ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Livelihood projects mostly in agri-fishery production under the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn or PAMANA programs are now being implemented in conflict-vulnerable coastal areas in the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte.
Among these areas are in the town of Naga in the province of Zamboanga del Norte.
Municipal fishery technician Payja Y. Roxas said at least 100 fisherfolk stand to benefit from the additional livelihood assistance, which includes mobile municipal bag net fishing and seaweed production.
“These projects are very important to the people of Naga. The beneficiaries are considered ‘poorest of the poor’ in our municipality,” Roxas said, referring to the coastal villages of Kaliantana and Mamagon.
“The implementation of PAMANA livelihood program in our area will help the problem of peace and order. Majority of the beneficiaries are victims of armed conflict,” she added.
Roxas said the bag net method allows fishermen to catch fish more effectively in municipal waters. The seaweed farming production project, meanwhile, will cover an initial 15 hectares.
Roxas said these villages have been considered hideouts of kidnappers.
“With these projects, we are giving the people on the ground the opportunities to earn a decent (living),” she said.
Her testimony is just one of the several positive impacts of the PAMANA program that were highlighted during its mid-year assessment meeting here on July 4.
Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Assistant Secretary for Administration and Finance Yeshter Donn Baccay, who is also the deputy program manager for PAMANA, said the program initiatives in these provinces seek to shore up the fishing industry through the practice of sustainable fishing methods as well as incorporate sound marine conservation efforts in coastal areas.
At same time, the projects focus on the much-needed livelihood assistance for the fisherfolk who were affected by years of armed conflict.
PAMANA, which is being managed by OPAPP and its partner government agencies, has been providing vital developmental projects for the last eight years in areas nationwide that have been adversely affected by armed conflict.
“These PAMANA projects are for peace and dividends of peace,” Baccay said. “Our primordial objective here is to let the people on the ground understand and feel the dividends of peace.”
The idea is to ensure that conflict-prone and poverty-stricken areas could transform into self-sufficient and economically viable communities, thus creating an environment where peace building initiatives could prosper, Baccay said.
Baccay also reminded them of the stern warning of OPAPP Secretary Jesus Dureza not to be victimized by “bogus and scammers who are pretending to be connected with OPAPP to get your project proposals and in return asking for budget cuts.”
Felipe B. Gapatan, officer-in-charge of Municipal Agriculture Office of the town of Payao in Zamboanga Sibugay, said this is the same reason they are implementing the PAMANA in the identified nine coastal villages, which are known to be conflict-prone areas and are formerly hotbeds of lawless groups.
In 2011, for instance, thousands of people were displaced after security forces launched a major operation against kidnap-for-ransom groups in the town of Payao.
Gapatan said they are targeting to provide 56 fishermen with 56 pump boats with engines, complete with fishing gear. Each pump boat, he said, is worth PHP35,000.
“At least 1,500 farmers are also set to receive farm materials for their seaweed farming,” he said.
This will cover more than 200 hectares for seaweed farming along the coastline of Payao.
“The implementation of PAMANA is a big help. Our main objective here is not only to uplift their economic status but also bring the needed social transformation in these coastal villages,” Gapatan said.
“Providing them these livelihood projects will make them think twice about joining lawless activities and illegal fishing,” he added.
Known for its rich marine resources, Payao is among the region’s major sources of high-value commercial fishes and contributes significantly to the county’s demand for raw seaweed, which is a prime ingredient for cosmetic and hygiene-care products.
Edwina Desoasido, municipal planning and development coordinator of the town of Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay, said since the implementation of PAMANA in recent years, there has been a reduction in the crime rate in their municipality.
“People now can access far-flung areas in our town because of the farm-to-market roads under PAMANA. Lawless elements can no longer seek refuge in these areas,” she said, adding that these roads provide the needed access to basic government services.
Tungawan is implementing PHP8.5 million worth of livelihood projects, which include aquaculture productions and fishing gear for fisherfolk. (PR)
