By Kharlle G. Lapad
MACABALAN, Cagayan de Oro City (May 18) โ The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-10 (BFAR-10) held its 1st semestral meeting for the Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa (BASIL) program on May 15, 2025, at the Kisolon Freshwater Fish Production and Regional Training Center (KFPRRTC) in Sumilao, Bukidnon. The meeting, attended by BASIL enumerators, Provincial Fisheries Office personnel and focal persons, aimed to assess the programโs current initiatives, tackle emerging challenges, and refine strategies for the rest of the year.
BASIL Regional Focal Person Karen D. Piรฑero delivered the rationale for the meeting, emphasizing that the activity was crucial to ensuring stakeholders stay updated on the project’s implementation. She further stressed that it served as a platform for reviewing resource management efforts and identifying issues and concerns that need immediate actions toward restoration of aquatic life.
One of the key topics of the meeting was the shared commitment to restoring the regionโs rivers and lakes, which are essential for various food production and community-based economic activities. Significant accomplishments to date were also presented, along with other target activities geared in achieving the programโs goals.
Moving forward into the second semester of CY2025, BFAR-10 plans to intensify initiatives to protect aquatic ecosystems and support resilient, sustainable livelihoods throughout the region, in collaboration with its various program partners. Efforts will focus on formally establishing the new BASIL Management Area (BMA) at Linugos River in Barangay Tibon-Tibon, Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental.
Priority actions identified include the conduct of semestral water quality monitoring to ensure the ecological integrity of the site, and the assessment of species invasiveness using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS-ISK) across all BMAs. Plans to strengthen capacity-building programs for regional fishermen, enhance monitoring systems, and increase public understanding of environmental conservation techniques were also outlined.
The next semestral meeting is scheduled in November 2025 to further evaluate project progress and review strategies.