BOKOD, Benguet– To uplift the socio-economic status of fisherfolk through the provision of disaster-resilient fishing boats, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-CAR) turned over 40 units motorized fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) boats to fisherfolk of Bokod (Ambuklao) and Itogon (Ampucao, Binga, Dalupirip) in Benguet recently.
Said undertaking is in line with the F/B Pagbabago Livelihood and Development Program under the BFAR’s Targeted Actions to Reduce Poverty and Generate Economic Transformation (TARGET) program for which the Bureau allotted five million pesos for the construction/fabrication of 60 FRP boats for the Cordillera.
Beneficiaries of said program are the small scale fishermen and fisherfolk associations across the country who are duly registered in the Municipal Fisherfolk Registration System (MFRS).
Each boat includes a 7.5 hp motor engine and two units gill net benefitting 80 fisherfolk families since ownership of the boat is two families to one unit to encourage teamwork and also prevent the abuse or sale of the boats which has been the problem of similar programs in the past. Fiberglass is more durable which can last for 20 years with less maintenance than the commonly used wooden boats which can only be used for three years and requires frequent maintenance.
Desto Salve, 54, one of the recipients, said that boats will be useful especially that he depends on fishing for livelihood for more than 10 years already.
This activity is also part of the Bureau’s effort in helping communities develop their fishery technology in the dams which has been the major fishing ground of most fisherfolk in the region.
That under R.A. 8550 as amended by RA 10654 particularly Sec. 24 states that “the Department and LGUs shall provide support to municipal fisherfolk through appropriate technology transfer, credit, production and marketing assistance and other services such as, but not limited to, training for additional/ supplementary livelihood”.
Aside from this, the remaining 20 units FRP boats will be awarded to the fisherfolk of Ifugao this September. It has been noted that CAR has recorded a total of 309 registered boats in the Municipal Fishing Vessel and Gear Registration (BoatR) of the Bureau.**
