03/06/2026
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง (๐๐๐) ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐
๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐๐จ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ
๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ - The World Bank and the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) recently conducted the ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง (๐๐๐) for the Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) Project last May 28-29, 2026.
Led by FishCoRe Project Manager Isidro M. Velayo Jr., FMA 9 Lead Coordinator, Regional Director Edward Yasay of BFAR 10, and FCU-7 Focal, Regional Director Mario Ruinata of BFAR 7, the mission evaluated the ground-level rollout of climate-resilient, "first-mover" subprojects across Ubay, Guindulman, and Mabini within Fisheries Management Area 9 (FMA 9).
The multi-sectoral mission brought together key international, national, and local stakeholders to assess the on-the-ground progress of the FishCoRe projects:
โ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ค ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ (๐๐๐): Led by Mr. Zafer Mustafaoglu
โ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ค ๐
๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐๐๐๐ฆ: Led by Ms. Jingie Chu
โ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ค ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ (๐๐) ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ: Ms. Oznur Oguz Kuntasal and Mr. Jun Zeng
โ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ (๐๐๐๐): Led by Project Manager Isidro M. Velayo Jr.
โ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ (๐๐๐๐) ๐: Led by Regional Director Edward Yasay
โ ๐
๐๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ (๐
๐๐) ๐: Led by Regional Director Mario Ruinata
โ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ (๐๐๐๐ฌ): Representatives from Ubay, Guindulman, and Mabini
โ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐-๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐
โ ๐๐๐๐ฒ: A โฑ64.79M, 1.9-hectare Aqua Business Technology Incubation (ABTI) Learning and Training Center. The facility features the rehabilitation and improvement of production tanks, dormitory and function hall building, storage facilities, HDPE cages, freshwater and seawater HDPE reservoirs, and a hybrid solar power system.
โ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐ง: A โฑ1.96M milkfish culture project utilizing modern HDPE cages, directly benefiting 68 local fisherfolk.
โ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ข: A โฑ696K eco-friendly oyster longline farming project designed to serve as a natural bio-filter and climate buffer.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฐ
Recent PSA data reveals that while Boholโs overall fisheries output grew by 6.9% in 2025 (reaching 25,575.56 MT), aquaculture production sharply declined from 10,554.90 MT in 2024 to 8,187.63 MT. These targeted FishCoRe interventions are essential to reversing this trend, protecting coastal livelihoods, and building a sustainable blue economy.
These early subprojects serve as a scalable blueprint for science-based, gender-inclusive coastal management across FMA 9 and the rest of the Philippines.
๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ค
Reflecting on the successful field evaluation, World Bank Country Management Unit Director Zafer Mustafaoglu expressed deep appreciation for the ground teams' dedication. He emphasized that the site visits in Bohol provided invaluable, firsthand insights into local aquaculture innovations, marking his first time witnessing how oysters are cultivated. For Mustafaoglu, being on the ground significantly helped him visualize the projects and, most importantly, put faces to the beneficiaries they serve.
Concluding with heartfelt gratitude, he extended a "thousand thanks" to all the local governments, counterparts, and collaborating agencies โ including BFAR, DSWD, and DOH. He commended their collective efforts, noting how their continued partnership drives sustainable coastal resiliency and transforms livelihoods across the region.
via FCU-7