.
Quezon City, Philippines — The Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc. (FSSI) formally opened its 37th General Assembly Learning Session on June 9, 2026, at Novotel Manila Araneta City, bringing together members, partners, government representatives, social enterprises, civil society organizations, cooperatives, development partners, and private sector leaders for a dialogue on strengthening agriculture- and fisheries-based social enterprises.
With the theme “Social Enterprises in Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries: A Multi-Sectoral Forum toward Dialogue and Direction,” the learning session served as a platform for exchanging perspectives and identifying collaborative approaches to address the challenges faced by farmers, fishers, and rural communities.
The afternoon session was co-moderated by Ms. Raquel Castillo, Vice President of the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) and FSSI Member, and Mr. Jose Detablan, Chief Executive Officer of VICTO National and FSSI Trustee and Secretary. Together, they guided discussions that emphasized the importance of partnerships across sectors in creating more inclusive and resilient agricultural and fisheries value chains.
In his opening message, FSSI Chairperson Mr. Nestor Carbonera underscored the need for collective action in responding to the growing challenges confronting agriculture and fisheries.
“No single institution can address these risks alone. We need an ecosystem of support, with the government, civil society, the private sector, and social enterprises working together,” he said.
.
Setting the policy context for the day’s discussions, Atty. Asis G. Perez, Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Regulations of the Department of Agriculture, delivered the keynote address after being introduced by FSSI Trustee and WAND Women Organization National Coordinator Ms. Florencia “Oyen” Casanova-Dorotan.
Usec. Perez highlighted the government’s recognition of social enterprises as valuable partners in reaching underserved communities and addressing persistent gaps in agricultural and fisheries development.
.
“It is important for us to promote partnerships with social enterprises such as FSSI. We agree with FSSI. We agree na kung saan kayo nag-ooperate, kung saan may gap, that is also where government should be operating—in areas where we are most needed,” he said.
Providing the private sector perspective, Mr. Jose Victor Paterno, Trustee of Philippine Business for Social Progress and Chairperson of Philippine Seven Corporation, discussed how innovation, investment, and stronger market systems could improve the livelihoods of farmers and fishers while strengthening agricultural social enterprises.
.
He presented examples of technology-enabled solutions that could increase transparency in agricultural markets, including a proposed “Price Board Pilot” in wholesale trading centers to improve price visibility and reduce the influence of exploitative market practices. He also shared how digital logistics tracking and produce traceability could help smallholder farmers access formal financing and better market opportunities. Drawing from the CARD MRI experience, he demonstrated how a multi-region clustering model had helped secure the livelihoods of more than 43,000 farmers and stressed that scaling similar initiatives would require sustained collaboration among local government units, the private sector, and development organizations.
The presentations were followed by an open forum, where participants engaged both keynote speakers in discussions on policy directions, market access, financing, and the role of partnerships in supporting vulnerable farming and fishing communities. The exchange reflected the value of bringing together government, business, civil society, development partners, and practitioners to address complex challenges through coordinated action.
The learning session then transitioned to a panel discussion moderated by Ms. Agnes Bolanos, Board Member of MINCODE, FSSI Trustee, and Projects Committee Chairperson.
.
Panelists included Mr. Jerry Reginaldo of Quirino Isabela Multipurpose Cooperative, Ms. November Canieso-Yeo of Plantsville Health, and Mr. Jose Romeo Ebron of AgriCOOPh Federation. Drawing from their field experience, they shared practical lessons on supporting farmers, building resilient value chains, strengthening community enterprises, and responding to the evolving realities of agriculture and fisheries.
Participants continued the conversation during another open forum, raising questions and sharing reflections on how social enterprises, cooperatives, government agencies, civil society organizations, development partners, and the private sector could strengthen collaboration to better support agriculture- and fisheries-based enterprises. The discussions reinforced the need for coordinated interventions that respond to local realities while creating greater opportunities for rural communities.
As the learning session concluded, FSSI expressed its appreciation to all speakers, panelists, moderators, members, partners, and guests whose contributions enriched the day’s dialogue.
In her synthesis and closing reflections, Ms. Agnes Bolanos brought together the key messages from the keynote address, presentations, panel discussion, and open forum. She emphasized that the conversations had pointed toward a shared agenda centered on stronger partnerships, responsive policies, innovative financing, and collaborative support mechanisms for social enterprises working in agriculture and fisheries.
“Together, these strategic directions aim to respond to the evolving needs of agricultural and fisheries social enterprises while reinforcing FSSI’s role as a development partner working with the government, the private sector, and other stakeholders to create an enabling environment for social enterprises,” she said.
.
The 37th General Assembly Learning Session concluded with a renewed commitment among participants to deepen collaboration in advancing inclusive, resilient, and sustainable livelihoods for farmers, fishers, and their communities. The dialogue reaffirmed that meaningful progress in Philippine agriculture and fisheries depends on the collective efforts of government, social enterprises, civil society, the private sector, and development partners working toward a common goal.
