IN the effort to expand the coverage of Tuklas Lunas researches across the country considering the Philippines' rich biodiversity, the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DoST-PCHRD) funded the Discovery and Development of Health Products (DDHP) program, and one of its pioneer program is the Marine Component implemented by the University of the Philippines Diliman - Marine Science Institute.

The ongoing DDHP Marine Component program is comprised of two projects. Project 1 studies anti-pain and anti-neurodegeneration drug candidates to be spearheaded by Dr. Arturo O. Lluisma while the second project is working on the discovery and development of anti-infective and/or anti-cancer compounds from Philippine marine sponges, other marine macroorganisms and their associated microorganisms to be led by Dr. Lilibeth Salvador-Reyes.