Public, Private Partnerships Celebrated in 15th Tuna Congress

In photo (counter clockwise): RAFC 12 Chairperson Dionisio (in white) and head of the NAFC-CFA Secretariat Sarah Bales (in red) with technical staff Maria Iris Millendez and Jackielyn Bola during the 15th National Tuna Congress Bautista in General Santos City. (Inset) SFFAII President and Congress Chairperson Joaquin Lu thanks all partners from the government and private sectors for supporting the fishing industry for the past 15 years.

In photo (counter clockwise): RAFC 12 Chairperson Dionisio (in white) and head of the NAFC-CFA Secretariat Sarah Bales (in red) with technical staff Maria Iris Millendez and Jackielyn Bola during the 15th National Tuna Congress Bautista in General Santos City.

(Inset) SFFAII President and Congress Chairperson Joaquin Lu thanks all partners from the government and private sectors for supporting the fishing industry for the past 15 years.

The SOCKSARGEN Fishing Federation and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII) celebrated 15 years of strong partnerships between and among private sector players and government agencies in tackling industry issues as it spearheaded the 15th National Tuna Congress last September 6 and 7 at the SM Trade Halls, General Santos City.

The SFFAII also underscored the milestones reached through the teamwork between the private and public sectors, one of the most recent of which is the extension of the Philippine fishing access to the High Seas Pocket 1 in the Pacific Ocean for its fleet of 36 ice-chilled fishing boats as granted during the 9th Regular Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) last December 2012.

SFFAII President and Congress Chairperson Joaquin Lu thanked all their partners including the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) for their commitment to strengthen the resilience of the fishing industry.

As a member of the NAFC Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (CFA) since 2005, the SFFAII has been actively participating in the consultative forums being conducted by the agency to address issues concerning the industry and recommend policies supporting its development.

“NAFC’s partnership with private sector stakeholders such as the SFFAII is one of the effective approaches to achieving a sustainable agriculture and fishery development,” Region 12 Agricultural and Fishery Council Chairperson Dionisio Bautista said.

RACF Chairperson Bautista attended the event with the Head of the NAFC-CFA Secretariat, Sarah Bales and technical staff Maria Iris Millendez and Jackielyn Bola.

“The Tuna Congress has served as an impetus in consolidating the efforts of the government and private sectors toward improving the competitiveness of the Philippine tuna industry and promoting responsible fishing,” Bales said.

The congress adopted 14 resolutions which include the resolution urging the Philippine Government to fast track the application for Enhanced Generalized Scheme of Preferences of the European Union, otherwise known as the GSP+, and a resolution requesting the Philippine Government to defer the ratification of International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 188 entitled “Convention Concerning Work in the Fishing Sector” and its Accompanying ILO Recommendation 199 entitled “Recommendation Concerning Work in the Fishing Sector”.

Other resolutions were for the reiteration of requests for the government to expedite the passage of the law creating the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources; for the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Transportation and Communications to expedite the issuance of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of “The Handline Fishing Law”; and, for the government to rationalize the Cabotage Provisions of the Republic Act 1937 and other related issuances, among others.

The congress offered 11 presentations on different aspects of the industry, including the Philippines-Papua New Guinea Collaboration over the years, Tuna and the ASEAN 2015 Integration, Commodity and Market Updates on Fresh and Frozen Tuna and Canned Tuna, and the Philippines-WCPFC Collaborations on Tuna.

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas also dropped by the congress to extend his support to the stakeholders of the fishing industry.

“On behalf of the government, I assure you that we will stand by you and attend to your problems so that the industry can thrive. We offer you our continued partnership,” he said.

Meanwhile, in his message read by DA-12 Regional Executive Director Amalia Datukan, DA Secretary Proceso Alcala also assured the stakeholders that the government will continue to give assistance to the Filipino fisherfolk which include the provision of fishing paraphernalia.

He also commended the efforts of all industry players in enhancing and sustaining the competitiveness of the Philippine fishing industry and for giving the DA the opportunity to affirm mutual and collective efforts in bolstering the fishery sector as a whole and the tuna industry in particular.

The National Tuna Congress is the biggest annual gathering of key players, stakeholders and supporters of the Philippine tuna industry and a venue to discuss opportunities and challenges and advocate for necessary reforms to make the industry more resilient and sustainable in the face of global competition and dwindling aquatic resources.

This year’s congress, with the theme “Celebrating 15 Years of Advocacy, Partnership and Collaboration”, is part of the 15th Tuna Festival marking the 45th anniversary of the charterhood of General Santos City. Over 400 delegates from different places in the Philippines and other countries participated in the congress, as well as in the exposition that was held simultaneously.

DILG Secretary Mar Roxas pronounces his support to help boost the fishing industry during the 15th National Tuna Congress.