The City Government of Davao is enhancing the role of fisherfolk and farmers in shaping the city’s agricultural and fisheries program.
On September 23, 2025, the City Government of Davao issued Executive Order No. 16, Series of 2025, which institutionalizes the City Agricultural and Fishery Council (CAFC) as an advisory body of the City Government of Davao.
The EO also ensures the representation of the CAFC as a regular member of the Local Development Council of Davao City, the policy-making body tasked with preparing and approving the city’s development plans. This is to encourage private sector participation in agricultural and fishery development.
“To ensure representation in the Local Development Council created under Republic Act No. 7160 and Executive Order No. 50, Series of 2019, the CAFC shall be included as a regular member of the Davao City Development Council (CDC), with the CAFC Chairman or representative hereby recognized as a regular member thereof,” Section 2 of the EO reads.
The EO emphasizes that the City Government of Davao gives highest priority to agricultural development to achieve an equitable distribution of benefits and opportunities and to enable farmers, fishermen, and the rural population to maximize their contribution to the local economy.
Based on Section 3 of the EO, the composition and qualifications of the CAFC officers and members shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Republic Act No. 8435, in relation to the Department of Agriculture- Philippine Council for the Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) Revised Guidelines on the Engagement of Consultative Bodies (GoECB) 2023.
Under the order, the CAFC shall be composed of an Executive Committee—with its Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, and Auditor coming from the private sector, and a government representative acting as co-chairperson—and Sectoral Committees organized according to identified agri-fishery sectors. Each Sectoral Committee must have representatives from city-wide organizations, youth groups, women’s organizations, and district-level councils. The Sectoral Committee Chairpersons will also serve as focal persons of their respective sectors in the CAFC.
As its primary role, CAFC shall serve as an advisory body of the City Government of Davao to ensure the success of agricultural and fishery programs and projects toward higher productivity and increased income. It shall function as focal entities of public and private partnership for the continuing discussion on issues and concerns facing the agriculture and fisheries sector with the ultimate aim of finding solutions, giving policy/program recommendations, and facilitating feedback and information flow. It will also serve as a consultative, integrative, coordinative, and monitoring body for regional and local agricultural and fishery value and supply chain initiatives.
The EO further provides for the creation of Barangay Agricultural and Fishery Councils (BAFCs) in all coastal and upland barangays, as well as District or Municipal Agricultural and Fishery Councils.
The elected officers of District AFC or the Municipal Agricultural and Fishery Council shall be the officers and members of the CAFC.
The EO also states that the City Agriculturist Office shall provide the secretariat support of the CAFC and coordinate the efficient implementation of its policies and mandate. The same office shall also provide technical and logistic support to the CAFC to ensure success of its programs and activities. CIO
