CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro (PIA) — As typhoon Kristine damaged more than P18 million in the MIMAROPA’s fishery sector, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is preparing to distribute assistance to the affected fisherfolk.
BFAR MIMAROPA Planning Division staff member Emmanuel Perez, in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Oriental Mindoro, said over 800 fisherfolk across the region have been affected by the typhoon.
Perez said that, according to their record, Romblon was the hardest hit, with 332 fisherfolk losing their livelihoods, and the estimated damage was recorded at ₱5.3 million.
In Marinduque, 215 fisherfolk were affected with damages amounting to over ₱2.6 million; Occidental Mindoro has 151 affected fisherfolk and ₱6.5 million in losses; Oriental Mindoro has 128 affected fisherfolk with ₱2.8 million in damages, while Palawan had 33 affected fisherfolk, with over ₱1 million in damages.
Despite the challenges, Perez said that they are currently preparing to distribute assistance to the fisherfolk impacted by Typhoon Kristine. They are coordinating with the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the preparation of aid through the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) program.
“We are now preparing the names of the affected fisherfolk to make them eligible for the program,” he said.
He added that BFAR is encouraging affected fisherfolk to declare their damaged equipment and products so that they can be included in the government’s assistance program.
“We encourage our fisherfolk to report damages because, under the principles of our Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM), the damage and loss assessments need to be reported to ensure no one is left behind,” Perez stressed.
BFAR is also continuing to coordinate with local government units (LGUs) to speed up the identification process of those who will receive government aid across the MIMAROPA region. (JJGS/PIA MIMAROPA)
