TERMS OF REFERENCE: National Advocacy Consultant, Philippines
Consultancy period: November 30, 2026 – February 28, 2027
Level of effort: Approximately 18 consultancy days
1. Background
The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is an international non-governmental organisation working to protect the natural world and defend human rights. EJF works with communities, civil society organisations and environmental defenders to investigate and expose environmental and human rights abuses, strengthen local capacity, and advocate for policy reforms that promote environmental justice. In fisheries, EJF's work focuses on tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, strengthening transparency and accountability in fisheries governance, and protecting the rights, livelihoods and participation of small-scale fishing communities.
With support from the European Union (EU), EJF developed the Global Toolkit for Participatory Fisheries Governance to strengthen the capacity of small-scale fishing communities and their representative organisations to participate meaningfully in fisheries management and decision-making. Drawing on EJF's experience supporting community-led fisheries governance initiatives in West Africa, including Ghana and Liberia, the project adapts tested approaches and practical tools for implementation across 15 countries including the Philippines.
The Global Toolkit is built around three complementary pillars: (1) strengthening community surveillance and evidence-gathering to identify and report IUU fishing; (2) promoting participatory fisheries governance through the establishment and strengthening of fisheries co-management associations; and (3) strengthening national fishers' organisations to represent their constituencies and influence fisheries policies. Together, these approaches seek to ensure that fishing communities are not merely consulted in fisheries governance but are recognised as active participants and decision-makers in the management and protection of their marine resources.
In the Philippines, EJF is working with national fisheries federations and people’s organisations to strengthen their organisational capacity, policy engagement and ability to advance fisher-led reforms. This includes supporting the Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng mga Mangingisda sa Pilipinas (KKAMPI) and the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) in advocating for participatory governance in fisheries.
Gaining increased understanding of participatory fisheries governance at the national level requires sustained engagement with officials and decision-makers. KKAMPI and PAMALAKAYA therefore require targeted technical and strategic support to strengthen their engagement with decision-makers and build a coordinated advocacy position.
Against this backdrop, EJF seeks to engage a National Advocacy Consultant to provide short-term strategic and technical support to KKAMPI and PAMALAKAYA in educating decision-makers on the issue. The consultancy will complement EJF’s ongoing capacity-strengthening work under the Global Toolkit, while ensuring that the federations remain at the forefront of the advocacy and are better equipped to independently engage Congress and other government institutions beyond the consultancy period.
2. Problem Statement
Fisher-led proposals on tenure security, local stewardship and municipal waters are not well understood at the national level and therefore risk being neglected. While KKAMPI and PAMALAKAYA have strong grassroots credibility and established constituencies among small-scale fishers, they require additional technical and strategic support to effectively engage and educate national figures on these issues.
3. Aims of the National Federations
KKAMPI and PAMALAKAYA aim to:
Raise the profile of participatory governance at the national level.
Effectively respond to questions and concerns raised by officials and decision-makers.
Strengthen their institutional capacity and advocacy skills to engage national figures.
4. Objective of the Consultancy
To provide short-term strategic and technical advocacy support to KKAMPI and PAMALAKAYA so that fisher-led provisions receive appropriate national attention.
The consultancy will also contribute to the longer-term objectives of the EJF Global Toolkit by strengthening the federations' capacity to independently engage in advocacy and represent their constituencies at the national level.
5. Role and Scope of Work
The consultant will work directly with KKAMPI and PAMALAKAYA, in coordination with EJF, to undertake the following:
Increase detailed understanding of national decision-making processes.
Develop an advocacy strategy and workplan with KKAMPI and PAMALAKAYA, identifying priorities, advocacy messages, targets, engagement approaches and a timeline.
Prepare position papers/briefing notes/talking points for TWG meetings and committee hearings. Advise and support federation representatives in preparing for and participating in these engagements to raise awareness on their issues of concern.
Support federation-led engagement with officials involved in national decision-making.
Track developments in policy, document advocacy progress and challenges, and provide regular updates and recommendations to EJF and the partner federations.
The consultant will work in support of the federations, which will remain the principal representatives and public voices of the advocacy. All external engagements undertaken by the consultant will be coordinated with and, where appropriate, authorised by EJF.
6. Deliverables and Indicative Schedule
No. | Deliverable | Indicative timing | Indicative days |
1 | Inception note, decision-making map and key contact list | Within 2 weeks of start | 3 |
2 | Advocacy strategy and workplan, agreed with EJF, KKAMPI, and PAMALAKAYA | Within 4 weeks of start | 2 |
3 | Analysis of the policy environment and relevant proposals | December 2026 | 3 |
4 | Position papers, briefing notes and talking points for TWG meetings and hearings, as scheduled | December 2026 – January 2027 | 4 |
5 | Engagement with relevant officials | Throughout the consultancy | 4 |
6 | Monthly progress updates and a final report documenting results, lessons and recommendations for next steps | Monthly; final report by February 2027 | 2 |
Total | 18 |
The schedule will be adjusted to the House committee calendar and the timing of TWG meetings and hearings. Consultancy days may be reallocated between deliverables with EJF's prior agreement, depending on policy developments and emerging advocacy needs.
7. Duration and Level of Effort
The consultancy will run from November 2026 to February 2027, covering approximately four months, with an estimated level of effort of up to 18 consultancy days.
The consultancy period may be extended, subject to demonstrated need, available funding and developments in policy development. Any additional consultancy days beyond the agreed 18 days will require prior written approval from EJF.
8. Reporting and Management
The consultant will report to the EJF Philippines Campaigner and work closely with the designated leaders and representatives of KKAMPI and PAMALAKAYA.
Short coordination meetings will be held every two weeks, or more frequently around scheduled TWG meetings and committee hearings, as necessary. Written progress updates will be shared monthly with EJF and the partner federations.
The consultant will ensure that key policy developments, advocacy engagements, agreed actions and emerging challenges are documented and communicated in a timely manner.
All advocacy positions and external communications developed under the consultancy will be reviewed and agreed upon with the relevant federation representatives and EJF, as appropriate.
9. Required Qualifications and Experience
The consultant should demonstrate the following qualifications and experience:
Demonstrated experience working in relevant Filipino national decision-making contexts
A track record of supporting the education of decision-makers and officials on policy issues.
Established working relationships with, or practical knowledge of how to engage relevant figures.
Understanding of fisheries, agriculture, environmental policy; knowledge of the Philippine Fisheries Code is an advantage.
Experience working with people’s organisations, national federations, grassroots movements or advocacy coalitions.
Demonstrated ability to translate community-level concerns and evidence into policy recommendations and advocacy positions.
Strong writing, analytical and communication skills in English and Filipino.
Availability throughout the consultancy period and willingness to attend meetings and engagements in Metro Manila, as required.
No conflict of interest, and willingness to disclose any existing or potential ties to figures engaged in the consultancy.
10. Fees and Payment
The consultant will propose a daily consultancy rate, subject to confirmation against EJF’s applicable national consultant rate band.
Payment will be made against approved deliverables and submission of corresponding invoices, in accordance with the terms of the consultancy agreement.
The consultancy fee will be paid in two instalments: 50% at the mid-point of the consultancy period, and the remaining 50% following satisfactory completion of all agreed activities and deliverables, and submission and approval of the final consultancy report by EJF.
Travel, accommodation and meeting-related costs required to deliver the assignment will be agreed in advance and reimbursed in accordance with EJF policies and procedures.
11. How to Express Interest
Interested consultants are invited to submit the following documents to angel.ysik@ejfoundation.org and will.may@ejfoundation.org by November 20, 2026:
A CV or short professional profile outlining relevant experience working on relevant issues.
A technical proposal outlining how the consultant intends to achieve objectives of the consultancy, including key objectives, proposed approach and methodology, proposed activities and key deliverables, a timeline and expected outcomes.
A financial proposal outlining the proposed daily consultancy rate, estimated number of working days required, breakdown of any additional anticipated costs (travel, workshops etc), and total estimated consultancy fee.
Examples of relevant previous work, such as position papers prepared or successful advocacy initiatives undertaken.
Confirmation of availability for the consultancy period (November 2026 – February 2027).
All applications will be assessed based on:
Alignment with objectives: How well the proposal contributes to achieving the objectives of the consultancy
Value for money: Proposals must demonstrate cost-effectiveness.
Consultant capacity: The ability of the consultant to successfully implement the proposal.
Please note no late applications will be considered. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to a short interview or discussion to further assess their experience, proposed approach and suitability for the assignment.
The successful applicant will be required to sign a consultancy agreement outlining the terms and conditions of the consultancy. The agreement will cover the agreed scope of work, activities and deliverables, approved budget and eligible expenditure, reporting requirements, payment terms, and performance monitoring agreements.
12. Other Terms
All materials, documents, research and other outputs produced under this consultancy will remain the property of EJF and the partner federations and may not be shared, reproduced or publicly disseminated without their prior consent.
The consultant will be expected to maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive information, internal advocacy strategies, stakeholder engagements and information shared by the partner federations.
The consultancy is subject to EJF internal approval and the execution of a formal consultancy agreement. The consultant must comply with applicable EJF policies, including those relating to safeguarding, confidentiality, data protection and conflicts of interest.
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