Fisherfolk in Antique get livelihood aid

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – A total of 30 indigent fisherfolk in the province of Antique received food supplies as a component of the fish snack cart livelihood assistance from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

In an interview Friday, Alletth Gayatin, Senior Aquaculturist of the Office of Provincial Agriculture (OPA), said the distribution was completed on August 30. The distribution of the food supplies started in July.

“Yesterday, we turned over the food supplies to the remaining two fisherfolk in Culasi,” Gayatin said.

The food supplies, worth PHP10,000 per set, were released to towns of Anini-y, Belison, Bugasong, Laua-an, Sebaste, and Libertad with two fisherfolk beneficiaries each and Tobias Fornier, Hamtic, San Jose de Buenavista and Patnongon with three beneficiaries each.

A fisherfolk beneficiary each from Sibalom, Barbaza Tibiao and Pandan also received livelihood assistance.

Gayatin said the food supplies are ingredients for kikiam, squid ball and fish ball, which will be cooked and sold by the fisherfolk using their snack carts for their added income.

The OPA, together with the food supplies, also distributed to each of the beneficiary frying pan, streamer, sauce pan, 10-liter cooking oil and other processing supplies.

“We are still waiting for the supplier to deliver the fish carts so it could be distributed also to the beneficiaries,” she said.

The fish snack cart costs PHP50,000 each.

“We proceeded with the distribution of the food supplies although there is yet no cart so that the identified beneficiaries could already start in their livelihood program,” she said.

She said the fisherfolk, who have received the food supplies earlier, are now engaging in their businesses and are thankful for the assistance.

This project has been realized through Senator Loren Legarda, who as Senate chairperson of the Committee on Finance, allocated fund to BFAR, Gayatin said. (PNA)

Source: Philippine News Agency