Michael P Atrigenio, PhD

84^th Commencement Speaker

A sought-after coastal resource management practitioner and consultant who provides services to the national government, LGUs, and non-governmental organizations on the marine protected area (MPA) establishment, planning, implementation, and biophysical monitoring, Dr Michael Pastores Atrigenio has evaded being in the limelight even choosing to go incognito several times. But when he received the invitation to be this year’s 84th Commencement Speaker, he was too ecstatic yet humbled and honored at the same time to even think about keeping a low profile.

Dr Mike is not new to Xavier Ateneo, being an alumnus himself (Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology, Batch 1988) and part of the faculty as an Assistant Instructor from 1988-1989 and as an Assistant Professor, Assistant Director, and Research Advisor of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1995-1999. He graduated Class Valedictorian of his high school in Surigao del Norte State University where he was also very active in extracurricular activities. He was CAT Battalion Commander, a member of the dance troupe, of the baseball and Sepak Takraw varsity, and a Student Governor of the Student Government in the last two years of his high school. He entered Xavier University in 1984 as a BS Biology major where he spent most of his quiet time at the library contrary to his active high school life. He maintained his full scholarship and was part of the Honors Program (HP) since his 2nd year when he shifted to BS Marine Biology where he was also named HP’s 4th year representative.

Although known to his classmates as a clown or joker, Dr Mike maintained a high average grade of 3.5. He attributed this to his frequent visits to the library reading books not only about his field but beyond the subjects he took. XU sought him right after graduation and he became a faculty of the Arts and Sciences while also working as a Research Associate at UP Diliman.

From 2001 to 2008, he worked for Conservation International as Country Manager of the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund and Grant and Fundraising Director of CI Philippines and went on to become the Project leader of the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation in 2009 and Project Leader of the USAID Fish Right Project MERF Component (MPAs, MPA Networks, Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management) in 2020. Since 1990 up to the present, he has served as a consultant, project evaluator, trainer, study leader, research associate, coral person, and diver manager for various firms and organizations.

He completed his Master of Science in Marine Science from the University of the Philippines in 1996 and achieved his Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Science Institute, also at the University of the Philippines in 2019. Currently, he is a faculty of the Marine Science Institute (MSI) of the University of the Philippines as Assistant Professor 6 and is the Program Head of the Professional Masters in Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Program. This year, Dr Mike became the President and Managing Director of the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation of MSI.

He has attended several national and international training and has been recognized through many awards and grants he has received over the years namely Outstanding Thesis in BS Marine Biology of Xavier University, Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society, NAST Philippine Talent Search for Young Scientists (Special Citation) and became the 1st ABS CBN Bantay Bata 10k run champion and Athlete of the year of the UP MSI Sportsfest. This only shows how Dr Mike continued to pursue his love for sports even as he became a widely acclaimed marine biologist.

He is married to Nancy Agrigento, an Outstanding Graduate from the UP Institute of Biology and presently working as Asia Regional Manager of PEMSEA, an international multi-country program on combating marine pollution and integrated coastal resource management. They met while they were both doing their master’s and worked together on research at MSI. They are blessed with two children, Jenio and Toni Cynarina, whom Dr Mike proudly considers his greatest achievement.

Very recently, just a few days after he accepted Xavier Ateneo’s invitation, Dr Mike suffered a mild stroke coming from fieldwork in Leyte. Fortunately, he did not experience anything serious. This however made him realize that life is short and now considers it as a gentle reminder for him to slow down on his work and to take extra care of his health. Having this second lease in life, Dr Mike believes there is a big reason for him to have survived what happened including being this year’s XU Commencement Speaker. “There are a lot of things I still want to do. Especially in raising awareness in the communities. It’s a never-ending work for us, as long as we harvest fish in the ocean there is still work to do especially on the conservation side,” he shared.

Dr Mike says he does not want to miss the opportunity of being the graduation speaker of Xavier Ateneo Class 2023 and despite the major health challenge, he made a determined effort to become healthier to attend the graduation, as he hopes that the work that he has done through the years and his journey in life will be a source of inspiration for the graduates.

In sincere recognition of the inspiration borne of his exemplary accomplishments in his field, hard work, perseverance, and commitment to helping the communities and the country and for being a worthy inspiration to all who embody the Xavier Ateneo brand of global excellence, Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan is pleased and deeply honored to present Dr Michael P Atrigenio as the esteemed Speaker of the 84th Commencement Exercises.