The US Peace Corps trained representatives from 32 local government units (LGUs) and two state universities from across the Philippines on the monetization of marine resources for biodiversity protection and the sustainable financing of coastal resource management programs.

'A key way to preserve coastal habitats and reduce threats to biodiversity is to learn how to calculate the economic value of marine resources,' US Peace Corps Director of Programming and Training Dr. Lyn Cheevers said during the training workshop held in Cebu. 'This enables LGUs to collect usage fees and fines, generating revenue for coastal resource management while also deterring future damage.'