ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- A formal signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the National Consortium for Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) Research and Development or Too-Big-To-Ignore (TBTI) Philippines was held on July 11 at the University of the Philippines-Visayas.

This project is focused on addressing issues and concerns affecting the viability and sustainability of SSF in the country.

Presidents and chancellors of various founding State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) nationwide signified their full support to the development of viable solutions to uplift the living conditions of people engaged to SSF.

The University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas currently serves as the main base of the research network and knowledge mobilization partnership in the country.

Likewise, in a video recorded keynote speech, Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) chairperson J. Prospero E. de Vera III recognized the big contribution of the SSF to food and nutrition security at the height of COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.

However, de Vera cited that “we no longer need another pandemic to realize that the challenges in the SSF sector are indeed Too-Big-To-Ignore,” thus, warranting the necessity to construct research and development networks like TBTI in the country.

The National Consortium for SSF Research and Development or TBTI Philippines program was also conducted in line with the World Population Day celebrated every July 11 annually, which intends to educate people to create a better future especially to the younger generation.

To note, TBTI was first launched here on November 21, 2022 and there are currently 32 founding members coming from various institutions nationwide who joined the call to push for innovations on SSF and address the underlying challenges experienced within the marginalized sector of the country. (AAL/AGP/PIA 6)