COAST Programme launched to support fisherfolk empowerment, environmental conservation
Quezon City — Representatives from the British Embassy Manila, the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), local government units, and community leaders from Zamboanga Sibugay led the launch of the COAST Programme on March 26, 2025, an initiative aimed at uplifting fisherfolk’s livelihoods while advancing sustainable resource management across the country.
The COAST Facility Philippines, part of the broader Climate and Ocean Adaptation and Sustainable Transition (COAST) Programme, seeks to strengthen climate resilience in vulnerable coastal communities by protecting ecosystems, improving governance, and promoting inclusive and sustainable livelihoods. Funded by the UK Government and led by DAI Global and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Facility supports local stewardship and drives lasting, inclusive change for both people and nature through flexible grants, technical assistance, and national reform support.
Partnering with the COAST Philippines in this initiative is PEF, which has long supported fisherfolk communities, particularly in Bataan, Quezon, and Zamboanga Sibugay.
In his message, PEF Chair Antonio Ledesma reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to supporting fisherfolk communities through strong partnerships.
“Because of this partnership, we can do more. We can scale up community-led coastal enterprises. We can strengthen climate adaptation efforts. And we can invest more in initiatives that support youth, women, and indigenous peoples in coastal areas,” he said.
The programme features two key tracks: Integrated Area Development in Zamboanga Sibugay and the Coastal Community-led Innovation Fund Facility (CCLIFF).
Under the Zamboanga Sibugay Area Development track, the programme aims to empower 4,000 fisherfolk working in Sibuguey Bay. It also seeks to enhance the capacities of fisherfolk organizations operating in the area, while expanding aquaculture value chains for oysters and seaweeds.
The programme will also support the conservation of at least 8,000 hectares of mangroves and partner with other institutions to advocate for policies that protect critical habitats.
Under CCLIFF, catalytic financing will be provided to community-based organizations outside Zamboanga Sibugay. This addresses the lack of accessible and flexible funding for coastal community-led innovations. The facility will enable communities to pilot or scale sustainable livelihoods, conservation practices, and coastal and aquaculture enterprise models, generating lessons for replication in other regions.
During the event, Economic and Climate Counselor Lloyd Cameron lauded fisherfolk, cooperatives, and social entrepreneurs for uplifting communities and enabling innovation for livelihood and environmental sustainability.
“This project reflects a simple but powerful truth: resilience is built locally. It is built by fisherfolk who know these waters better than anyone; by cooperatives that organize and uplift entire communities; by local leaders who turn vision into action, and by social entrepreneurs proving that innovation can and must serve our people and the planet,” he said.
Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Administrator Christian Jay Milena also praised the partnership as a catalyst to “ultimately help our fisherfolks break free from the cycle of poverty and become stewards of the marine ecosystem they call home.”
Also in attendance were Edreluisa Calonge, Mayor of Mabuhay, Zamboanga Sibugay; Roberto Ballon, Chair of the Kapunungan sa Gagmay ng Mangingisda Fishermen Cooperative; and Nestor Carbonera, Executive Director of Xavier Agricultural Extension Service Foundation Incorporated.
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