa has also connected with a network of marine science researchers and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Philippines. Together, they are pooling resources to help Sibuyan’s reefs.

“Community-based science is arguably the most effective way to get things done with marine life and coral conservation,” said Basa.

Basa is also joining his parents and brother to establish nonprofit foundations in the U.S. (One Sibuyan Initiative) and Philippines (Gabriel P. Bernas Jr. Foundation) to support conservation and upward mobility in Sibuyan. Locally, they hope to work with the Teresa Bernas Memorial School (named after Basa’s great-grandmother) to introduce children to the wonders of their island and to careers in conservation. They hope to partner with larger organizations in the future.

“My family gave me the opportunity to learn how amazing the world is at such a young age,” said Basa. “I want to keep places like Sibuyan alive and well and allow other people to have those experiences too.”