PALUAN, Occidental Mindoro – The Dept. of Labor & Employment (DOLE) Mimaropa Region through the Occidental Mindoro Field Office awarded recently a livelihood grant to the Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU) of Tubili amounting to Php649,770.00 intended for the installation of six (6) units of payao in designated locations of Paluan. The awarding was led by DOLE Provincial Director Bernardo B. Toriano and Punong Barangay Elmer R. Malayo.
Fishes are oftentimes fascinated with floating objects and they use them to mark locations for mating activities. They aggregate in considerate numbers around objects such as drifting flotsams, rafts, and seaweeds which provide and offer refuge for juvenile fishes from predators. With the aid of fish aggregating devices (FADs) or “payao”, the catching of pelagic fishes would be very much easier. Fishers regard the use of FADs as a highly effective way to improve catch rates and reduce operating costs.
The project will be implemented in collaboration with BLGU Tubili, who also provided the amount of P122,270.00 as their counterpart, and the Paluan Tuna Fishers’ Association benefitting a total of 32 members and their families. The objective of the association is to make an impact on the catch trends of the fishermen in the area by ensuring the increase in fish catches with less fuel consumption resulting to increased income. Also, the residents shall have a sufficient supply of fish as their staple food.
“Maraming salamat po sa DOLE para sa malaking tulong na ito sa aming mga mangingisda at sa barangay. Ang pagkakaroon ng dagdag payao dito sa aming lugar ay hudyat na mas magiging maayos na ang aming pamumuhay at indikasyon din ng mas malaking kita para sa amin, dahil sa mas maraming tuna at ibang isda ang aming mahuhuli, mas malaking oportunidad para sa amin na guminhawa ang pamumuhay.” (We are very grateful to DOLE for this assistance, the additional payao in our area is a signifies the start of recovering for our lives as fishermen. This is also indicates a better income for us, by catching more tuna and other fishes, better opportunity awaits us), Mr. Quintin M. Fernando, Jr., Chairman of the association, said.
“Maraming salamat po sa DOLE sa malaking tulong na ito sa aming kabarangay. Dahil po dito ay positibo kami na magkakaroon ng maayos na pangkabuhayan ang mga mangingisda dito at iba pang mga residente ng aming barangay na makaraos sa nagdaang pandemiya, Kami po ay magiging kaagapay ninyo upang matulungan ang asosayon na mapalago at mapagyaman ang pangkabuhayang tulong na ito.”
