TACLOBAN CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 8 has distributed P7.6 million worth of assistance to six fisherfolk associations in Samar province during the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) held in Calbayog City on November 22, 2024.
The aid includes bangus production in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cages, shallow water payao projects, and motorized fiberglass boats, all provided under BFAR 8’s Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program Phase II.
The beneficiaries of the Bangus Production in HDPE Cage project include Brgy. Yangta Fisherfolk Association (Brgy. Yangta, Daram);Kapit Bisig Tungo sa Pag-unlad ng Mamamayan Farmers and Fisherfolk Association (Brgy. Poblacion 1, Talalora); Brgy. Poblacion B Fish Cage Association (Brgy. Poblacion B, Tarangnan); Sitio Sabang Fisherfolk Association (Brgy. Poblacion 2, Talalora); Sitio Bonga Small Fisherfolk Association (Sitio Bonga, Brgy. Banquel, Villareal);and Sto. Niño Marginal Fisherfolk Association (Brgy. Basud, Sto. Niño, Samar) received the Shallow Water Payao Project with a motorized boat.
BFAR-8, through its Provincial Fisheries Office in Samar, also provided frontline services during the event.
These included assistance with licensing of commercial fishing vessels, Fishpond Lease Agreements, legal consultations, technical advice on fisheries production, free tilapia fingerling applications, fisherfolk registration, and applications for the Fisheries Scholarship Program, among others.
The initiative underscores BFAR-8’s commitment to enhancing the livelihood and productivity of Samar’s fisherfolk through sustainable and innovative fisheries programs.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
