Livelihood for 21 fishing communities in the PH

The Municipality of Sagnay is one out of 14 municipalities and 1 city within Lagonoy Gulf supported by WWF-Philippines through the Sustainable Tuna Partnership (STP) project. The project aims to protect the yellowfin tuna fisheries in Lagonoy Gulf and uplift the livelihoods of those who rely on them. The project collaborates with the different stakeholders on tuna supply chain to come together to plot the best course of action towards conserving the yellowfin tuna fisheries in Lagonoy gulf. The project capacitated the women’s in collaboration with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office 5 through the Post-Harvest Division by means of training on value adding of tuna participated by women hoping to start their own business using scrap meat from tunas or non-tunas that is for local market.

The training was accessed by the group of women’s in Sagnay last 2021 however after the training the group was not able to practice their knowledge due to the limitation in starting capital. Last May 30, 2022, the Women’s group of Sagnay Tuna Fishers Association (STFA) received the starter kit includes assorted utensils, cooking equipment and ingredients as chosen beneficiary through the WWF Individual Donor Program on “Pangkabuhayan Starter Kit” donation campaign. The awarding was attended by the Municipal Agriculture Office and AT Fisheries of the municipality of Sagnay as well as the BFAR 5 through their FLDT (Fisheries Livelihood Development Technician).

The group was grateful to receive the starter kit where they can start a small business. Ms. Rizza Conmigo, President of the Sagnay TFA Womens Group said that ‘this is now the opportunity for the women to start a small business to help our husband to generate income. It’s a great honor to be one of the chosen group to receive from the respectful, generous and big-hearted people who has been part of this donation drive that makes us inspired to embrace the business world.

Thank you WWF Philippines and individual donor.” After receiving the starter kit, the women immediately cooked various dishes or menu such as tuna embutido, tuna lumpia and siomai and sold it to local government employees and participants in the training workshop conducted in the adjacent building. The group raise more than 3,365.00 pesos during the event. Truly, as community development worker, also inspired how the community has been evolved and become resilient in the challenging times we are currently facing.