Assessment of Bangus Culture Livelihood Project in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, Philippines

The study assessed the bangus culture as the key livelihood initiative of the FishCORAL project of BFAR-V covering the coastal barangays in Libmanan, Camarines Sur. The assessment focused on identifying the enterprise's inputs, outputs, and outcomes and its economic and social impacts on the project beneficiaries.  Interviews, focus group discussions, desk reviews, and field surveys were employed to evaluate the project achievements, including using an adopted model for monitoring and evaluation. Descriptive analysis and mixed methods were applied to data analysis. Five associations take turns running the livelihood enterprise through the circular sea cage located at Barangay Bahao. The beneficiaries encountered challenges, such as the high cost of fuel used in going to and from the project site, especially those coming from far barangays; commercial markets were not yet considered for the product due to insufficient volume of harvest; and the association's need guidance in leadership and business management.  Typhoons affected the project during its initial operation. Still, since the household size of the beneficiary families is primarily tiny, it is easier for them to sustain the family's basic needs with incomes from fishing and other alternative sources. The fishing households share the livelihood assets available in the community. The project achievements met the criteria for relevance, coherence, availability, and perceived utility viz-a-viz the business objectives. Recommended measures, organizational capability, support systems, and internal disagreements must be addressed to sustain the Bangus culture livelihood project

Women Empowerment in Selected Fisheries-Related Livelihoods In Asid Gulf, Masbate, Philippines

Women empowerment contributes to the coastal economy and dispositions to household income. This descriptive study aimed to establish women's empowerment and their roles in the overall performance of selected fisheries-related livelihood in coastal towns of Milagros, Cawayan, Placer, and Esperanza, Masbate. It was participated by 81 women beneficiaries. A structured survey questionnaire was utilized to collect information on the sociodemographic profile and adequacy level of empowerment aligned to WEAI-5DE. It was backed up with FGDs and KIIs. The data were treated through descriptive analysis techniques using frequencies and percentages. The respondents mainly belong to the reproductive age group (15-49 years old) and are married individuals (84%). They have resulted in the dismayed of occupation because respondents are mainly housewives. The present study reveals that women achieved an adequate level of control over using income and building relationships or groups within and outside the organization; hence, women are empowered. The study also focused on the need for women's empowerment along with agricultural production, access to and control of productive resources, leadership in the community, and time allocation. These gaps and impediments may be addressed when feasible vocational/TVET training programs are introduced to women, the establishment of collaboration among concerned government agencies to channel fishery products directly to the market, and the inclusion of gender sensitivity activities to lessen gender inequality in the fishery community