STATEMENT BY DR. ARSENIO S. CAMACHO
Assistant to the Chancellor for Administration
University of the Philippines in the Visayas
Iloilo City, Philippines
As the representative of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas, I wish to convey the greeting and good wishes of Chancellor Dionisia Role and Dean Jose A. Carreon of the College of Fisheries. About two years ago, when the Network proposed a collaborative arrangement with UPV, the response of the Chancellor was immediate and positive, consistent with UPV's mandate as the national center for fisheries and marine sciences. The University recognizes the role that must be played by highly trained personnel in the planning and implementation of aquaculture development programs in the region. It is basically for this reason that the University committed itself to offer a Master of Aquaculture Program based on a curriculum prepared previously by FAO. The implementing guidelines for the awarding of the masteral degree has been finalized and, hopefully, would iron out creases in the further pursuit of the collaboration program.
In connection with the proposal to establish a governing council for the Network, the Chancellor would like to suggest that the matter be referred to the newly-constituted National Board on the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department. The President of the Philippines created the National Board as an in-country mechanism to oversee the programs, budget and operations of the Aquaculture Department. The Board is composed of the ministers or heads of the Ministry of National Resources (Chairman), Ministry of Human Settlements, Ministry of the Budget, the University of the Philippines System, National Science and Technology Authority, National Economic and Development Authority and the representative of the Philippines Government to the SEAFDEC Council. The Chancellor of UPV has been designated to sit in the Board as representative of the University of the Philippines System.
