San fernando city: A total of 8,373 fisherfolk in the Ilocos Region are each set to receive PHP3,000 worth of fuel subsidies, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Ilocos regional office.
According to Philippines News Agency, Remely Lachica, chief of BFAR-Ilocos Fisheries Production and Support Services Division (FPSSD), stated in a forum on Monday that the beneficiaries are those registered in the Fisherfolk Registration System (FishR), own and operate a registered motorized banca, and use legal fishing gear. “The distribution of the card is ongoing. Of the total number, 2,080 are ready for distribution,” she said in an interview.
Lachica explained that the fuel subsidy program helps alleviate the impact of rising fuel prices on eligible farmers and fisherfolk in the region. Once they have the card, they can use it in accredited fuel stations to purchase fuel for their machinery and vessels.
Based on BFAR Ilocos Region’s data, the volume of production in the first and second quarters of this year has increased by four percent against the same period last year. In the first quarter, the region produced 35,396 metric tons (MT), and 48,043 MT in the second quarter, for a total of 83,439 MT against the 80,100 MT in the same period last year.
Aquaculture remains the main source of production, with 66,187 MT. Milkfish, tilapia, and shrimp are the top produce of the region.
The forum, held in San Fernando City, La Union, marked the opening of the Fish Conservation Week by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 176. This year marks the 62nd anniversary of the celebration, which underscores the value of fish and other aquatic products for the well-being of Filipinos.