CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro (PIA) — Jocelyn Davales’ family has been juggling sources of income in driving a tricycle and fishing to meet the ends of their family. His husband’s earnings are also extended to their grandchildren.
However, it is not always a good season to fish, which resulted in her availing herself of the intervention of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for a new fishing net.
“Kapag talagang nakakahuli ay malaking tulong sa kagaya namin na nangingisda rin. Ang kapisan ko na lang sa bahay ay isa, pero ‘yong mga apo ko ay binibigyan pa rin namin,” she said.
Davales’ family is one of the beneficiaries of the BFAR, along with other national government agencies in the Post-SONA Forum in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.
The Post-SONA Forum is brought to different regions to highlight the programs of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., through different agencies.
“Nag-iikot sa iba’t ibang probinsya para magsagawa ng Post SONA forum para iparating ang mga magagandang proyekto ng ating pangulo,” said Director General Katherine Chloe S. De Castro of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
Some of the interventions include the indemnification for affected hog growers of African Swine Fever (ASF) and crops by the Department of Agriculture (DS) and Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), condonation and maintenance subsidy by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), distribution of tilapia fingerlings and gill nets for fisherfolk by BFAR, and distribution of titles and meat processing facilities by the Department of Agrarian Reform, (DAR).
The locals also avail of the P29 per kilogram of rice sold by NIA through its Kadiwa ng Pangulo program.
Assistant Secretary for Logistics Daniel Alfonso Atayde of DA emphasized the critical role played by farmers and fishermen who benefited from the interventions.
“Sa inyong mga kamay nakasalalay ang pagkain ng bansa. Ayon sa Pangulo, ang sektor ng agrikultura ang tagapagtaguyod ng bansa, kritikal ang role,” Atayde said.
The programs implemented in provinces are also aligned with the direction of the national agency, the department added.
Locals also avail services provided onsite through booths of various agencies such as the Philippine Statistics Authority, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG Fund, Social Security System (SSS), and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Highlighted during the Forum were discussions on Sustainable agriculture and food security, Livelihood Opportunity Interventions for Fisherfolk, Infrastructure Support for Farmers’ Cooperatives, and Agrarian Reform for Rural Development.
MIMAROPA is the second region that conducted a Post-SONA forum after Sultan Kudarat in Region XII. The same event will also be held next month in Region VII and Region XIII. (RG/PIA MIMAROPA- Palawan)
