The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) launched LAYAG-WPS or Livelihood Activities to Enhance Fisheries Yields and Economic Gains from the West Philippine Sea in Subic, Zambales on Tuesday.
The new project aims to improve the lives of Filipino fishing communities facing the West Philippine Sea by unlocking the potential of the resource-rich fishing ground and providing fisheries livelihood opportunities in the regions of Ilocos, Central Luzon and MIMAROPA.
“To our local fishermen, I extend my sincere gratitude for your efforts to secure not only your livelihood but also the food security of our country. You are the pillar of the blue economy or the sustainable use of the ocean resources for the growth of our economy and the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems of our seas,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in his message.
He assured the fishing communities of Department of Agriculture’s (DA) support to programs such as LAYAG-WPS, adding that the President instructed national agencies to align government programs to avoid overlaps and repetitions, ensuring that government programs complement and hit targets.
Under the program, BFAR turned over 62-footer fiber reinforced plastic (RFP) vessels complete with modernized fishing equipment to select fisherfolk associations from Central Luzon and the Ilocos Region.
Some 100 WPS fisherfolk received livelihood inputs like gillnets while 50 women fisherfolk trained to develop post-harvest skills.
“The DA-BFAR commits to the task of empowering Filipino fisherfolk and ensuring that this program is justly and equitably implemented,” said BFAR director Demosthenes Escoto.
He called on the agency’s multi-sector partners to maintain their coordination and collaboration for the effective development of the West Philippine Sea.