FIBERGLASS-REINFORCED BOATS. Units of fishing boats are seen displayed outside the Misamis Oriental provincial capitol in Cagayan de Oro City on Monday, June 24. (Photo by Ercel Maandig)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Northern Mindanao (BFAR-10) turned over 100 fiberglass-reinforced fishing boats to fisherfolk representing 200 members in Misamis Oriental Monday.
Gov. Yevgeny Vincente B. Emano, who witnessed the turnover during the weekly flag-raising ceremony at the Provincial Capitol here, said the fishing boats would "surely uplift the fishing livelihood and production of the 200 fisherfolk recipients from the 23 towns and two component cities of the province."
BFAR-10 Director Teodoro Bacolod said each fiberglass boat is worth between PHP40,000 to PHP60,000, including its 16-horsepower engine and other accessories, such as anchors.
Misamis Oriental provincial agriculturist Jose Apollo Pacamalan said the fiberglass boats are part of the commitment of Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol to the province.
Pacamalan said the distribution of the fishing boats will start this week, and will regularly be monitored to ensure that these are used exclusively for fishing.
"This development can give our fisherfolk 20 to 30 percent more production and surely this will impact in reducing poverty incidence in the province, especially in the coastal areas that have the highest rate in poverty incident," he added. (PNA)
