Over P5M worth fishermen livelihood projects okayed

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has approved the implementation of over P5 million worth of livelihood projects for the different fishermen associations in the province.

At least 15 new projects amounting to P5.5 million will be implemented in 14 municipalities. The projects include beekeeping, cattle fattening, seaweeds farming, bangus culture in pen, barangay bigasan, grouper culture, native chicken production, egg production, quail raising, goat raising, and mallard duck raising.

Fishermen organizations from the municipalities of Alegria, Tabogon, Dalaguete, Alcantara, Carmen, Cordova, Moalboal, Santa Fe, Barili, Dumanjug, Ronda, Aloguinsan, Malabuyoc, and Samboan will benefit the projects.

Mary Rose Vincoy, head of the Enterprise Development Unit (EDU), a unit created by the provincial government to supervise the project, said this year’s projects proposal is a continuation of last year’s Integrated Coastal Resource Management Project.

Vincoy, who is also provincial veterinarian, said the ICRMP is a national project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources funded by the Asian Development Bank in coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

“The purpose of the project is to minimize their (fishermen’s) reliance in fishing. As much as possible, we encourage them to have land-based projects,” she said.

In Cebu alone, Vincoy said there are 20 identified Local Government Units whose respective fishermen associations were benefited of the projects. Apart from Cebu, the other identified LGU in Region 7 is Siquijor.

Last year, Garcia approved the implementation of 11 projects amounting to P4.3 million and is set to approve 33 more projects for this year, Vincoy further said. The rest of the 100 projects allotted will be done in 2013.

In August 10 last year, Vincoy said the provincial government of Cebu signed a memorandum of agreement with BFAR-7 to create EDU tasked to oversee the budget implementation as well as to assess the feasibility and marketability of the projects.

She said the fishermen retain 50 percent of the income of the project while the remaining 50 percent goes back to ADB. –(FREEMAN)