The growth of the Philippine seaweed industry is constrained by environmental factors such as disease and endo/epiphytic infestations and the impacts are further amplified by the prevailing social and governance issues that limit stakeholders’ access to support services that could help mitigate or prevent the adverse impacts of risks and uncertainties. In this paper, we present key findings of the studies we conducted on the social networks and risk perceptions and risk management strategies of seaweed farmers, traders, and processors in the Philippines. The data used for this study was obtained through a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) with women and men seaweed farmers and key informant interviews with traders and processors. We found that informal relationships (i.e., patron-client relations) serves as the foundation of the Philippine seaweed industry and has helped sustain livelihoods across the value chain. As such, we emphasise the value of gender-differentiated and stakeholder-focused value chain risk analysis in order to account for the differential experiences, behavior patterns, and priorities of stakeholder groups across the industry. Moreover, a stronger government support is critical to enable the industry to manage uncertainties and take advantage of opportunities in domestic and international markets.