STAR reporter wins BFAR plum

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Star reporter Bella Cariaso (in photo) was recognized in the recent Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)’s Gawad Parangal sa mga Kabalikat Pangisdaan.

The BFAR selected Cariaso as one of the recipients of its Gawad Pasasalamat for using the media platform to promote fisheries conservation and protection to fellow Filipinos.

Cariaso covers the Department of Agriculture and its attached agencies.

She has joined two of BFAR’s expeditions in the West Philippine Sea – to Pag-asa Island in Palawan and in Zambales – conducted as part of the government’s effort to provide assistance to Filipino fisherfolk amid the tension in the West Philippine Sea.

The recognition is part of the annual Fisheries Conservation (FishCon) Week held last Friday at the Lopez Convention Hall of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management office in Diliman, Quezon City.

The FishCon Week is celebrated yearly to promote the importance of fish and other aquatic products to people’s well-being and the country’s economy.

With the theme “Sama-sama Tungo sa Maunlad at Likas-Kayang Pangisdaan sa Bagong Pilipinas,” this year’s celebration underscored the collective responsibility in ensuring the conservation and sustainable growth of the country’s fisheries industry.