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SFFAII officers and members
attended the 1st National Galunggong Summit. From left to right: MJ Villegas
(SFFAII staff), SFFAII Executive Director Rosanna Bernadette Contreras, SFFAII
President Joaquin Lu, BFAR 12 Regional Director Usop Pendaliday Jr., Rock and
Emma Garay from Well Delight Network Corporation, and Virgie de Dios (SFFAII
staff).
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The officers and members of SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII), led by SFFAII President Joaquin Lu, attended the 1st National Galunggong Summit held on January 24-25, 2019 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
The two–day Summit, organized by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), gathered major members of the galunggong supply chain—fisherfolk, local government units, national government agencies, non-government organizations and the Scientific community—to generate inputs for the creation of a national management plan for galunggong.
According to DA-BFAR, the National Management Plan for Galunggong will help address challenges that continuously beset the sector such as the decline in catch and production. DA-BFAR amplifies the need for more science-based management measures crafted through strategic course planning and consensus building among stakeholders.
Galunggong is considered as one of the country’s economically-important fish species and an enabler of the Philippine fisheries sector. The industry alone generates livelihood and income to thousands of fisherfolk and a source of affordable fish protein for millions of Filipinos.
But according to Philippine Statistics Authority’s fisheries data, from 2007 to 2017, there is a consistent drop of galunggong production in the country’s landing centers and ports. DA-BFAR enacted conservation measures through the establishment of closed seasons for galunggong and small pelagics in Northeastern Palawan from November 1 to January 31 and in Davao Gulf from June 1 to August 31 every year.
DA-BFAR also adopted a more holistic approach to respond to the challenges not only of the galunggong industry but of the entire municipal fisheries sector as well. The agency organized the Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK): The National Search for the Most Outstanding Coastal Community, to help bring change in the country by incentivizing with multi-million worth of fishery-based livelihood the winning coastal municipalities that have exemplary efforts in protecting and conserving their marine environment. It has five general criteria which include: (1) no illegal fishing, (2) observance of closed fishing season, (3) establishment of marine protected areas, (4) clean coastal waters without domestic and industrial wastes, (5) effective mangrove protection and rehabilitation program.
Agriculture Undersecretary and BFAR National Director Eduardo B. Gongona opens the 1st Galunggong Summit. Among key officials invited to the Summit were Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol and Rep. Luis Ferrer IV of the 6th District of Cavite, chairperson of Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources.
Read the full presentations on this link - 1st Galunggong Summit
