This study aims to describe the involvement of wives in Apo Island in resource excahnge with the communities in the mainland province of Negros Oriental. It likewise examines the social networks established and describes the extent to which these have facilitated the exchange relationship. It is basically exploratory and descriptive using case studies of wives and their household classified according to life cycles: without or with a child (nursing age), with some children of working age, with some children already married, with all children already married. A purposive sample of 12 wives representing the four stages of household life cycle were the key informants of the study. The data from in-depth interviews were further reinforced by a focus group discussion with other wives engaged in fish trading and in actual observations of fish processing as well as trading during a regular market day in the mainland. As a whole, this study provides some knowledge on the processes of how wives are able to make themselves actively part of social and economic activities in the community despite the burdens of their biological and traditional roles corresponding the life cycle of their respective households. Moreover, it has a modest contribution to the various exposition of women as not just invisible resources but significant contributions to the rural economy, in general, and the fishing industry of Apo Island, in particular. Meanwhile, the possibilities discussed in the study to secure the fishing environment of Apo Island from wanton destruction, in order that trading with the mainland community particularly done by wives will be significant, could be achieved through empowering the community (with wider involvement of women) like in managing their resources, monitoring resources utilization, apprehending illegal activities on the environment, and developing appropriate alternative economic activities which are ecologically viable.
