BFAR MisOcc to boost livelihood support for the fisheries sector

The Philippine Information Agency-10 holds the Let’s Talk MisOcc virtual forum with Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Misamis Occidental on Farmers and Fisherfolks Month 2022 with the theme,” Modernisasyon at Industriyalisasyon tungo sa masaganang ani at mataas na kita via Zoom. (PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)- Misamis Occidental is continuously providing livelihood support to fisherfolks in the province.

Provincial Fishery Director and Sr. Aquaculturist Cirilo D. Bagcat reported that they are helping fisherfolks upgrade their equipment through providing new equipment. “Kining modernization, kini ang paghatag ug bag-o nga equipment, mga bag-o nga technology sa pagbuhi ug isda sama sa fishpond, fish pin, fish cages ug sa mga tanki apil na siya sa fisherfolks. Gihatagan sila ug mga bag-ong technology aron mapadaghan ang ilang production sa isda."

(This modernization, it is the provision of new equipment, new technologies to release and fish such as fishponds, fish pins, fish cages and tanks. They are being provided with new technologies to increase their fish production)

Bagcat said they have poured in a lot of help to the fisher folks particularly through the Provincial Fisheries Office, Agriculture Office and the Local Government Units. One of its programs, Special Agricultural Area for Development (SAAD) has been implemented in the city of Tangub, Ozamiz and municipalities of Baliangao and Bonifacio.

“Special kini nga project diin ang mga association ang nahatagan niini nga project sulod sa tulo ka tuig nga pag-atiman, pag-ayuda sa maong mga association. Ang panglantaw sa kagamhanang national through BFAR ug LGU nga kini mapalambo,” he added.

(This is a special project where the associations have been given this project for three years of care, helping such associations. The vision of the national government through BFAR and LGU is that it will be developed)

During the pandemic until present, the National Government through BFAR and LGUs provided cash and food assistance to fisherfolks worth P5,000 each. There is rice, eggs and poultry to those registered fisher folks submitted by the local agriculture Office.

Last year, a total of 259 fisher folks were assisted with a loan amounting to P25,000 each through Landbank. This year 2022, BFAR also implemented a fuel subsidy program worth P3,000 to each fisher folk with engine boat.

BFAR is in coordination with the LGUs to implement projects and programs in the province. “Dili kita magpili ug unsa’y molo sa fisherfolks nga mo duol kanamo ug kami sa BFAR andam kami mo tagana sa mga mo duol namo nga mga fisherfolk."

(We do not choose what kind of fisher folks you are and we at BFAR are ready to provide assistance for those who needs help with us)

Based on recent data, BFAR Misamis Occidental registered 30 thousand fisher folks in the province. (SMRN/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)