06/11/2025
📢 Important Announcement: Sincere Apologies for the Cancellation of the 13th Annual International Conference on Environmental Science (ACES)
It is with a heavy heart and deep regret that we had to cancel the 13th Annual International Conference on Environmental Science (13 ACES 2025), which was scheduled to take place on November 6-7, 2025.
This difficult decision was reached through a joint consensus between the Board of Trustees (BOT) of PESA and the organizing committee from the University of San Carlos (USC). The overwhelming and destructive impact of Typhoon Tino across the region has made it impossible to proceed with the conference as planned.
🌊 A Renewed Commitment to Our Mission
The very reason we gather at ACES is driven by our thrust and passion as environmental scientists: to band together, share knowledge, and develop strategies to help prevent or mitigate the unprecedented calamities that our communities are currently experiencing. While we cannot meet this year, this typhoon only strengthens our resolve and highlights the critical importance of our field.
We want to assure you that the organizing committee prepared in the best way we possibly could. We had even secured a contingency venue to ensure the event could proceed safely in the case of localized issues. Unfortunately, even this backup location was severely affected by the widespread damage caused by Typhoon Tino.
🙏 A Call for Understanding and Sympathy
We must ask for your utmost understanding during this challenging time. The members of the organizing committee from USC are themselves actively reeling from the typhoon's aftermath. Many of us are facing significant personal hurdles, including widespread loss of electricity, lack of water, and interrupted internet access. These conditions severely limit our ability to host a successful, safe, and worthwhile event for our attendees.
We must also apologize that, for the immediate future, we cannot answer each individual query or call. Many of our core members have more immediate, personal concerns related to the typhoon's damage that require their attention. We appreciate your patience and promise to share updates through our official channels as soon as we can.
It seems that the superstition might hold true after all; perhaps 13 really is an unlucky number, especially when Mother Nature decides to intervene so powerfully. We truly apologize for the inconvenience and disruption this causes to your schedules and travel plans.
🤝 How You Can Help
If you wish to extend assistance to those most affected by Typhoon Tino, the University of San Carlos (USC) is currently spearheading a donation drive for relief efforts. Any contribution would be greatly appreciated by the affected communities.
Donation Link: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BUyZRYDn7/
📑 Certificate of Appearance and Options for Registered Participants
Despite the cancellation, we understand the importance of documenting your commitment to ACES. We are pleased to confirm that Certificates of Appearance will be made available for all registered participants. We are currently working on the mechanism for distributing these certificates, and we will announce the procedure by next week.
Regarding your registration fee, we have prepared two options:
Refund Option: You may opt for a refund of your registration fee. Please note that a small percentage of the payment will be retained to cover non-recoverable administrative and preparatory expenses already incurred (e.g., printing, conference kits). Details on the refund process will be released shortly.
Credit for the Next Conference: You may choose to have your full payment credited and carried over to the 14th Annual International Conference on Environmental Science (ACES), which is tentatively scheduled for April or May 2026.
We will be reaching out to all registered participants soon with a form to indicate your preferred option.
Thank you once again for your dedication to environmental science. We sincerely apologize for this unavoidable cancellation and look forward to welcoming you to the 14th ACES next year. Please stay safe and take care.
