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PIA News Release:
BFAR-10 urges LGUs to boost support for fisheries sector
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--Noting the current budget constraints of the fisheries sector, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-10 calls for a budget augmentation for the sector from the local government units (LGUs), especially with the implementation of the Mandanas-Garcia Ruling.
"Karong Mandanas, naa nami'y mga i-devolve [nga functions] pero karon hinay-hinay pa, siguro abtan pa og next year pero hinay-hinay gapasabot kami sa LGUs," BFAR-10 Regional Director Teodoro Bacolod, Jr. said.
(Now with the Mandanas, we have functions that will be devolved. Right now, we are slowly doing the transition, this may be completed by next year but we are slowly letting the LGUs understand the transition)
Bacolod added that they will be constantly working with the LGUs to ensure that appropriate interventions will be provided to the fisheries sector including the conduct of training, monitoring, and other technical assistance.
He also urged the coastal cities and municipalities to enact an ordinance creating a municipal fisheries office in their areas "aron kung naa'y programa sa mananagat, didto muadto sa ila (so if there are programs for the fisherfolk, they can just go to the said office)."
The main target of the said interventions is to increase the income of the fisherfolk, thus, he also encouraged the fisherfolk associations to talk to their respective local leaders, so the latter would understand where the sector is coming from and why there is a need to augment its budget.
FishCoRe project in Normin
Solving structural shortcomings in the value chain, raising income of fishermen, and improving socio-economic development for people living in coastal areas during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID)-19, BFAR-10 also gears up for the implementation of Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) Project.
"For the duration sa [FishCore] project, it would cover seven years. Ang iyang mga (Its) direct beneficiaries are about 547,000 fisherfolk so ang sa atoa diri sa (here in) FMA [Fisheries Management Area] 9, we have 261,566 and for Region 10, naa ta'y (we have) 76,992 based sa atong (in our) FishR data," FishCoRe Project Technical Staff Jennifer Baroy said.
She added that the beneficiaries are coming from the provincial, municipal and city LGUs, extension staff as well as the BFAR, and partner agencies.
Through the said project, FMA policies/guidelines will be developed and implemented, resource assessment studies will be conducted, and systems will be placed including the online monitoring and evaluation.
The sharing of the said interventions of BFAR-10 is in line with the Farmers and Fisherfolk's Month celebration, which Bacolod regarded as the avenue to meet the fisherfolk associations and to heighten their awareness on the new projects, activities, programs, and services of the government geared toward improving the fisheries sector.
Products of the fisherfolk throughout the region are also displayed at the BFAR-10 compound through the Community Fish Pantry and Market Day, May 16. (RTP/PIA-10)
