The coordinators of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Fisheries Scholarship Program (FSP) from the Mindanao Cluster, alongside stakeholders, convened on April 5, 2024, at Davao del Norte State College, Panabo City, to deliberate the proposed amendments to the Fisheries Scholarship Program (FAO 257-1, s. 2020).

Ms. Rinalyn Dumol, the FSP Focal Person of the Central Office, led the discussions and presented the results of the summary of amended sections of FAO 257-1, s. 2020, based on a series of stakeholder consultations conducted since last year. These consultations represent an inclusive approach aimed at ensuring that the proposed amendments align with sector-specific realities and challenges and aiming to establish a more robust fisheries scholarship program.

Before finalization, the proposed amendments will undergo another round of consultations for deliberation by the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC).

BFAR XI’s facilitation of the event has been pivotal, ensuring that the dialogue was productive and marked a step forward in the collective effort to enhance educational opportunities within the fisheries sector, aiming for a more sustainable and prosperous future for all involved.

The attendees comprised of scholars from the Davao del Norte State College (DNSC) and the Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST), representatives from the academe, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, and regional coordinators/alternates of BFAR Regions 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.