23 August 2026 — Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) participated as a core partner in the groundbreaking ceremony for the “Pasacao Riverine and Intertidal Mangrove Esplanade Experience (PRIME-X) Development Project.” Representing ADNU President Fr. Aristotle Dy, S.J., Joanaviva C. Plopenio, Director of the Institute for Environmental Conservation and Research (INECAR), delivered a statement of support for the initiative.

The PRIME-X initiative aims to harmonize local economic development, wellness, and biodiversity conservation across key environmental zones in Pasacao.

Key attendees included Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Chief Operating Officer Hon. Mark T. Lapid, who served as the keynote speaker for the groundbreaking ceremony. Statements of support were also delivered by core project partners, including the Department of Tourism Region V Regional Director Dir. Herbie B. Aguas, DENR CENRO Sipocot Officer Daisy M. Terciano, Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA)-Pasacao Campus Administrator Dr. Kristine Mae C. Regaspi, and Mangrove Growers Association Chairperson Mr. Dennis Gerona. The event featured a time capsule burial, a shoveling ceremony, and a ceremonial planting activity.