The World Bank convened a technical alignment meeting with the Department of Agriculture-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) on the implementation of the Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FISHCORE) Project on March 30, 2026 at the NFRDI Conference Room in Quezon City.

The meeting focused on sharpening implementation priorities and ensuring that the Institute’s research and technical assistance directly contribute to the project’s intended outcomes.

Discussions highlighted key accomplishments, ongoing initiatives, and practical strategies to strengthen project delivery in the coming months.

NFRDI FISHCORE Project Manager Mirriam Cayme presented major milestones and outlined the project’s forward direction, while World Bank Senior Fisheries Specialist Xavier Vincent underscored the need to maximize the use of NFRDI-generated research to improve fisheries management and coastal resilience.

The team also identified key implementation bottlenecks and agreed on priority actions to address these challenges, with support from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

World Bank representative Agnes Chuing Balota commended NFRDI’s performance, citing the Institute as a “gold standard” in procurement and financial management. She noted that initial findings and recommendations will be further discussed with the World Bank in the coming month.

NFRDI Executive Director Maria Theresa Mutia, together with division chiefs and project staff, reaffirmed the Institute’s commitment to delivering quality outputs on schedule.

Also present were FISHCORE Deputy Project Manager Jessica Muñoz, FishCRRM Technical Consultant Rafael Ramiscal, and World Bank Midterm Review Consultant Marilyn Martinez. ### (Joey Caser)