AID FOR FISHERFOLK. Cantilan, Surigao del Sur Mayor Carla Lopez-Pichay (5th from right) was joined by other town officials and representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment during the turnover of PHP1.9 million worth of fishing gears and equipment to three fisherfolk organizations in the area on Tuesday (July 6, 2021). The brand new equipment and gears will help local fishermen venture into the high seas to yield more catch and increase their income. (Photo grabbed from DOLE Surigao del Sur Facebook Page)
BUTUAN CITY – Three fisherfolk organizations in the town of Cantilan in Surigao del Sur recently received around PHP1.9 million worth of livelihood projects in the form of fishing gear and equipment from the government.
In a statement on Wednesday, the local government unit (LGU) of Cantilan said the distribution on Tuesday was led by Mayor Carla Lopez-Pichay, top officials of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Surigao del Sur, and the Civil Society Development Office (CSDO) of Cantilan.
The three organizations include the Kasama Kita Association (KKA), the Ayoke Conservation Enterprise (ACE), and the Sitio Cabiton-onan Fisherfolk Association (SCAFA).
“A PHP998,000 worth of fishing gears and equipment were handed over to the group KKA, PHP500,000 for the ACE, and PHP500,000 for SCAFA,” the Cantilan LGU said.
In a phone interview, Engr. Rutchelie R. Urbiztondo of CSDO told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that around 162 fisherfolk members of the three organizations will directly benefit from the project.
She added that the fishing gears and equipment given to the organizations include 22 units of Honda 16.5HP Digital Engines; 20 Units of Honda 7.5HP Gasoline Engines; 148 Bundles of Pamo Nets 8.5 Knots; Nylon Ropes with sizes 8, 10, and 110; Nylon Net Mesh #6 Knot; Floaters or known as "pataw"; and Lead or "tingga".
“With the high-capacity, brand new and branded engines aided with new fishing gears, our fishermen now can venture into high seas to catch more fish and increase their income,” Urbiztondo said.
She added that the members of KKA and ACE are fishermen from the island barangay of Gen. Island while the SCAFA members are residents of the coastal barangay of Consuelo.
The LGU thanked the DOLE for its continuing support to the fishing communities in the area and added that the department approved the awarding of the livelihood projects to the said organizations last October 20, 2020.
The projects are under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) 2020. (PNA)
