Gov. Aumentado: more commercial fishing boats to cooperatives

Governor Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado has cited the need to have the additional commercial fishing boats to be
given to the fishermen’s cooperatives in the province of Bohol to increase fish production and lower the prices of
fish.

This developed when during the weekly Capitol Reports Program in the Provincial Government of Bohol last
Friday usually held at the Ceremonial Hall, 4 th  Floor, New Capitol Building, Gov. Aumentado bared that he wanted
that the two commercial fishing boats from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) who were turned
over to the fishermen’s cooperatives would be added by the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) of at least two
units.

Aumentado said that commercial fishing boats with complete fishing gears would greatly help the Boholano
fishermen to produce more catch fish and with that more supply and lower the prices of fish in Bohol.

Provincial Agriculturist Quirog reported to the governor that of the 100 units of fiber glass pump boats provided
by the PGBh intended for the fisherfolks’ organizations in the coastal towns of Bohol mostly in the 2 nd  District who
were affected by typhoon “Odette”, 31 of these were already distributed, 40 are to be distributed and all the 100
units will be distributed before mid-year to the beneficiaries. Aumentado said that giving of fiber glass pump boats
to fisher folks’ associations cannot actually address the low supply and high prices of fish in the markets. The
commercial fishing boats with complete fishing gears to be managed by the cooperatives will most likely gradually
address the problems.

However, he justified that the provisions of fiber glass pump boats to fisher folks are better for them to alleviate
their livelihood. In fact, he said that together with Quirog of the OPA, they plan even though the provincial
government has limited resources that every year we will be giving pump boats to the fisherfolks until it would
spread throughout the coastal towns in Bohol especially in the town of Mabini.

Quirog disclosed that the 31 pump boats who were already distributed last November 14, 2023; 20 of these were
given to 20 organizations in Bien Unido namely; Bien Unido Fish Vendors Association (BUFVA) in Poblacion,
Nagkahiusang Gagmayng Mananagat sa Pinamgo (NAGAMAPI) in Pinamgo, Nagkahiusang Mananagat sa Puerto
San Pedro (NAMAPUSAPE) in Puerto San Pedro, Lugating Crabbers Association (LUCAS) in Lugating,
Nagkahiusang Gagmayng Mananagat ug Mag-uuma (NAGMMANE) in Nueva Esperanza, Bilang-bilangan East
Fishermen’s Association (BEFA) in Bilang-bilangan East,

Hingotanan East Farmers and Fisherfolk Association (HESFA) in Hingotanan East, Sagasa Small Fishermen’s
(SASFA) in Sagasa, Tuboran Small Fishermen’s Association (TUSFA)Tuboran, Mandawa Farmers and Fisherman’s
Association (MAFFA)Mandawa, Maomawan Fishermen’s Association (MAOFA) in Maomawan, Nueva Estrella
Farmers and Fishermen’s Association for Development (NEFFAD) in Nueva Estrella, Liberty Farmers Association
(LIFA) in Liberty, Centennial Force Foundation Incorporated in Centennial, Malingin Fishermen’s Association
(MAFA),

Bilang-bilangan Daku West Association (BIDAWA) and Bilang-bilangan Daku Women’s Fishermen’s
Association in Bilang-bilangan Daku, Hingotanan West Association Seaweeds Farmers Association (HIWEFA) in
Hingotanan West, Sagasa Fishermen’s and Vendors Association (SFVA) in Sagasa, and Pinamgo Women’s
Association in Pinamgo, Bien Unido.

While the other 11 units of fiber glass pump boats were also turned over to the town of Ubay last November 14,
2023 wherein the recipients were:  Kahugpungan sa Gagmayng Mananagat Ug Mag-uuma sa Sinandigan
(KAGAMMASI) in Sinandigan, Tipolo Fisherfolks and Farmers Multisectoral Association in Tipolo, Union
Fisherfolkks and Seaweeds Association in Union, Cagting Small Farmers Fisherfolks Association in Cagting,Tapal
Farmers and Fisherfolks Association in Tapal, San Isidro Fisherfolk Association in San Isidro,

Biabas Farmers and Fishermen’s Association in Biabas, Cuya Farmers and Fisherfolks Association in Cuya,
Tubigon Farmers and Fisherfolk Association in Juagdan, and Humay-Humay Fisherfolks Association in Humay-
Humay, Ubay.

On the same development still during the Capitol Reports, Provincial Administrator Asteria Caberte said that
there is really the problems of low supply and high prices on fish in the province.

PA Caberte emphasized that this is the mean reason why the PGBh has embarking the “Isda Program”.
Caberte said that along with this program, the province will provide more cold storage facilities to store fish
catch during more fish supplies and to be sold during the lean season.

She also encouraged the Boholanos to eat inland fishes such as Bangus and Tilapia like in Luzon as most of the
Boholanos are dependents on marine fish. By Atoy Cosap