Research-Based Policy Brief for Enhancing the Seaweed Production in the Selected Municipalities of Tawi-Tawi

Seaweed production in the Philippines is vital for economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social development, particularly in coastal regions like Tawi-Tawi. However, the industry in Tawi-Tawi faces significant challenges due to weak policy implementation. This study aims to enhance seaweed production in selected municipalities of Tawi-Tawi by proposing a research-based policy brief. Utilizing a sequential mixed-method approach, the study involved 180 purposively selected seaweed farmers. Data were collected through semi-structured open-ended questionnaires, aligned with BTA Bill 196, and analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings revealed that policy implementation in Tawi-Tawi's seaweed industry is only slightly effective, with a mean score of 2.51. Major challenges include inadequate infrastructure, poor growth environments, and insufficient processing technology, all exacerbated by weak policy enforcement. The study identified a critical gap in current policies, particularly the lack of IT infrastructure to manage transactions, which emerged as a key issue. Consequently, the study concludes that the current policy framework is not fully effective and requires significant improvement, as such a policy brief is proposed.