186 Pangasinan fisherfolk receive livelihood grants

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — A total of 186 fisherfolk from four towns in Pangasinan are set to receive P3.732 million in livelihood grants under the national government’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

The beneficiaries belong to eight Sustainable Livelihood Program Associations (SLPAs) from Lingayen, Binmaley, Labrador, and Bugallon.

Five of the associations are engaged in aquaculture, particularly the culture of bangus (milkfish), malaga, and mangrove crabs. Two operate agricultural farm supply businesses, while one is involved in food trading and distribution using locally produced aquaculture products as primary raw materials.

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READ: New livelihoods sought for Pangasinan fishers amid regular red tide

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The grants were formally awarded during the signing of a memorandum of agreement for the implementation of the livelihood projects among the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region I (BFAR-1), and the Samahang Magbabangus sa Pangasinan (SAMAPA).

DSWD Regional Director Marie Angela Gopalan urged the beneficiaries to manage the funds wisely, emphasizing that government assistance is intended to help them become self-sufficient.

“The help from the national government won’t last forever and is intended for those who need it most. But we can’t always depend on assistance, which is limited, so we have to be responsible for ourselves,” Gopalan said.

While the DSWD provided the livelihood grants, BFAR will conduct training and extend technical assistance to the SLPAs to help ensure the sustainability of their projects.

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BFAR Regional Director Remely Lachica said the program recognizes the vital role of fisherfolk as stewards of the country’s coastal resources while addressing the challenges they face, including climate change, El Niño, and fluctuating market prices.

“The combined programs of the DSWD, BFAR, and SAMAPA are intended to help you overcome the challenges facing the fisheries industry. If you have concerns, feel free to tell us,” Lachica said.

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Manuel Estrada, president of the Lakas-BFF SLPA, said the assistance would help his group recover from losses caused by Typhoon Uwan last year.

Estrada said the 35,000 bangus fingerlings previously provided by BFAR were wiped out by flooding brought by the typhoon in Labrador town.

The 186 beneficiaries are among the fisherfolk included in the original list submitted by SAMAPA in 2024 who had yet to receive assistance.

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In January this year, another 181 fisherfolk from the same list received seed capital funds from the DSWD and are currently being assisted by BFAR. /das