23/05/2026
๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ 5๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ
University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) and Too Big To Ignore Philippines (TBTI Philippines) participated in the 5th World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress (5WSSF) held on 27 Aprilโ1 May 2026 in Hua Hin, Thailand. With the theme โSmall-Scale Fisheries for Advancing Just Harmony, Young Futures, and Regenerative Wisdom,โ the congress gathered around 300 participants from more than 50 countries through over 45 plenary and parallel sessions that highlighted the role of small-scale fisheries in food security, equity, sustainability, and inclusive governance.
The Philippines was represented by 15 delegates from academe, fisherfolk organizations, government agencies, and non-government organizations, six of whom were from UPV. Among them was Prof. Alice Joan Ferrer, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of UPV and Executive Director of TBTI Philippines, who served as a speaker, panelist, and program committee member in several plenary and parallel sessions.
During Plenary Session 3 on โJust Harmony,โ Prof. Ferrer joined Prof. Kate Barclay of the University of Technology Sydney, Australia, and Dr. Brennan Lowery of St. Thomas University, Canada, in emphasizing that fisheries governance should prioritize fairness and justice. The session underscored that true harmony is not about forcing agreement, but about respecting different perspectives and finding fair solutions, especially for small-scale fisherfolk.
Prof. Ferrer also represented TBTI Philippines in the plenary session on TBTI Hubs, where country hubs shared their experiences in establishing research and development networks for small-scale fisheries. She highlighted that TBTI Philippines, a growing national consortium for SSF research and development, now composed of 48 member higher education institutions, continues to promote research, advocacy, policy engagement, and knowledge-sharing through webinars, national symposiums, knowledge products, and collaborations with government agencies and partner organizations to strengthen fisheries governance and support coastal communities in the Philippines.
In the Science Cafรฉ parallel sessions, Prof. Ferrer hosted the session โArt Cafรฉ: Wall of Life Below and Above Water,โ where participants worked as creators, interpreters, and message-makers to collectively imagine a sustainable and equitable future for small-scale fisheries and coastal communities through art and reflection. Meanwhile, during the Regional Roundtable for Asia-Oceania, Prof. Ferrer, together with Prof. Yinji Li of Tokai University, Japan, and Prof. Gazi Md Nurul Islam of Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysia, facilitated discussions highlighting the need for stronger collaboration, support systems, youth engagement, and inclusive governance to sustain fisheries and coastal livelihoods across the region.
Mr. Benedict Mark Carmelita, graduate student at UPV and Project Assistant of TBTI Philippines, was one of the selected youth speakers in the plenary session โYoung Futures.โ In his message, he emphasized โhopeโ as a driving force for the future of small-scale fisheries and highlighted youth-led initiatives of TBTI Philippines that encourage young people to advocate for coastal communities, municipal waters protection, and inclusive fisheries governance.
Ms. Pearl Aljean Santacera and Ms. Thea Marie Segurigan, Project Assistants of the DOST-PCAARRD-funded SSF collaborative project โValue Chain and Governance Assessment of Gleaning Fisheries in the Philippines,โ also presented during the congress. Ms. Segurigan presented the study โValue Chain of Gleaning Fisheries in the Philippines,โ while Ms. Santacera presented โAssessing the Governability of Closed Fishing Seasons for Sardine Fisheries in the Visayan Sea, Philippinesโ on behalf of Prof. Alice Joan G. Ferrer, lead author of the study. The paper is one of the chapters in the upcoming book Governance Literacy: Advanced Theory and Applications of Interactive Governance, to be published by Springer in June 2026. The book demonstrates how interactive governance theory can help address major challenges faced by small-scale fisheries through case studies from both developing and developed countries across diverse contexts.
Ms. Jovy Fluer Elpos, Project Assistant of the Satellite Socioeconomic Research and Data Analytics Center (SERDAC) - UPV, presented the study โFishing for Views: What Filipinos Think About Small-Scale Fisheries in the Philippines.โ
Meanwhile, Ms. Jem Celyne Ferrer, a UPV alumna, presented her undergraduate thesis titled โThe Impact of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) on Small-Scale Fishing Households in Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines.โ
Representatives from TBTI Philippines member higher education institutions (HEIs) also presented their respective research on SSF. Dr. Anabelle Dece Espadero of Mindanao State University at Naawan presented โCoastal Fisheries and Livelihood Dynamics in Mabuhay, Zamboanga Sibugay,โ while Dr. Maila Pan of Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology presented โSmall-Scale Fisheries in a Protected Island: Aquatic Resources, Socio-Economic Profile, and Environment-Friendly Interventions.โ Dr. Donna Guarte of Visayas State University shared her study titled โGleaning as a Coastal Livelihood: Insights from Palompon, Leyte, Philippines,โ while Dr. Joela Mizchelle Dacillo of Partido State University presented โCommunity Livelihoods and Social Capital Drive Participation in MPA Management in the Philippines.โ
Two national fisherfolk leaders, Mr. Roberto โKa Dodoyโ Ballon and Ms. Gavina Tumbaga, also participated in the congress. Mr. Ballon hosted a Science Cafรฉ session on โPreferential Access for SSF,โ while Ms. Tumbaga served as one of the speakers in the parallel session titled โNational Plans of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries (NPOA-SSF) to Support the Implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines),โ organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, Rome).
Representatives from non-government organizations also actively participated in the congress. Ms. Gemma Rita Marin and Ms. Marvee Anne Ramos of the John J. Carroll Institute on Church and Social Issues (ICSI) presented โCoastAll: A Community-Based Approach to Coastal Law Enforcementโ and โClosing the Gender Gap in Fisheries Through Women-Managed Areas.โ Meanwhile, Ms. Jam Tabing of Rare Philippines hosted a Science Cafรฉ session on โIntegrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Science for Rights-Based Fisheries Governance in Palau, Indonesia, and the Philippines,โ while Ms. Mayette Rodriguez, Executive Director of NGO for Fisheries Reform, also participated in the congress discussions and activities.
Representing the national government, Ms. Mildred Buazon, Chief of the Administrative Division of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), joined Ms. Tumbaga as one of the speakers in the NPOA-SSF session. They discussed the Philippinesโ experience as the first country in Asia to develop and launch a National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries (NPOA-SSF).
Aside from the plenary and parallel sessions, delegates also participated in a community day in Bangsaphan District, Thailand, where they visited fishing communities and crab bank conservation projects to learn about local fisheries practices, marine conservation initiatives, and community-based livelihood activities. The field visit included interactions with local fisherfolk, visits to cultural and historical sites, and a community gathering featuring traditional performances and local food, highlighting the important role of small-scale fishers in marine stewardship and coastal sustainability.
The 5th World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress (5WSSF), a global gathering held every four years, was organized by Too Big To Ignore (TBTI Global) in partnership with universities, government agencies, fisherfolk organizations, civil society groups, and international development partners committed to advancing small-scale fisheries worldwide.
Source: PASantacera
