Fisherfolks director promotes food security in Eastern Visayas

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
May 26, 2012

TACLOBAN CITY  –  Enriqueto R. Galero, this year’s Mangingisdang Direktor for Eastern Visayas, spent the whole month of May going around the Region in order to exhort his fellow fishermen to help ensure food security.

Galero, 52, a fisherfolks leader from Pambujan, Northern Samar, was chosen to be the fisher folks director for one month under the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) Mangingisdang Direktor program in connection with the annual observance of Farmers and Fisherfolks’ Month in the month of May.

Galero was installed as the Regional Fisherfolks Director during the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 8 Management Conference on May 2-3, 2012.

On May 4, RFD Galero attended an orientation on the Aquasilviculture project of BFAR, which involves the growing of fish and other aquatic organisms within a mangrove area without cutting down a single tree is seen by the BFAR as an environment-friendly approach to enhance fisheries production in the wild, while at the same time rehabilitate the mangrove habitat which currently represents less than a quarter of what used to be a 550,000-hectare mangrove cover in the 1950s.

Under the P237.5-million Aquasilviculture, BFAR and CHED aim to plant 11 million mangrove trees for mangrove habitat rehabilitation, establish 62 units of multi-species hatchery, and develop 100 techno-demo aquasilvi-farms in coastal areas nationwide.

The fisherfolk could gain from actively participating in the project. For every P8 spent by the government for the rehabilitation of the mangrove habitat, the fishermen could earn as much as P6 divided as follows: P1.50 for each mangrove propagule; P2 for the actual planting and another P2.50 for every surviving mangrove propagule.

For mangrove habitat rehabilitation alone, a fisherman who could plant 2,000 mangrove trees could earn as much as P12,000 a year, aside from helping ensure marine food security for the Filipinos.

The multi-species hatchery, on the other hand which will be established by the SUCs in suitable areas would serve like a “lying-in” center for gravid high-value species. Said community-based hatcheries will differ much from the expensive and sophisticated hatcheries we are accustomed of because our purpose really is for the fisherfolk to realize the importance of stock enhancement. A gravid crab, for instance carries with it millions of eggs which if allowed to hatch in the said hatchery will benefit the fishermen and the consumers as well.

Among the projects Galero visited were those in Palapag, Northern Samar; Naval and Caibiran in Biliran; mussel project in Jiabong; Hinunangan, Hinundayan, San Juan, Macrohon and Liloan in Southern Leyte.

Galero participated in the tilapia seeding in North Leyte, mangrove planting in Inopacan and observed the Ormoc Hatchery in Ormoc City.

He also visited the Pearl Island in Guiuan, the Lawaan Fish Sanctuary in Lawaan and the Borongan Hatchery, all in the province of Eastern Samar.

As this story goes on print, Galero is in Samar province to visit projects in Catbalogan City, Basey and Santa Rita.

Meanwhile, on the last week of May, Galero will visit his fellow fisherfolks in Northern Samar as he visit the projects in Lavezares, Laoang, San Jose, San Roque and Catarman.

Galero, on May 16, also participated in the public consultation on Draft Food and Agricultural Organizations of UN Resolution 197-1 on the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources for food and agriculture.

Indeed, the programs embarked into by the Fisherfolks Director revolve around this year’s observance of Farmers and Fisher folks’ Month with the theme, “Sapat na pagkain, Sama-sama Nating Kamtin.”