by Perla Lena/PNA
A total of 900 fiberglass boats are set to be distributed to marginalized fisherfolk in Antique province within the month.
“We are just waiting for the final schedule for the distribution of the boats,” Alletth Gayatin, senior aquaculturist of the Office of Provincial Agriculture (OPA), said in an interview on Tuesday.
The distribution of the boats is under the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) F/B Pagbabago Livelihood Development Program.
Gayatin said the boats were being constructed at a property of the provincial government in Barangay Badiang, San Jose de Buenavista since December 2018.
These boats will be distributed to the fishermen who have registered with the Municipal Fisherfolk Registry.
“The recipients are from the 15 coastal towns of the province,” she added.
The 15 coastal towns are Aniniy, Tobias Fornier, Hamtic, San Jose, Belison, Patnongon, Bugasong, Laua-an,Culasi, Tibiao, Sebaste, Pandan, Libertad, Caluya, and Barbaza.
Gayatin said each boat, worth PHP50,000 to PHP55,000 and funded by BFAR, will be shared by two fisherfolk recipient.
“The recipient will also be asked to sign a simple contract that they will not use the boat for illegal activities and not sell it,” she added.
She said the fisherfolk will be responsible for the maintenance of the boat and will also be required to regularly submit a production report to their respective Municipal Agriculture Officers.
Meanwhile, Antique Provincial Information Officer Galileo Magbanua said aside from the fiberglass boat, the fishermen will also receive fishing gear and a 7.5 horse power engine.
“This will surely be a big help for the fisherfolk in the province,” he said.
F/B Pagbabago aims to uplift the socio-economic status of fisherfolk through the provision of disaster-resilient fishing boats.
