“In times of crisis, we know we can always rely on our fisherfolks to provide us with food on the table but this community quarantine has disrupted the supply chain that fishers find it difficult to adapt.”
Oceana Vice President, Atty. Gloria Estenzo Ramos said a million artisanal fisherfolks depend on fishing for their livelihood. “They need lifelines from the local government units and national government agencies such as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in this difficult moment,” she added.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año reported that “the onetime grant to cities and municipalities is equivalent to one month of their Internal Revenue Allotment which they can use for their COVID-19 response and relief efforts.”
He said that we should use the funds solely for programs, projects and activities on COVID-19 such as relief goods for low-income and vulnerable households; procurement of personal protective equipment for frontline service providers, medicines and vitamins, hospital equipment and supplies; disinfectants and related equipment; and tents for temporary shelter of the homeless, among others, irrespective of political affiliations and compliance with the “no EPAL” guidelines for relief distribution.
“Wala kaming kinikita kaya gumawa na kami ng paraan. Hindi mabenta ang mga isda sa ng mga kasama namin sa Bantayan at Santa Fe kaya kumilos na kami. Kailangan din ito ng mga tao kasi hindi na sila makalabas para bumili ng pagkain,” related Venerando Carbon, President of Taňon Strait Fisherfolk Federation, based in Cebu City.
Carbon took the initiative of selling the fish harvested by their members direct to households in Cebu City. Ramos also cited the work of Celso Ilustrisimo of the Maricaban Small Fisherfolk Association from Santa Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu who bought fish from fellow members and sold these in the satellite market in their barangay.
“Fisherfolks are front liners too. Like most vulnerable sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, they are entitled to support from the Bayanihan Fund and the 20 percent Local Development Fund. Local government units may consider collaborating with the national agencies to mitigate the adverse effect of community quarantine to fisherfolks by helping them haul, transport and sell fish caught at the right time and at reasonable prices,” said Ramos.
Oceana is an international advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans. Since 2014, Oceana has been working closely with national and local government agencies, civil society, fisherfolk, and other stakeholders to restore the abundance of Philippine fisheries and marine resources.
