Feasibility Study on the Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCORE) Project

Sector: Coastal and Marine Resource Management

Country: Philippines

PRIMEX was commissioned by the BFAR to conduct a feasibility study (FS) on the proposed FishCoRe Project. The key activities of the 14-person FS Consultant Team included the following:

• Conduct of a rapid situation analysis of the Philippine fisheries sector, with focus on FMAs 6 and 9, with a view towards identifying the key issues and constraints that can be addressed by the proposed project;
• Development of the logical framework (logframe) for the project, which provide the basis for its detailed design, and the project results framework, and serve as the basis for monitoring of development objectives and project targets;
• Detailed preparation of the proposed FishCoRe Project, including:
  • Elaboration of the project components, including subcomponents and activities, implementation arrangements, and cost estimates;
  • Identification, selection, and pre-feasibility analysis of indicative infrastructure, enterprise, and livelihood subprojects;
  • Design of implementation arrangements and implementation plan;
  • Preparation of detailed project cost estimates and procurement plan;
  • Analysis of the financial and economic viability of the overall project;
  • Assessment of potential environmental and social impacts of the overall project and preparation of an environmental and social management framework;
• Preparation of the feasibility study report containing the findings of the various assessments and the recommended design, scope, configuration, cost estimates, and implementation arrangements for the proposed FishCoRe Project;
• Preparation of the project evaluation forms required by the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC) for project review; and
• Preparation of the project Operations Manual including various operational frameworks, a model fisheries ordinance, model FMA framework plan and model fisheries management plan and aquaculture development and management plan, selected livelihood enterprise models, financial management system and procurement, monitoring and evaluation modules, and various TORs, among others.
  The PRIMEX FS Consultant Team finalized the design of the project in February 2022, in close coordination with BFAR and World Bank, and the final project document was submitted to the NEDA-ICC for review and endorsement to the NEDA Board and World Bank for approval. On 24 November 2022, the Philippine Government approved the FishCoRe project, and the Loan Agreement with the World Bank for the US$200-million loan was signed on 26 June 2023. The seven-year project will be implemented by DA-BFAR starting in August 2023.