They used to paddle their wooden bancas when fishing.
Now, poor fishermen in Guimaras have motorized boats to harvest the bounties of the seas after receiving PHP3 million in livelihood assistance from the government.
A total of 150 fishermen from Nueva Valencia recently benefitted from the livelihood grant of the Department of Labor and Employment, based on a report of the DOLE regional office to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
The livelihood assistance for the marginalized fishermen was for the purchase of engines to upgrade their bancas into motorized fishing vessels.
“For years, fishermen in the municipality have toiled hard to catch fish for their daily sustenance. Without motorized fishing boats, they could not cope with the rising cost of living under present times,” Bello said.
Bello said lives will improve for fishermen in coastal barangays of Cabalagnan, Tanhawan, Dolores, Igang, Igdarapdap, Lapaz, Lucmayan, Magamay, Pandaraonan, Poblacion, San Roque, San Antonio, Santo Domingo, Tando, Guiwanon and Panubulon.
Meanwhile, DOLE Region 6 director Cyril Ticao rationalized the grant given to the beneficiaries.
“The support aims to develop a sustainable livelihood that will provide stable means of income to the families of the poor fishermen,” Ticao said.
He said the beneficiaries were thankful of the government’s help. “They appreciate the big helping hand of DOLE,” he added.
Last year, DOLE provided the beneficiaries with fishing nets, plywood and paints for the repair of their fishing boats.
Source: Philippines News Agency