TBTI PH launches book promoting awareness of issues of small-scale fishers

By Aira Jamoles and Juliane Judilla

Too Big To Ignore (TBTI) Philippines officially launched “Portraits of Small-Scale Fishers in the Philippines”, during a program held at the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) Iloilo City Campus on Tuesday, July 11.

The event, titled the National Consortium for Small-Scale Fisheries Research and Development, was attended by CHED Chairperson Prospero “Popoy” De Vera III, various Presidents, Chancellors, and Deans of state universities and colleges (SUCs) from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Dr. Alice Joan G. Ferrer, Dean of the UPV College of Arts and Sciences, introduced the 476-page book covering 78 stories about the life of small-scale fishers in the Philippines: Luzon (36 stories & 59 contributors), Visayas (20 stories & 34 contributors) and Mindanao (22 stories & 34 contributors) along with their challenges and contributions to the society.

“The book seeks to co-create answers [basic] questions: ‘Who are the small-scale fishers in the Philippines?’, ‘What do they look like?’, ‘What do their houses look like?’, ‘What is their typical day?’, ‘How are they doing?’ said Ferrer.

“We also want to reflect the diversity of the languages’ worldview and so on of our small-scale fishers in the book,’’ she added.

The book is considered the first of its kind ever published in the country. It aims to shed light on the plight of small-scale fishers and promote the employment of research in addressing such issues, gearing towards fishery sector advancement.

“Small-scale fisheries are [a] solution to food security, [and] poverty,” said Dr. Ratana Chuenpagdee, Project Director of TBTI Global.

Dr. Chuenpagdee reiterated the need to alleviate small-scale fishers by empowering them through stories about their situation and communities.

During the same event, a ceremonial Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing and commitment to the promotion of Small-Scale Fisheries Research and Development in the Philippines among participating SUCs was held.

Aira Jamoles and Juliane Judilla are Daily Guardian interns. They are incoming seniors at West Visayas State University.