The beaches and shores are the first marine environments that many Filipinos and visitors to the Philippines first encounter. The beach is home to a large number of marine species, all of which have a very interesting ecology and life cycles. This book hopes to contribute to a new way of “seeing” the beach by examining the living things that inhabit it.

As we go to the beach for recreation, we can learn from the animals and plants by observing them. The beach provides us with sustenance and protects our land from storms. It served as the cradle for Filipino civilization for our ancestors who arrived from across the sea and settled along the coast. But the beach is also the most endangered of marine environments because of the effects of pollution, coastal development, and climate change.

There is a connection between the beach and the coral reefs from which originate the sand that delights beachgoers, inspires the artists, and serves as habitat for species that sustain human communities. The tides are the rhythm in all these processes. This book shows us the fragility of this environment upon which our existence depends.