VSU Tolosa hosts patrol boat training and turnover for six Leyte towns

Visayas State University Tolosa (VSU Tolosa) became the center of coastal capacity-building efforts in Eastern Visayas after successfully hosting a two-week hands-on training program that concluded with the turnover of 1.5 million pesos worth of fiberglass patrol boats to six municipalities in Leyte. 

The initiative, held from May 19 to 30, 2025, saw VSU tolosa transform into a working boatyard and classroom for fisherfold, local government officials, and fisheries law enforcers from Mayorga, Tolosa, Tanauan, Palo, Carigara, and Babatngon. 

The participants, trained directly on campus, constructed their own 30-foot fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) patrol boats, each equipped with two 16-horsepower engines. 

These boats were formally handed over during a ceremony at the KOICA Conference Room in VSU Tolosa on May 30, 2025. 

The training and turnover were jointly organized by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the Department of Fisheries (DFish), and VSU Tolosa’s Faculty of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (FFAS).

Training by Doing

Each of the six towns build their own patrol boats from the ground up, cutting, assembling, fitting, and painting, under the direct supervision of BFAR engineers and technicians. 

The training was part of a nationwide effort to equip local communities not just with equipment, but also with the skills to maintain and replicate these boats in the future.

BFAR’s technical team included Engr. Ramil Labiano, biologist and facilitator Gelby Yusay, aquaculturist Mary Rose Veral, FRP technicians Junie Catipay and John Florendo, and training staff Jinky Rose Catipay and Prince Samonte. 

Mr. Julius Caesar Caballes, Chief of the Production Division of BFAR Regional Office VIII, also gave his support throughout the activity. 

VSU Tolosa, through its faculty, staff, and facilities, provided the training ground for both theory and hands-on work. 

Trainees not only learned the science behind FRP boat constructions, but also spent hours in the field that put knowledge into practice. 

The boats were then inspected and completed in time for the formal turnover. 

Community Voices and Academic Support

During the turnover ceremony, VSU Tolosa Chancellor Dr. Quenstein D. Lauzon welcomed the guests and thanked BFAR and the LGUs for placing their trust in VSU Tolosa. 

She said that the university’s involvement in projects like this deepens its connection with the communities it serves. 

“More than a place of learning, our campus is also a space where practical, real-world solutions can take shape,” Dr. Lauzon said. “We hope to continue working with partners who see the value of bringing the knowledge directly to where it is needed.”

Dr. Catherine Aradaza, Director of Extension, represented VSU President Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes at the event. She noted how the program gave VSU Tolosa the chance to not only host, but also take part in addressing the urgent needs of the coastal communities. 

The Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Asst. Prof. Rizalyn P. Gonzales thanked everyone involved, from the initial planning to the final touches on the boats. 

“We have seen firsthand how hands-on training can inspire and equip people. We are looking forward to more engagements like this,” she shared. 

Ground-level Participation

Local officials from the recipient municipalities came to personally receive the boats alongside their trainees. 

Among them were Vice Mayor Menardo Mate of Tolosa, Hon. Eduardo Ong, Jr. of Carigara, Hon. Mark Cloyd Tan Piengco of Mayorga, Retired Judge Ephrem Abando of Tanauan, and Hon. Felipe Ygrubay of Palo, along with their respective agricultural technologists, fisheries officers, and field representatives. 

Several participants shared how the training gave them new skills they hope to pass o their respective baranggays. 

“Lisod gud ha siyahan, pero nalipay ngan naggarbo la gihap kami kay nakita namon nga nahuhuman na an sakayan ngan maaram kami nga kami mismo an nabulig paghimo hito,” one participant said. 

[It was difficult at first, but we felt proud seeing the boat take shape and knowing we helped build it ourselves]

Expanding VSU Tolosa’s Marine Capability

In addition to the patrol boats for the LGUs, BFAR also turned over three new FRP boats to DFish, including two 17-foot boats with 9-horsepower engines and one additional 30-foot patrol boat. These units will be used to enhance research and instruction of VSU Tolosa. 

Combined with a 38-foot vessel awarded in September 2024, the campus now has a fleet of four boats supporting fieldwork, extension services, and marine science education. 

The training was conducted under the F/B Pagbabago Livelihood Program of the Department of Agriculture, led nationally by Mr. Pierre Easter Velasco of BFAR, in partnership with VSU Tolosa’s FFAS. 

This article is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 1: No Poverty; SDG 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 14: Life Below Water, and; SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

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