Fisheries professional and university researcher-extension practitioner with nearly nine years of government service and experience spanning fisheries research, community extension, research and development coordination, and university operations. Her research involvement includes marine conservation, microplastic pollution, mangrove management, fisherfolk needs assessment, women in capture fisheries, and aquatic-resource sustainability. She has served as project leader and project member in institutionally and internationally published research and as a resource speaker/trainer in fisheries and community-oriented activities

From Research to Action: Bridging Microplastics Research and Community Extension for Sustainable Fisheries:                                                                                                                                       Marine plastic pollution is an emerging challenge for aquatic ecosystems, fisheries resources, and coastal communities. Microplastics are particularly concerning because they can persist in aquatic environments and occur in organisms that form part of aquatic food systems. Addressing this issue therefore requires not only scientific evidence, but also effective communication, community engagement, and practical pathways for action. This presentation highlights the experience of Sorsogon State University–Magallanes Campus in linking microplastics research with research-extension initiatives. Microplastics were detected across six sampling areas of Sorsogon Bay, including waters outside the bay, the bay mouth, a major river outflow, a high-human-population area, a sensitive habitat estuary, and the central bay. Recorded densities ranged from 2.27 to 11.66 items/m³ in surface water and 1.93 to 14.55 items/m³ in the water column. Microplastic traces were also detected in selected fish species and bivalves. Building from these findings, Project HATE—Headway towards Awareness of Trends and Research Experiences in Marine Plastic Pollution—provides a research-to-action framework for translating scientific knowledge into awareness and engagement. The presentation emphasizes citizen science, community knowledge and perception studies, expanded monitoring across water, sediment, and biota, identification of sources and pathways, and evidence-informed interventions. Ultimately, it demonstrates how universities can help transform local research evidence into meaningful community awareness and action for healthier aquatic ecosystems and more sustainable fisheries.