Carpenter was in Cebu, Philippines, as the main speaker during the Save the Seas Forum last 23 July at the University of the Philippines - Cebu. He shared that, in the study, it was found that the country, particularly central Philippines, is in the center of the IMPA.

"It is amazing that central Philippines composed of Cebu, Iloilo and Bohol, among others, has this great wealth," Carpenter told students and faculty members. This discovery, Carpenter said, poses interesting questions on the origins of marine life in the oceans. "Perhaps, the Philippines holds the key to unraveling mysteries about how marine biodiversity patterns change through space and time," he said.

"Such richness, according to experts, can be explained by geologic history: the isolation of smaller seas within the central Philippines in the Pleistocene ice ages and complex geological events leading to the integration of islands that created the archipelago," the study reads.

The Visayan Sea is home to most marine species. Carpenter, who is married to a Filipino, said that the sea is one of the areas in central Philippines with the highest number of marine diversity and endemism.

Another speaker during the forum was lawyer Antonio Oposa, Jr.

During the forum, Oposa told students the importance of being aware about Cebu's rich marine heritage, citing the example of the world-renowned Visayan Sea, which is now subject to a seismic survey. "The Visayan Sea is not ours to own nor ours to destroy. It is a global heritage," he said.

Oposa, who was recently awarded by the province of Cebu for his contribution in the field of environment conservation and protection, urged the young people to do their part in saving the environment.

He emphasized the fact that the Visayan sea is threatened by several factors including destructive fishing practices, improper solid waste management and global warming, among others.

Oposa was one of the presenters of the thematic workshop on "Securing the Oceans” during the International Conference of the East Asian Seas Congress 2006 in Haikou City, PR China. He was also a panelist for the EAS Youth Forum's Youth Jam.

Lato was one of the youth participants during the EAS Congress 2006. She works for Cebu Daily News, an affiliate of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, after graduating from the University of the Philippines - Cebu in April 2007.

EASy Network is composed of EAS Youth Forum participants. The Network was created during the EAS Congress 2006.