Puerto Princesa City, Palawan — A comprehensive Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on the crafting of the policy framework for livelihood was held on May 22-23, 2024 at the Palawan State University Hostel. This event brought together twenty-four participants including seaweed farmers, fishermen, fishing boat and fish cage operators, academics, traders, vendors, local government units (LGUs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (MFARMC) leaders, and fisherfolk organizations and cooperatives.
articipants engaged in in-depth discussions about their enterprises, tackling challenges, devising short- and long-term plans, and identifying the government support needed to enhance their livelihoods. Key enterprises emerging in Palawan were identified, such as seaweed farming and processing, commercial fishing with payao, bangus fish cage operations, and cooperative market matching. Participants voiced several concerns to improve their livelihoods, including the need to localize the seaweed growing calendar, provide bookkeeping training, address the mismatched supply and demand for fish, and explore agro-tourism as a means to develop both agriculture and fishery sectors in conjunction with tourism. Presentations from key officials outlined various programs and resources from their respective offices that participants could access to support and develop their enterprises.
The FGD marked a significant step forward in addressing the needs and enhancing the livelihoods of those involved in Palawan's vital fisheries and agriculture sectors.
This activity is in partnership with the Palawan State University and Western Philippine University supported by Tanggol Kalikasan’s project entitled “Restoring the Resources for Economic Sustainability of the West Philippines Sea (RESTORE-WPS) under the program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Gerry Roxas Foundation.
