The Pampanga provincial government in the Philippines on Tuesday assured more than 600 fishermen from the towns of Lubao and Sasmuan that it will assist them and that they would benefit from the province’s livelihood programs.
In a consultative meeting with the fishermen, Gov. Lilia Pineda of Pampanga noted that they don’t always have a good catch.
Sometimes, you don’t get a single fish at all, Pineda said in Capampangan. So we need to help you have other sources of income through livelihood [programs].
She also said her government will involve the fishermen’s wives and children in improving their daily earnings.
The fishermen applauded when Pineda announced that 100,000 tilapia fingerlings will be released in the two towns.
Stephen Lapid, officer in charge of post-harvest and marketing of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Pampanga, said his agency would distribute 4.8 million tilapia fingerlings in the province.
The governor wants to join the release of tilapias and she wants it by March. But it will depend on the availability of the [fingerlings], Lapid said.
According to him, Pampanga is the top producer of tilapia, which is sold for about P90 per kilo in public markets. He, however, did say how many kilos of the fish are produced daily or yearly.
Meanwhile, Mamerto Gatus, head of the Provincial Cooperative and Entrepreneurial Office, said the Negosyo King Panyulung Program (NPP) could be applied to them.
After knowing their needs with this consultation, we can now introduce our programs. The NPP will come in, Gatus said.
For his part, Party-list Rep. Agapito Guanlao of Butil vowed to support the fishermen by giving them the necessary equipment for their daily work.
2013 BusinessMirror