Rep. Doris Maniquiz of the second district of the province of SAN ANTONIO, Zambales in the Philippines will provide financial assistance to a group of fishermen after a Hong Kong-based cargo ship allegedly hit their “payao,” or fish aggregating device, last month.
On Sunday, February 12, some members of the New Masinloc Fishermen’s Association visited the legislator, and the latter pledged to provide a soft loan amounting to P150,000, the cost of their destroyed payao.
Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said a government legal team would represent the Masinloc fishermen and that the matter has been referred to the agriculture and legal committees of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) for further action.
The fishermen are seeking a total of P900,000 in damages: P150,000 for the destroyed payao; P360,000 in unrealized income from the scheduled payao harvest; and P390,000 for income from hook-and-line fishing.