The Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) boats from BFAR-7. | Photo by Laila Bragat of BFAR 7
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Fisherfolk in Cebu Province, who were affected by super typhoon Odette, will now be able to go back to sea.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Visayas (BFAR-7) already started the distribution of Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) boats to the fisherfolk here.
Initial distribution of 150 FRP boats to beneficiaries from 38 municipalities in Cebu is almost complete, BFAR-7 said in an advisory.
“These FRP Boats are said to replace the damaged boats of the fisherfolks during the devastation of the super typhoon Odette,” the BFAR-7 advisory reads.
Close to 3, 500 fishing boats were damaged when Odette hit Central Visayas on December 16, 2021.
After the typhoon, over 5, 500 fisherfolk sought government assistance, BFAR-7 said.
“With these, BFAR 7 earmarked an estimated total of Php14,846,525 for the rehabilitation program, as part of the commitment for the Province of Cebu.”
OIC Cebu Provincial Fishery Officer Pedro Melana Jr. expressed optimism that the distribution of the FRP boats “would serve as an initial step for the affected fisherfolks to rise again and overcome their losses eventually and ensure food security even amid this existing pandemic.”
An allocation of P550,203,400 was earlier proposed to fund BFAR-7’s recovery plan.
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