By Kenneth Marcos 
Inside a packed conference room in Quezon City, fisheries experts and weather scientists gathered with a shared goal: to help Filipino fishers face the growing threats of climate change. For many coastal families who rely on the sea for daily income, accurate and timely climate information can mean the difference between a safe catch and a dangerous day at sea.
On November 17, 2025, the Department of Agriculture–National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) and the Department of Science and Technology–PAGASA formalized a new partnership to develop Climate Information Services tailored for the fisheries sector. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed at the NFRDI Conference Room in Quezon City.
NFRDI Executive Director Dr. Maria Theresa Mutia and PAGASA Administrator Dr. Nathaniel Servando led the signing. They were joined by key technical leaders, including NFRDI Scientist V and Climate-Resilient Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA) Project Leader Dr. Mudjekeewis Santos, and PAGASA Weather Services Chief Thelma Cinco of the Climatology and Agrometeorology Division.
The partnership aims to provide fishers, coastal communities, and local governments with clearer guidance on weather patterns, sea conditions, and long-term climate trends. Using PAGASA’s scientific data and NFRDI’s field research, the project will develop user-friendly tools that can support safer fishing operations and smarter planning in aquaculture and coastal resource management.
Officials explained that the fisheries sector is among the most exposed to climate-related hazards such as stronger typhoons, erratic rainfall, ocean warming, and shifting fish habitats. Many small-scale fishers depend on traditional knowledge, which is no longer enough as weather events become more unpredictable. By providing climate-based advisories and easy-to-understand forecasts, the collaboration hopes to reduce risks and improve daily decision-making for communities that rely heavily on the sea.
The MOA also seeks to help local governments integrate climate data into their coastal development plans. This includes identifying vulnerable fishing grounds, forecasting possible declines in fish populations, and recommending adaptive practices. Such efforts are expected to support national programs aimed at protecting food security and strengthening climate resilience.
Both agencies emphasized that this joint initiative is part of a broader push to make science more accessible to ordinary Filipinos. They hope that through continuous sharing of knowledge and technology, fishers will gain greater confidence in navigating changing seas while protecting their livelihoods for future generations.
As the country experiences the increasing effects of climate change, partnerships like this offer a vital lifeline. By turning scientific data into practical guidance, NFRDI and PAGASA are helping ensure that even small fishing communities have the tools they need to stay safe, informed, and resilient.
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