UPV ORGANIZES THE 2010 PHILFIN FISHERIES FORUM - CONDUCTS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Lyncen M. Fernandez

2010-03-07

The University of the Philippines Visayas organized and hosted the 2010 Philippine Fisheries Institution Network (PhilFIN) Forum and General Assembly at the University Hotel, UP Diliman, Quezon City on February 18-19, 2010.

Four plenary sessions were scheduled revolving on the theme: “Fisheries in the Midst of Urbanization.” They were as follows:

1.    Plenary Paper 1 – “Sustainable Fisheries Development in the Philippines: Key contributions and Lessons from the Fisheries Improved for Sustainable Harvest (FISH) Project” by Mr. Geromino Silvestre, Chief of Party, USAID-FISH Project represented by its CRM Specialist Mr. Benjamin Francisco;

2.    Plenary Paper 2 – “Can the 2006-2020 Comprehensive National Fisheries Industry Development Plan (CNFIDP) Withstand Urbanization?” Dir. Gil A. Adora, Assistant Director for Technical Services, BFAR represented by its Chief of the Inland Fisheries Division, Dr. Nelson Lopez;

3.    Plenary Paper 3 – “Can Urbanization Influence the Philippine Fisheries Research and Extension Agenda?” by Dir. Cesario R. Pagdilao,  OIC Executive Director, DOST-PCAMRD and Member, PRC Board of Fisheries; and

4.    Plenary Paper 4 – “Impact of Urbanization on Aquaculture” by Dr. Rogelio O. Juliano, Chairman, PRC Board of Fisheries.

The following are some issues and concerns that arose during the open forum that followed after each paper presentation:

• an observation that fisheries people [scientists] are always talking about the fish but not equally important issues such environmental degradation and food security;
• if there may be enough food for all, the poor are still hungry;
• there is truly a need to curb the population as the more people there are, the more stress they create on the environment;
• there is a need to come up with answers on the issues of sustainable food sources, security, and peace and order;
• an observation that corruption in the province is just as bad as in the urban areas;
• the need to change people’s mindset on how they should fish and use the country’s resources;
• an observation that it is easier to talk with the people at the barangay level concerning change but the dynamics change when such issues reach the Sangunian level;
• the need to choose wisely our leader who will support such changes;
• to make IEC materials more attractive to their target audience or make them simplier;
• the need to improve fish catch by allowing the fish to breed and promote knowledge that would improve fish production; and
• the need to develop the R & D capabilities in the regions.

Some issues and concerns that were raised during the Assembly included the following:

• Dr. Dionisia Rola’s commendation of the publication of Selected Papers Presented during the General Assemblies of the Philippine Fisheries Institution Network “as an excellent beginning for a move towards having a PhilFIN journal;”
• Inquiries if the PhilFIN General Assembly is also open to the faculty members of the member institutions, if they may also attend the same, and if they have voting capacity;
• The presentation of two resolutions from Dr. Joebert Toledo, Chief of SEAFDEC-AQD, namely, to mentor other fisheries schools wherein PhilFIN should help develop their capacity to make research proposals and publications, and to encourage research collaboration and linkages among PhilFIN member institutions;
• Dr. Rola’s proposal that there should be studies focusing on the river systems of the country (i.e., how many rivers are there in the Philippines, how many have dried up, why have they dried up) and for PhilFIN to expand its objectives such that it becomes an agent of change that is “transformative in character;” and
• Inquiries on what to do with inactive members, expansion of PhilFIN membership to other SUCs and private institutions, and a proposal to increase in the membership dues.

The election of the new members of the Board of Trustees immediately followed the General Assembly. In addition, the new Board of Trustees also elected from among themselves the new President and Vice-President of PhilFIN.