Too-Big-To-Ignore (TBTI) Philippines, or the National Consortium for Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) Research and Development, held a formal signing of its memorandum of agreement (MOA) among founding member-organizations and launched a book on small-scale fishers at the Little Theatre, University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) Iloilo City campus on July 11,2023.
Based in UPV, TBTI Philippines is a research network and knowledge mobilization partnership that will focus on addressing issues and concerns affecting the viability and sustainability of SSF in the Philippines.
Chancellors, presidents, and representatives of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) from various parts of the country signed the MOA together with UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano.
Those who signed the MOA included:
- Dr. Enrico Dalangin, Chancellor of the Batangas State University ARASOF-Nasugbu
- Dr. Victor Cañezo, Jr., President of Biliran Province State University
- Prof. John Xavier Nepomuceno, Campus Administrator of Cavite State University – Naic campus
- Dr. Elnor Roa, Chancellor of Mindanao State University at Naawan
- Dr. Mary Joyce Guinto-Sali, Chancellor of Mindanao State University – Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography
- Dr. Bobby Gerardo, President of the Northern Iloilo State University
- Dr. Raul Bradecina, President of the Partido State University
- Dr. Joselito Alisuag, Officer-in-Charge President of the Western Philippines University
Some of the SUC heads of the consortium’s founding member-organizations attended via Zoom to witness the signing.
Chairman Prospero De Vera III of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), in his video message, talked about the potential of SSF and appreciation for small-scale fishers in the country.
“Small-scale fisheries represent a very viable solution to building a resilient future. During the pandemic, small-scale fishers demonstrated the potential to solve food and nutrition security in the country,” he said.
For his part, Camposano talked about how education and institutions can impact the SSF sector.
“Many of us run institutions that are leaders in fisheries education, but I think it is important to ask ourselves as we design curriculum, as we craft our courses, as we determine learning outcomes, as we build institutions, to whom do we do these things? Where are our fishers when we talk about fisheries education,” the Chancellor said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Alice Joan Ferrer, Dean of the UPV College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and Project Manager of TBTI Philippines, discussed in detail the consortium and its roles. She also talked about the book titled “Portrait of Small-Scale Fishers in the Philippines” which was launched during the program.
The book aims to shed light on the meaning of “small” or “small-scale” by distilling the meaning from the small-scale fishers themselves. Ferrer and Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension Harold Monteclaro are editors of the book which has 78 stories from small-scale fishers in different provinces of the country.
The book was presented in front of the audience composed of members of the academe, fisherfolk cooperatives, and representatives of national government agencies based in Western Visayas. The contributing writers of the book were also present.
It can be recalled that a sneak peek video for the book was launched last year. The book is TBTI's means of showing appreciation to small-scale fishers in the Philippines and highlighting their contributions to society.
Dr. Ratana Chuenpagdee from the Memorial University in Canada and TBTI Global Project Director discussed the establishment of TBTI in the Philippines. She also talked about the value of the SSF sector and the importance of supporting small-scale fishers.
TBTI generally has about 600 member-organizations all over the world according to Chuenpagdee. (With sources from CAS)
