A Southeast Asian center based here and five government and private institutions and agencies have joined hands to help arrest the decline of the local seaweed industry. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) along this line has been signed among the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC AQD) based in Tigbauan; Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR)-Region 9, Department of Science and Technology (DOST)- Region 9, Office of the City Agriculturist (OCA) of the Zamboanga City government, Zamboanga State College of Marine Science And Technology (ZSCMST), and Western Mindanao Seaweed Industry Development Foundation, Inc. (WMSIDFI), all based in Zamboanga City. Signatories to the MOU were the heads of the participating agencies and institutions, namely: Dr. Joebrt Toledo of SEAFDEC AQD, Virginia Alforque of DA-BFAR-Region 9, Director Brenda Nazareth-Manzano of DOST-Region 9, Diosdado Palacat of the Zamboanga City OCA, Dr. Steve Quilala of ZSCMST, and Adam Omar of WMSIDFI.

Fernandez, R. A. (2007, September 14). 6 agencies ink pact to boost dev't of seaweed industry. The Philippine Star, p. C3.