THE Ministry of Trade, Investments and Tourism (MTIT)–Tawi-Tawi Provincial Office has brought together seaweed farmers, processors, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), academe and government agencies to explore ways of turning the province’s marine resources into higher-value products.
The Seaweed and Marine-Based Value-Added Products Techno-Innovation Forum, held Tuesday, September 22, 2026, focused on product innovation, food safety, Halal compliance, packaging, technology adoption and market opportunities for Tawi-Tawi’s seaweed and marine-based industries.
The forum, organized in partnership with the Provincial Government of Tawi-Tawi, was part of the 53rd Kamahardikaan sin Tawi-Tawi celebration.
MTIT Tawi-Tawi OIC Provincial Director Fatima Neyyar Hassan said the activity provided stakeholders with a clearer picture of the current condition, opportunities and potential of the province’s seaweed and marine-based industries.
“We have discussed important areas such as value addition, product innovation, food safety, Halal compliance, packaging, technology adoption, and market opportunities,” Hassan said in a statement Thursday, September 24, 2026.
Seven technical sessions were conducted with resource speakers from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, University of the Philippines Visayas, Mindanao State University–Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography, and Al-Amanah Islamic Bank of the Philippines.
Hassan said an open forum allowed industry stakeholders to raise concerns, exchange ideas and explore possible collaborations, while a product showcase and industry networking session featured seaweed chips, dried fish and other marine-based innovations.
Tawi-Tawi Governor Yshmael Sali expressed pride in the province’s recognition as the country’s seaweed capital and urged participants to apply the knowledge gained from the forum to improve production and expand the industry.
“Let us use this forum to uplift our Bangsa (Nation), to a future where Tawi-Tawi does not provide the raw material but lead the industry with pride and world-class recognition,” Sali said in a statement.
Transportation and Communications Minister Termizie Masahud also highlighted ongoing and approved projects that could help support the growth of the province’s seaweed industry, reaffirming the Bangsamoro government’s commitment to the sector.
“On behalf of BARMM, our Chief Minister Macacua and our office, we remain committed to the seaweed industry,” Masahud said. (SunStar Zamboanga)