The first Climate Risk Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA) in the Ilocos Region shows tilapia in Badoc, Ilocos Norte remains resilient to climate change despite exposure to typhoons, flooding, drought, and rising sea temperatures. In contrast, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur has seen a significant decline in skipjack tuna catch and size over the past decade, though moderate dependence and stable adaptive capacity keep the municipality from being highly vulnerable.
The CRVA in the Ilocos Region, focusing on Badoc and Cabugao, involved a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) and cost-benefit analysis (CBA) surveys conducted on November 3-7 and November 24-28, 2025, respectively.
Common priority commodities identified during the FGDs included milkfish, scad (bigeye and roundscad), skipjack tuna, anchovies (monamon/dilis), rabbitfish (malaga), and tilapia. Each municipality also highlighted unique species: Badoc cited trevally (talakitok), common dolphinfish (dorado/mahi-mahi), unicorn fish (sungayan), oysters, and seaweeds, while Cabugao emphasized threadfin bream (bisugo), swordfish (espada), and yellowfin tuna.
The subsequent CBA surveys in both municipalities were a crucial step toward recommending climate-resilient interventions tailored to their fisheries sector.
The project, led by Dr. Mudjekeewis Santos, NFRDI Scientist V, was facilitated by Vanessa Mae Escaño (Senior Science Research Specialist) alongside CRVA team members Gem Sammer Castro, Emmanuel Sanchez, and Janabless Tejada (all Science Research Specialists I).
Escaño opened the session by introducing participants to the CRVA concept and methodology. Sanchez discussed the data gathering and mapping procedures, as well as the provisional results of the assessment. Castro and Tejada concluded the session by explaining the cost-benefit analysis (CBA) process and coordinating the survey schedule with the local government units (LGUs).
FGD participants included representatives from the Provincial Fisheries Office (PFO), Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO), Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of the participating LGUs. In addition, members of fisherfolk associations, aquaculture farm owners, and academe representatives also took part in the discussions.
“CRVA serves as the foundation for climate-smart planning and the implementation of interventions and policies that promote long-term climate resilience. The participation of fisherfolk is critical for the successful rollout of the project,” said Rowell Cabatu, PFO representative, in his closing remarks.
The Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FISHCORE) project launched the CRVA to assess the impacts of climate change, identify climate-resilient interventions tailored to the most vulnerable communities, and provide data on the exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity of targeted sites within Fisheries Management Areas (FMAs) 6 and 9.
The timely conduct of the CRVA underscores NFRDI’s commitment to delivering science-based solutions to the challenges posed by climate change. By identifying the vulnerabilities of fishing communities, local, provincial, and regional authorities can collaborate to strengthen adaptive capacities and support the sustainable management of aquatic resources. ### (Janabless Tejada)