The Bureau of Fisheries and Agriculture is pushing for the fabrication of fiberglass palm boats instead of wooden bancas in northern Cebu.
BFAR regional director Andres M. Bojos said they have, so far, trained 22 fisherfolk from Tuburan on fiberglass boat-making.
They will train fisherfolk from Bantayan Island next. Fisherfolk from other areas that bore the brunt of typhoon Yolanda in November 2013 will also be prioritized, Bojos said.
The training spans 25 days, in which fisherfolk are given a lecture on the materials to be used, as well as taught how to make the actual fiberglass palm boat, Bojos said.
Fiberglass boats are more expensive than wooden boats. A fiberglass boat costs around P17,000, including a 5.5 horsepower engine.
But Bojos said fiberglass boats are safer because these are unsinkable.
“Naay part sa iyang body nga di masudlan og tubig, unlike sa wood (There is a part of the hull that cannot be filled with water, unlike wooden boats),” he said during yesterday’s forum organized by the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO).
Bojos said fiberglass boat fabrication could become a major source of livelihood for the fisherfolk. Those trained by BFAR can also train others make fiberglass boats.
Cebu is the first province in the Central Visayas region to receive training in fiberglass palm boat-making.
In the Yolanda corridor, Bojos said they target to train around 80 fisherfolk. BFAR also plans to expand the training to include those affected by the 2013 earthquake in Bohol.
In addition, Bojos said 90 percent of the coastal cities and municipalities in the region have been provided with 16-horsepower, diesel-fed engines.
Each engine costs P26,000 and comes complete with accessories, Bojos said. To avail of the engines, municipalities must already have a hull.
The engines were given to aid the municipalities’ surveillance and management of fish sanctuaries, and for patrolling the fisheries for cases of illegal fishing.
Central Visayas has a total of 132 municipalities, majority of which are coastal. The total population of fishing communities in the region is around 107,000, said Josefina Flores, officer in charge of the Fisheries Regulatory and Law Enforcement Division.